On the other side of my village is an apple farm, and every year I wait eagerly for their sandwich board to appear, announcing the arrival of apple season. I’ll happily eat two apples a day until they put the sign back in the barn until the following autumn.
A really great apple brings me an inordinate amount of joy – and the best apples I’ve ever eaten were picked right off the tree. So, if you’re looking for a gift for the hard-to-buy-for gardener in your life, an apple tree is a wonderful choice.
When it comes to choosing a tree for your growing space, there are a number of important aspects to consider. The first is picking the right size. Most apple trees are grafted (as are pears, plums and cherries), which means that the type of apple is spliced on to a rootstock, which determines the vigour of the tree’s growth, how long until it produces its first crop and its size once it’s reached full maturity. At one end of the spectrum are apple trees grown on M27 rootstock – which are ideal for small gardens and can even be grown in large containers. At the other end are those grown on M25 rootstock, which produce a traditionally sized tree, up to seven metres tall – a worthwhile investment if you’re in your forever home.
For your tree to produce fruit, its flowers will need to be pollinated, and each variety of apple has its own pollination needs. Those that are self-fertile can be planted solo, whereas those that require cross pollination from a nearby tree are grouped by the time their blossoms emerge: from group 1 (that flower early) to group 7 (that flower late). If you’re fortunate enough to have the space, you can plant two varieties that will pollinate each other. If not, check your neighbour’s plots for apple trees that complement your choice. If there’s a crab apple tree growing nearby, they’re a great all-round companion as they have a long flowering period.
Now that you’ve figured out what options will work within your space, you can decide what variety of apple you want to grow: eaters or cookers. If you only have space for one tree, there are a handful of varieties that are good for both eating and baking into crumbles and pies. Some apples store well while others need to be eaten fairly soon after they are harvested, so that should be a consideration if you’re hoping to fill a store of apples to last you for a few months.
And then you get the joy of deciding which apple you want to grow. I’m a big fan of the crisp, white fruit of the ‘Spartan’ and the almond-like flavour of the ‘Egremont Russet’ (pictured above).
