Apple tree questions

[Hkrjohn]

We live on an old homestead at about 2,700 feet on a mountain with great southern exposure along the Glenn Highway. We are looking to add a couple apple varieties, maybe a crab and a regular variety. There is good information at the https://www.apfga.org/research/ site indicating that there are a good number of varieties to pick from.

Any suggestions on varieties, when to plant, how far apart, etc? How do you keep the moose of of them?

 

[SmokeRoss]

I attended an informational get together at O'Brien's in Nikiski. Was told to plant at least 2 and no more than 50' apart iirc for pollination. Don't have to be the same variety. They do graftings to create varieties that are hardy enough for our climate.

 

[AKBEE]

I have been looking into putting some apple trees at my place as well. There is another site that has some good info called
lifewithgremlins.com

 

[Hkrjohn]

Thanks for the information, and particularly about the trees not needing to be the same variety. That makes it a bit easier and adds variety. I intend to do a fall planting, so I need to get after this,

 

[SmokeRoss]

I planted a couple crab apples years ago. They produce more crab apples than I can use.

 

[Hkrjohn]

I planted a couple crab apples years ago. They produce more crab apples than I can use.

We had both crab apple and regular apple trees growing up as kids. I recall the crab apples produced in great abundance. That is kind of what I am looking to achieve,

 

[Alaska Bush Hunter]

Planted a APPL tree(Honey Crisp) in my yard this summer doing great . We bought it at Costco it’s from Canada. We went back to get 5 more but sold out.
so next summer we have a plan to plant 5 more Apple trees in our front yard. Moose Bait

 

[kasilofchrisn]

I've been frequenting my local U-Pick farm to pick apples.
They have a crabapple tree, Norlunds and Parklands.
So that's why I planted Norlands and Parklands at my house.
I suggest anyone wanting to plant fruit trees in Alaska is to find someone local in your area who grows similar fruit trees or even a local U-Pick form and plant the same varieties that they had success with.
Remember on your first year to pull all the flowers as you want your trees to put more energy into the roots and growing stronger rather than into trying to produce fruit.
My trees are still young so don't produce a lot yet but in a few years I should be okay.
So for now I still visit my local U-Pick form to get enough apples to make my canned apple pie filling, apple butter, applesauce, apple juice, etc.

 

[bottom_dweller]

I was over at my friends house around Father’s Day and his wife bought him an apple tree that was six different varieties all graphed on the same trunk.

On my beach are several old very large native crabapple trees. Would trying to graph some of the apple trees around here that do well, take?

 

[big_dog60]

By all means, graft apples on to your crabapple. Crabapples will provide pollen for your apples and most crab apple trees will take a graft. Some are less willing than others.
Do you have a neighbor with some good apples? When I do my spring pruning, I tend to give away the pruned wood for to any one who wants scion wood. I usually prune right about the time the snow leaves the ground.

 

[bottom_dweller]

So I should try and graph the trees now? I want to do it up high enough to keep the deer and occasional bear from them. Appreciate the comeback.

 

[Patsfan54]

I was over at my friends house around Father’s Day and his wife bought him an apple tree that was six different varieties all graphed on the same trunk.

On my beach are several old very large native crabapple trees. Would trying to graph some of the apple trees around here that do well, take?

That just reminded me of this 40 variety fruit tree https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/a-tree-grows-40-different-types-of-fruit-180953868/

Now I need to get some different apples to graft to my crabapple tree.

 

[markopolo50]

I was told to plant crab apple trees as they have longer pollinating time and will help keep the bees around so your other trees have better pollination.

 

[HoleintheHeadGang]

I came across this today.

 

[bottom_dweller]

That would be expensive!

 

[big_dog60]

So I should try and graph the trees now? I want to do it up high enough to keep the deer and occasional bear from them. Appreciate the comeback.

I do my grafting right about the time the snow goes away, or when the spring sap starts running if we have a low snow winter.

It looks like you live in south east, so maybe now. I am not familiar enough with your climate.