• Jonafree: Jonafree closely resembles Jonathan. It has pale, yellow flesh, and is firm and juicy. “Small Steps to a Big Future for Massachusetts Cider Apples”. Not all possible situations are covered. While other rootstocks work too, we find this rootstock to be well suited for the home grower. That depends. It is too late to spray if your apples are already loaded with coddling moths or apple maggot (both these insects tunnel into the fruit). Because of this, orchardists always advocate heavy annual pruning during the dormant season to allow as much sunlight into the tree canopy as possible so all the fruit has great skin color and flavor. Some feel they do not want to spray until they see damage, but by then it can be too late. Contrast this to apples on standard rootstocks that sometimes did not start bearing fruit until about 8 years of age! Otherwise most apple varieties will do well in our growing area. Some grow apples for reasons of nostalgia as they want to plant some heirloom variety that they enjoyed eating many years ago that is seldom available any more on the market. You can store these apples up to 30 days. Our wholesale clientele of municipalities, landscape contractors, garden centers, and other nurseries can arrange to pick up material either in Menomonee Falls or our Jackson, WI Farm holding yards. The seeds inside the apple will actually be a hybrid of the mother and the crabapple. Apples are best grown in full sun and on sites that have good soil drainage. The goal is to get the tree big and bearing fruit as quickly as possible. Looking For Prices & Quantities? These include favorites like apples, pears and plums. Young apple trees that have poor leaf color or have less than 12” of annual growth should be fertilized. The ideal growth rate should be about 18”-30” annually. Please note that these are rough guidelines and may speak generically to our broad client mix. For 2017 we had a very wet spring so apple scab is severe for those who did not spray a fungicide to prevent the issue. Smaller sized (dwarf) apple trees require the least amount of space. This is actually very good news for those who have small yards yet have ornamental crabs nearby as sometimes space is too limited for panting 2 different apple varieties. We passionately pursue our goal of providing hardy nursery stock to clients in SE Wisconsin and beyond. Growing Apple Trees in S.E. You can contact your local Extension Office for an updated cultivar list and care information. For example, bare-root apple trees planted on a dwarf or semi-dwarf rootstock will normally begin bearing fruit in their 3rd year and usually reach decent fruit production in their 5th year from planting out. A great how-to book for backyard apple growers. Apple varieties are asexually propagated onto a rootstock. Some fruit trees survive zone 3 winters, where temperatures dip down to -40 degrees F. (-40 C.). If you only have a few small apple trees, then fertilizing with a gallon or 2 of a good liquid fertilizer per tree is sufficient. The key to insect/disease control is to spray at the right time to prevent insect damage or fungal problems. Johnson’s Nursery, Inc.™ is a third generation, family-owned business. Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Braeburn and most Fuji strains are some examples. • Prima: Prima produces medium to large fruit, red blushed on yellow skin. The key is to spray in May and then bag the fruit as soon as it is the size of a dime in early-mid June. I do hate the terms Dwarf and Semi-dwarf however as they fail to tell you some very important information. It matures a few days after McIntosh. Semi-dwarfs require 125–200 square feet each and grow to 10–20 feet. Trees that are full grown and bearing fruit well normally do not need to be fertilized. In rich soil standard trees may grow to a height of 20-25’ and a width of 25’ at full maturity. Most of our semi-dwarf apple trees are in #5 or #10 containers. How plants act may be unique to the conditions presented by your landscape/site. Here at Johnson’s Nursery, we sell semi-dwarf apple trees on M-7 rootstock. Your landscape should be inspected by a trained professional. Based on fruit tree sales here at Johnson’s Nursery, we sell more apple trees every year than any other type of fruit. Below I've answered some of the most common questions I get about growing apple trees in S.E. Based on fruit tree sales here at Johnson’s Nursery, we sell more apple trees every year than any other type of fruit. The main emphasis is on prevention. Yes growing apple trees can be very rewarding. How many times you spray your apple crop depends on you. Apples are one of the most popular tree fruit for the home grower. The apple is almost all red over yellow skin. Jonafree matures five to 10 days after McIntosh and may be too late maturing for best quality in areas with a short growing season. Standard trees take 300–400 square feet or more and may be over 30 feet tall. It is difficult for the average person to have success in this endeavor without proper knowledge. You can also visit eXtension at Fruits. 10 Best Trees For Wisconsin Landscapes More than 43% of Wisconsin’s urban forest is comprised of maple and ash trees. The Japanese have grown apples in bags for years and they really do work. Some will be free standing yet others need to be staked for the life of the tree. Successfully growing apple trees will require some work. This work is supported by New Technologies for Agriculture Extension grant no. The rootstock is the biggest factor in determining ultimate tree size. Essentially we are a wholesale grower that welcomes the general public. The McIntosh apple is the … Who doesn’t want to bite into a nice crispy apple picked at the peak of perfection? Then grow them in bags. Visit Our Public Inventory. This is a good pollinator for Prima. Forty-six of Wisconsin's 72 counties have commercial apple orchards, according to the Wisconsin Apple Growers Association.