How do I properly care for my apple tree?

Question

Apple tree produced apples last season but previous owner did not continue with spraying this season. We would like to get apples again next season but don't know when to begin spraying or what spray to use.

Answer 1

I agree with Norman7774, you should start with the pruning, watering and fertilizing. If you have a good program, you'll have to do a lot less chemical spraying.

Apples produce flowers and fruit off of the lateral (side) spurs on the branches. These are usually less than 2" long. In the spring, after the flowers are done, thin the tree out. Keep major horizontal branches. Top off the tree, anything that grows where you can't harvest it is useless. Cut any 'water sprouts' out... those are wispy branches that grow vertically. When you are done, you should be able to see "through" the tree. Younger trees will require less pruning than older ones.

Mature trees won't need as much water as younger ones. Bare in mind that the fruit of the tree is full of water, and if we have a dry season, especially in the spring, you'll have less fruit, and or smaller fruit.

Use a good well balanced fertilizer as directed on the label. Consider ESPOMA 'Gardentone' or 'Treetone'.

Apple scab and insects can be problems on any fruit trees. Consider dormant lime-sulpher spray in the late fall and early spring to keep these problems at bay. Use it when the plant has no leaves or flowers, and the day time temps are above 40 degrees (below 50).

I hope that this helps
Good luck-

Answer 2

You should de-emphasizing the spraying aspect and concentrate on the pruning and the care of the tree... You did not say how old the tree was/is. You also did not say where you were located.. So.. just out of the blue.... You should form a Bern around the base of the tree about one foot in diameter.. this is used for a once a week deep watering(Deep watering means that you let the hose into the berm and let it run SLOWLY for an hour..not to overflow the Bern of course... Pruning it carefully in the fall of the year... fertilize the tree probably 3 times during the year BUT NOT NOT NOT when the flowers are showing.... fertilizer to be a good fruit tree fertilizer... depending on the sizes of the tree... about a cup of fertilizer

Answer 3

I agree with the previous poster, but I would like to add this...

Instead of spraying your tree with pesticides, use a natural remedy. You'll need:
- an empty 1 gallon plastic milk container
- honey
- white vinegar

Wash/rinse the milk container & cap throughly.
Carefully cut a hole in the upper portion of the container... opposite of the side of the handle. DO NOT CUT THE HANDLE OFF!

Put 1 cup white vinegar and 1 cup honey into the milk container.

Carefully hang the container in the apple tree. Depending on the size of the tree, you may need to hang 2-3 containers. Check the container(s) every 2-3 weeks and dump out the dead bugs. Re-fill the container(s) with the honey/vinegar mixture.

The honey will attract bees, wasps and other "critters" that love apples and draw them into the milk carton. The vinegar will kill them.

If the hole is cut correctly, little to no rain water should collect in the container as you are hanging it using it's own handle. Also, make sure you keep the cap on the milk container.

Enjoy your natural harvest!

Answer 4

The most common problem with apples is coddling moth. You can use pheromone traps and/or spray with a kaolin clay (organic approved) product with the brand name 'Surround.'

Surround is applied in the Spring and Summer. You may have to reapply after it rains; check the manufacturers instructions.

Answer 5

Then locate out how tremendous (diameter sensible) the tree receives (it really is the outer circle of the tree limbs) at the same time as complete grown. Then make confident you plant the tree a minimum of one million/2 the distant far flung from the living house. mission solved.