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 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.
Dwarfing apple trees with 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 rootstock size for the variety you select, we will substitute the closest size available unless you request no substitutions.
Mini Dwarf - EM27 is our most dwarfing rootstock to about 5 ft. M9 and Bud 9 are more typically 6-10 ft. All are very precocious and require staking or trellising.
Dwarf - EM26 reach 8-12 ft. and can be free standing if thinned when young.
Semi-dwarf - EM7A and M106 are semi-dwarfs that grow 10-17 ft. M111 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
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.
England's favorite apple. Excellent flavor, juicy, sweet and crisp. Medium-sized round fruits, yellow/orange skin with reddish brown streaks. Cox Orange Pippin is a vigorous apple variety. Mid-season ripening. Self-fruitful.
Fuji is a very late ripening apple. Beni Shogun Fuji apple ripens nearly a month earlier with the same crisp, sweet flavor expected of Fuji. A very good keeper. Zone 5-9.
Large, red, crisp and flavorful. Flavor improves with storage. Harvest late October and it will keep up to 6 months. Enterprise Apples are resistant to scab, mildew, fireblight and cedar apple rust. Pollinates with all except King & Gravenstein. Zone 4-9. $1.00 patent fee has been added to the price.
Best keeping, disease resistant apple. Ripens in early November. Improves in quality after 2 months in storage and keeps up to 7 months. Scab immune, resistant to mildew and fireblight. Goldrush is a yellow, crisp, medium sized apple with excellent flavor. Zone 4-9.
Exclusive - Recently released into the United States by Burnt Ridge Nursery. Monty's Surprise™ apple has very large, attractive fruits that are juicy and flavorful with a citrus like after taste. The flesh has extraordinary amounts of phytonutrients, and the skin has the highest levels of beneficial flavonoids of any apple. Monty's Surprise™ apples have demonstrated an ability to suppress the growth of colon cancer cells better than any other apple variety, according to a study by the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research. Price includes $1.00 royalty fee.
Sweet red fruits are of exceptional flavor. They are also juicy and crisp. Mid fall ripening, high yielding, the fruits hang well on the tree and keep very well into spring. Scab immune and resistant to the other major apple diseases. Mid to late bloom time in spring. New release from PRI, the culmination of 60 plus year old breeding program for desirable, disease resistant varieties. Jonathan, Newton, and Cox's Orange Pippen are among Winecrisp Apple's parents. USPP No. 20437.
Large yellowfruits with a pink blush. Banana-like fragrance, crisp. mild, and juicy flesh for desserts or cider. Excellent pollinator. Keeps until March. Self fruitful. Winter Banana Apple Trees have a naturally dwarfing and compact form. Zone 4-9.
Prima apple is an attractive large red fruit with a juicy white flesh, and is a very good multipurpose variety. Very highly scab resistant, also fireblight, mildew and cedar apple rust resistant. Dependable and heavy yielding.
Big golden brown russeted fruit. Sweet, crisp, and juicy fruit with a terrific flavor. Late ripening and a good keeper. Midseason bloom period. Any unharvested fruit will hang on the tree for wildlife over winter. Hudsons Golden Gem Apple is resistant to fireblight, scab and mildew. Zone 3-9.
One of the best quality early ripening and disease resistant apples. Large, firm, juicy fruits with a great flavor and crisp texture. A yellow apple with red stripes. Suitable for fresh eating and cooking. Early bloom. A good pollinator for other early blooming varieties. Wynooche Early Apple was named near Aberdeen, WA from a numbered selection out of NY state. Zone 4-9