I have grown some apple trees from seeds sprouting inside apples. What do I do now?

Question

I live in Cornwall. The little trees are all now 3 years old. They are in pots at present. They are between 2 ft and 3.5/4 ft. They came from apples of the Pink Lady variety.
I know they will probably not grow Pink Lady apples but would like to see them grow stronger/better and if possible produce some apples whatever variety/taste.
To do this I need more information on:-
where do thy originate from
what diseases/pests to watch out for
what fertilisers to feed them with
what soil type they prefer
size of plot required if they can't stay in pots
and
anything else that would help me to nurture my little (hopefully soon to be large) apple trees.
I hope somebody can give me some advice as I am really serious regarding this.

Answer 1

This is a good idea, you may have some luck and a new variety of apples.
First you have to be aware that some of your seedlings may be very sensitive to diseases, frost... and what ever you do they will die. some on the contrary be very resistant and won't pose any difficulty (like siblings in a family).
If you have a garden, the best thing to do is to dig a large pit (1x1x1m), break the bottom, back fill with the excavated soil mixed with compost (10-15kg) and plant your tree. Water well but without excess. Your trees should grow well, (I don't think frost is a problem in Cornwall) if you give them 10-15 kg of compost a year (well mixed in the first 15 cm of soil). Be sure to plant a least 3-4 trees in a plot as they don't like to be by themselves (for pollination reason). In 3-5 years you should have your first apples, but be prepared they may not test good, in which case you'll have to graft them, but this is another story. Hummmmmmmm APPLE PIES.....

Answer 2

Apple Seeds Sprouting Inside Apple

Answer 3

It needs to get out of the pot, now! Roots become crimped inside the pots and never straighten out when planted into the ground. In fact, if you notice crimped roots when planting, straighten them out or cut them.

You'll need a place that gets sun, as much as possible. Since the tree has the potential to grow 10m high and nearly as wide, give it room! Also the soil should drain well, no bogs please. Apples are pretty forgiving, they take a variety of soils.

Dig a wide hole, much wider than the container and only somewhat deeper. In the soil that was removed, mix bone meal and compost. Make a little mound of soil in the middle to set the root ball upon so the soil line of the root ball is even with the soil line where you are planting. Don't plant deeper!! Add the renewed soil part way, set the hose so water runs into the hold and settles the soil. Finish refilling the hole and water very well so the soil settles. Don't do a jig on the soil to compact it, plant roots need oxygen.

Every spring before the leaves emerge add manure around the tree, not touching the trunk though. A thin layer is fine, you don't need to heap it on.

In these early years you should work on developing the proper framework, that is the branching pattern. When your little friend is growing, ask again how to prune.

It may be a few years before apples develop as the plant is still a juvenile. In time, as the carbohydrate storage increases, it will flower.

Answer 4

Once your tree starts producing, the apples won't be Pink Ladies, since they're genetically different than the apples they came from. Chances are, any apples the trees produce won't be very good.

What you've grown is root stock, and I'm not sure if it's a hardy root stock for your area, but you'll find out. If you'd like to get tasty apples from your trees, talk to friends, or search the Internet for nurseries selling scion woodin your area. These are cuttings from apple trees of proven varieties used for grafting. Have an orchardist friend show you to graft the scion wood onto your trees, or try to follow the instructions from a library book. No doubt, your local library probably has some good apple growing books that will contain all the information you have requested on how to grow apples, as well as how to graft scion wood. If and when your grafts take, you will get tasty apples from them.

Answer 5

Apples from trees grown seed will not be the same as the apple that produced the seed. They usually regress to the species fruit which is small, not very tasty and most suitable for producing juice or cider. The ultimate size of the tree is unpredicable

Having said that, if you want the fun of growing an apple tree and eat the fruit, you should sign out some books about apple growing from your local library or order apple growing publications from the Ont Ministry of Agriculture (link below). Or read the info in the other link.

Apples are prone to a number of diseases, need careful pruning, good soil, fertilizing and room to grow. Apple trees sold for home gardens are grafted to dwarf stock so that they grow short and produce fruit when young. Your seedlings will grow large and fruit when older.

Answer 6

i have also done this with a few aple pips and found by putting them in the garden and somewhere that has some light on a daily basis but not too much shade and they will be fine my tree at my mums is 12 foot now and is thriving well the only thing i do is throw some vegetable peelings around the bottom as they are absorbed into the ground the nutrients go into the tree and will help it grow. good luck!

Answer 7

There was a little girl who put a dry pea in her nose and finished up with it sprouting and causing infection. But apple seed that survive digestion will come down with your droppings.

Answer 8

I bet the little beauts are pot bound, plant them out straight away .Do not worry about the soil, visit your garden centre and buy some bone meal and other fertilizers for fruit. Leave about 15ft around it, the ground should be wet enough. Good luck.

Answer 9

Good luck with this! Fruit trees, like roses, are usually propagated but grafting scions (cuttings) onto root stocks.

Have a look here

http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/fruit_veg_diary/fruit_veg_mini_project_september_2f_apple.asp

Answer 10

That is awesome! Isn't it exciting to sprout seeds? I love it.

But in the next 7 years or so, you have to wait patiently for them to mature. Feed them bone meal to grow strong roots. And mulch with compost.