Planting apple trees

[Scott K]

I want to plant about 6-8 apple trees up north at my cabin this spring. The soil is kinda sandy, it wont get watered unless it rains, or if Im up there to water them, a couple times a month. The purpose of the apple trees will be for 2 different reasons.

1) I want to attracked deer.

2) I like apples to eat, and so do my kids.

I have a few questions.

What type of tree would be best for the northern state, produce, and not need to be babby sat with water every day?

When should I plant them, as soon as the ground thaws?

Where is a good cheap place to get them? I dont want to spend a ton on them, because even if I put a fence around them, deer will more then likely have their way with them anyway.

[fisherking01]

If you don't fence them, it will not pay to plant them. At least I didn't have luck trying it.

Best Idea for you to select a variety is go online to one of the major nurseries and check them out. They will have notes on the different trees, including size color, taste of the apples, maturity, and very important the zones they will grow.

County extension service for the county that your cabin is in will have good advise for your area. Good luck with your project!! Brent

[solbes]

I'm in the same boat this year, but went with a smaller investment. The deer seem to leave our pine tree saplings alone, so I'm not as worried about them. Watering is another thing though. I ordered just 2 trees from Gurney's online to experiment with. A honeycrisp and a sweet sixteen. Both are supposed to be cold hardy to zone 3B (according to U of M). Our lake place is right on the boarder of zones 3a and 3b, but we're going to take a chance.

I have no experience, but read that you will need at least 2 varieties to pollinate (they aren't into the incest thing!). The standard size are more cold hardy and require less support, but will harder to manage once they become mature. I went with the standard size for starters.

[RogerMN]

Wandering

I would recommend getting bare root apple trees from Steve Nursery in Elk River, they usually have them available very early spring. I have Honey Crisp, Haralson and McIntosh that I am very happy with. If you plant them as soon as they are available and we have a normal spring I think you would be OK.

I do not spray any of my trees and found the trees out in the open do very well without any type of spraying needed. You will have to put a small fence around them to keep rabbits away for the first couple of years, and pick some of the apples off until the branches become strong enough to support them.

[Scott K]

Thanks, for the info, I was hoping them 3 kinds would grow up by me, them are my favorite! I will look into it. Although there is still about a foot of snow on the ground there, and suppose to get another 6inches today. The ground should be thawed by mid to end of April. I will look into them.

[PerchJerker]

You need to know what growing zone you're in and get stock that will survive in that zone. I don't know how far north you are but at my place we are awfully close to zone 2. The simple fact is that many of the trees sold around here, and many that are available from on-line and catalog nurserys, will not survive the cold winters we have. They may last a few years or even 5 or 10 years, but sooner or later the cold will probably get them.

I order my fruit trees from St. Lawrence Nursery in upper New York, they are a zone 3 grower. They have pages and pages of apple trees to choose from.

My trees are growing well and I have them fenced to protect them from the deer, but haven't produced any fruit yet.

[Scott K]

I looked and I would be in zone 3b, about in the middle of it. So it looks like Honeycrisp, or Haralson would be my best choice.

[sparcebag]

 Originally Posted By: 4wanderingeyes

I looked and I would be in zone 3b, about in the middle of it. So it looks like Honeycrisp, or Haralson would be my best choice.

Just sticik with a local nursery you wont get a tree out of the zone,Try the U of M for trees and all the info ya need,they developed Honeycrisp,and I believe Harrelson,I'v a golden crisp thats crunchie,sweet and easy to maintain