Apple tree care

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chardo

chardo

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Location
Royal Oak, MI.
Anyon have some info or some good links for apple tree care. My old apple tree flowers well and sets lots of fruit. but drops alot of small apples. Also the apples that stay on look well, ugly and buggy but they taste great. Any help wood be great.

Thanks Chardo
 
Do you know what kind of tree it is? It sounds more like an antique apple tree instead of a newer hybrid or grafted tree. Antique apple trees grow apples for flavor not looks. If you want pretty apples put in a new tree but don't expect to get as flavorful of apples.

My favorite apple in the world is a snow apple which produces small ugly apples that taste fantastic!
 
Yes it's an old tree, the flavor is vary good. I don't need pretty apples, I want eddible apples with fewer bugs and stuff. Most will be used for cider apple sauce and pies so lumpy and bumpy is okay.
What I need is info on apple tree care.
 
What little I remember from my Gramdpa's trees is that you prune them in winter to invigorate growth and thin the apples after they develop. He always sprayed his but I don't remember at which point during growth that is needed.
 
Depends on the bugs. Your local extension agent can probably recommend a spray or organic methods for controlling the bugs and any common blight in your region. Small, lumpy, bumpy and flavor sounds like good cider apples.
 
Care of apple trees depends a lot on your climate. Spraying can help control bugs and fungus but if you have a large tree it may not be practical. Generally fertilising with a balanced NPK fertiliser (plenty of N and K) weeding, mulching and watering through hot dry weather will help re-invigorate a tree. If you live in an urban area there may not be a lot you can do about bugs, the apples are still fine for cider and cooking.
 
most bugs can be controlled with a bi-weekly spray designed for fruiting trees. follow label directions for when to end spraying, usually 2wks prior to harvest. beginning is also usually just before and just after flowering, don't want to hurt the bees ya know.
 
If you want larger fruit, prune the tree. If you want bug-free fruit, spray the tree. Checkout the Western Garden book at your lcl library, it will get you started. Ortho puts out a decent fruit tree/pruning how to starter book, you can usually find it at Home Depot or Lowe's. Regards, GF.

EDIT: Here's a book that'll get you going: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0963574809/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
Regards, GF.
 
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