We offer many different disease resistant apple trees on a variety of rootstocks. Factors affecting eventual size of fruit trees include the natural fertility of the site, fertilizer, age, and variance between individual varieties. For example, some apple varieties are naturally vigorous - William's Pride, Gravenstein, Chehalis, King, Northern Spy, and Spitzenberg. Or compact varieties such as Liberty, Akane, and Winter Banana. The advantage of dwarfing rootstocks is in ease of harvest, quick bearing and large fruit. Small trees can be planted much closer together, allowing for greater variety in a small area. One disadvantage of dwarfs are a smaller root systems, resulting in poorer anchoring and more drought susceptibility which can make them more prone to disease and insect attack.
Dwarfing apple trees with a heavy fruit loads may need staking or other support to keep from falling over. Early thinning of heavy crop loads can lessen this problem and will increase the size of remaining fruit. Summer pruning, from June to early August, has a naturally dwarfing effect on dwarfs or standard sizes, keeping them small for ease of harvest and to accommodate smaller spaces. With annual pruning the apple trees can be maintained short enough to reach from the ground with an arm outstretched. A compact tree is also much easier to net if bird predation is a problem.
Rootstocks: *If we're out of a particular rootstock size, we will substitute the closest size available unless if you request no substitutions. *
Mini Dwarf - EM27 is our most dwarfing rootstock to about 5 ft. M9 NIC29 and Bud 9 are more typically 6-10 ft. All are very precocious and require staking or trellising.
Dwarf - EM26 and G222 reach 8-12 ft. and can be free standing if thinned when young. G-935 is a dwarfing rootstock from Geneva NY and it is known for cold hardiness, few suckers, and quick production of large fruit with resistance to fireblight, root rot, and crown rot.
Semi-dwarf - EM7A and M106 are semi-dwarfs that grow 10-17 ft. M111 rootstock is a slighter larger semi-dwarf. BUD118 is an extra hardy Russian rootstock, gives a large semi-dwarf tree, about the size of M111. They are all better anchored and more drought tolerant.
Standard - Antonovka is a standard rootstock which gives a very hardy, well anchored, full sized tree (+20 ft.).
THE APPLE VARIETIES ARE LISTED BELOW IN ORDER OF RIPENING
Unfortunately we've lost the tags that identified the variety for these apple trees. They are all disease resistant varieties and this special deal on mystery trees is a mix of the varieties that we already sell. They have minor trunk damage that has healed over and will bear fruit for years to come.
A patented variety originally from Switzerland. Redlove Calypso apples have a bright red flesh and are fragrant, sweet and juicy. Great for eating, sauce, and cider. Excellent disease resistance to scab and mildew disease.
Very early, large, red dessert apple, crisp, juicy, and flavorful. Scab immune, resistant to fire blight, cedar apple rust and powdery mildew. Willliams Pride Apple is pollinated by all but Gravenstein and King. Zone 4-9.
Very flavorful, crisp, and juicy. Used for fresh eating, sauce and pies. Vigorous tree. Gravenstein Apple trees are somewhat fireblight and scab resistant. Pollinators: Spartan, William’s Pride, Akane, Prima, Liberty. Zone 2-9.
Medium sized crisp, red apple. Fine for fresh eating and suitable for drying. Akane Apple is an early and reliable bearer. Resistant to mildew, scab, and fire blight. Self-fertile. Zone 5-9.
The best flavored hardy apple. Large red fruits are crisp, juicy and sweet. Great keeper. Moderate disease resistance. Honeycrisp apples originated in Minnesota. Zone 3-8.
Very resistant to scab, mildew, cedar apple rust and fireblight. Liberty Apples have attractive red fruit that is medium size, with a crisp sweet/tart flavor and is especially high in antioxidants. Midseason ripening, very productive. Bears annually and is a good keeper. Self-fertile. Pollinates with Akane, Prima, William’s Pride, Spartan, Dayton, and others. Zone 4-9.
Medium-large red striped fruit is firm, crisp, juicy and aromatic. Has a sweet, pleasing flavor. Productive and precocious, a good keeper. Blooms late. Resistant to scab and fireblight. Sweet Sixteen Apple is a very cold hardy Minnesota selection. Zone 3-8.
Dark red, dessert-quality apple that is also good for cooking. Excellent keeper. Self-fertile. High antioxidant level. Resistant to scab, mildew and fireblight. Spartan apple is a hybrid of McIntosh x Newton. Zone 3-9.
Large red apples with yellow juicy flesh, crisp, sweet and especially flavorful. A vigorous tree, late ripening, a good keeper and productive though somewhat biennial bearing. Very good fresh, for juice, or hard cider. Baldwin Apple was once the most popular variety in New England and in Southwest Washington. Lacks hardiness in real cold winter regions and susceptible to scab. Not a pollinator. Originated in Massachusetts around 1740.
Red-striped, sweet and crisp dessert apple that ripens in October. King Apples can be pollinated by Northern Spy, Sweet 16, Gold Rush and Prairie Fire. Also known as Tomkins King, or King of Tomkins County. Zone 5-9.
An old Wisconsin variety with gigantic fruit. Good pie apple only requiring 1 or 2 fruits per pie. Wolf River Apple is resistant to scab, mildew, and cedar rust. Zone 2-9.