Easy-to-Grow Apples

One of my favorite fall memories is hiding in the top of a big apple tree on my family’s farm and eating all I could pick. Up there I could spy on my brothers and avoid my father’s list of chores! Apples are not terribly hard to grow in Georgia. Dwarf and semi-dwarf varieties make them adaptable to urban landscapes.

Varieties like ‘Anna’ and ‘Ginger Gold’ as well as the usual ‘Red Delicious’, ‘Granny Smith’ and ‘Fuji’ are available.

Since an apple tree will be in your landscape for many years, it makes sense to prepare the planting spot thoroughly beforehand.

Click here for apple variety and planting information.

You also want to be sure the tree you purchase is accurately named. You don’t want to discover years later that a tree you thought was dwarf was a mislabeled full-sized tree.

I highly recommend buying your fruit trees from nurseries that specialize in fruits, not “big box” stores. I have heard too many tales of poor performance and mis-named plants to have confidence in the garden center of a store that sells pipe, lumber and chainsaws as well as fruit trees.

After deciding on the variety you like, shop around. Remember that some apples require a second variety nearby to achieve optimum pollination.

Here are some good sources for apples