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While the safest time of the year to plant fruit trees in Michigan is April-June, the smaller dwarf and medium trees can handle planting a bit later – the key is to baby them with a lot of water so the roots can handle this hotter time of the year. Or, you can wait even until September.
What is the best month to plant an apple tree?
Planting Time In cold northern climates, spring is the best time to plant apple trees. In areas where winter is less severe, early spring or late fall planting is recommended. Remove weeds and grass in a 4-foot circle and dig a hole about 2 feet deep and twice the diameter of the root ball of the tree.
What apple trees grow best in Michigan?
According to Apple Journal, the Gala, Jonagold, Golden Delicious, Northern Spy, Empire and Red Delicious are among the most commonly grown apples in Michigan.
Can you grow apple tree in Michigan?
Apples are grown mainly on hilly terrain in Michigan. This is necessary to prevent the annual spring frosts from destroying a good share of the crop. The soils are generally sandy loam to loam soils with good drainage.
How late can you plant apple trees?
Bare-root apple trees should be planted in the early spring as soon as the soil can be worked. Container-grown apple trees can be planted throughout the growing season as long as they are given enough water.
How long does it take for an apple tree to bear fruit?
Dwarf apple trees will start bearing fruit 2 to 3 years after planting. Standard size trees can take up to 8 years to bear fruit. Some varieties are more susceptible to insect and disease damage than others. Prune annually to keep apple trees healthy and productive.
Do you need 2 apple trees to produce fruit?
Answer: Pollination and fertilization are necessary for fruit development. Plant at least two different apple tree varieties within 50 feet of one another for good fruit set. Some apple varieties, such as Golden Delicious, will produce a crop without cross-pollination from a second variety.
How much should I water a newly planted apple tree?
Watering Fruit Trees with Purpose Newly planted trees require a gallon of water every 7 days or so during a normal growing season. This water amount will naturally increase as the tree puts on new leaves into the summer.
Is June too late to plant apple trees?
While late fall and early spring are the best times to plant, they are not the best times to order apple trees. Fruit trees are produced on an annual cycle and harvested in late fall. This means the best time to order is over the summer, even if you won’t be planting the trees until the following spring.
What should I put under my apple tree?
What to Plant Under Apple Trees Comfrey. Nasturtium. Chamomile. Coriander. Dill. Fennel. Basil. Lemongrass.
When should apple trees be transplanted?
While fruit trees can withstand planting throughout the year, the best time of year to transplant fruit trees is in the dormancy state to early spring before their active growth period. Fruit trees should never be transplanted when they have already started developing buds or during the peak growing season.
Is it best to plant fruit trees in spring or fall?
Although you can plant fruit trees into your landscape at any point of the growing season – fall is really the best time to plant. Fall planting allows just enough time for the roots of a tree to become established – getting them accustomed to the soil and preparing them for fast growth the following spring.
What fruit trees can I plant in Michigan?
Some of your options in Michigan include various fruit trees such as apples, pears, peaches, plums or cherries. Small fruit options are strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries or grapes.
How far apart can apple trees be to pollinate?
Since bees fly between trees, it’s also important to consider the spacing between your apple trees. Plant them too far apart and bees can’t reach the pollinator partners! For pollination purposes, the recommended planting distance for apple trees is within a 100 foot distance.
How far apart do fruit trees need to be planted?
Most standard-sized fruit trees need approximately 20 feet by 20 feet of space to grow properly, though standard-sized apple and sweet cherry trees need around 35 by 35 feet of space. Citrus trees only require about 8 feet to grow properly.
How do you take care of an apple tree for the first year?
You will need to prune your apple tree—to train it to a central leader the first year and for maintenance every year after that—to stimulate fruit production and to keep the tree open and balanced. Without regular pruning, an apple tree produces lots of vegetative growth that then turns into fruiting wood.
How many apple trees do I need?
Tip. Unless you plant a self-pollinating apple tree, you need at least two trees for proper pollination. The trees should be different cultivars that flower at the same time.
Do apple trees produce every year?
Many species of apple tree will produce fruit every year — provided they’re grown in the right conditions and don’t sustain any damage. In some situations, your tree may fall into producing fruit only every second year. And remember: Apple trees won’t bear fruit for the first two to five years of growth.
What season do apple trees bear fruit?
Apple trees set fruit in the spring, and the apples mature from late summer through fall. Each apple variety matures on its own particular schedule, with early varieties like Zestar ripening first.
Will a pear tree pollinate an apple tree?
It is best to pollinate fruit trees of the same genus with each other — apples with apples, or pears with pears — but pears can cross-pollinate with apples, as long as both trees bloom at the same time. Some but not all ornamental crabapple trees work for cross-pollination purposes.
Are apple trees easy to grow?
Growing apple trees organically can be challenging. Sadly, fruit trees also have a down side because they experience pest and disease problems, poor production, and nutrient deficiencies. And growing apple trees is notoriously difficult. When growing apple trees, there are so many potential problems to contend with.
How can you tell if a apple tree is male or female?
You cannot tell flower function (or gender) just by looking. Trees do not show their gender until they are sexually mature and start to flower. Sexual maturity in trees, depending upon the species, can occur from 1 to 50 years of age. Sometimes sexual maturity occurs for either the male or female flowers and cones.
