Do you need 2 apple trees to get apples?

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Most apple varieties do not pollinate themselves or any flowers of the same apple variety; this requires planting at least two different apple tree varieties close to one another so that the bees can pollinate. (There are actually some self-pollinating apple tree varieties if you are really short on space.



In respect to this, will 1 apple tree produce apples?

This is because almost all apple trees are dioecious, which means they need cross pollination from another plant in order to bear fruit. If you plant one apple tree and there are no others around for miles, chances are you're never going to see any fruit… usually.

One may also ask, why is my apple tree not producing apples? This condition is known as biennial bearing and is thought to be due to the influence that a very heavy crop has on crop production the following year. An apple tree without fruit may not be getting enough sun or water. Poor fruit production can also be caused by over fertilizing.

Secondly, how many apple trees do you need to pollinate?

At least two apple trees of different varieties that bloom at the same time are required for proper pollination.

Do all apple trees need a pollinator?

All varieties of apple trees require some cross-pollination for fruit set. Even though some varieties are listed as self-fruitful, they will set fruit more heavily and more regularly if they are cross-pollinated.

39 Related Question Answers Found

How do you care for a Honeycrisp apple tree?

"Honeycrisp" apple trees require regular, deep watering to maintain healthy roots, leaves and fruit. When watering an apple tree, it's important to saturate the roots. Leave the water running around the base of the tree long enough for the water to penetrate to a depth of about 7 inches.

What should I feed my apple tree?

Generally, all fruit trees thrive in a soil pH of between 6.0-6.5. If you are just planting an apple sapling, go ahead and add a pinch of bone meal or a starter fertilizer mixed with water. After three weeks, fertilize the apple tree by spreading ½ pound of 10-10-10 in a circle 18-24 inches from the trunk.

How do you prune an apple tree?

To prune apple trees, wait until spring and early summer. Then, use hand pruners and loppers to cut off any downward growing branches or branches that are dead or diseased. You should also prune any suckers that are growing at the base of the apple tree.

How can I make my apple tree grow faster?

Increase the fertilizer application as the tree ages to continuously boost growth. In the fruit tree's second year, use one pound of 21-0-0 fertilizer. In the third year, use 1.5 pounds of the same fertilizer. Every year thereafter, increase the amount of fertilizer you use by a pound.

Do Honeycrisp apple trees produce every year?

in your backyard for fresh, late-summer apples every year. They are hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 to 7. Once they reach two to five years old, Honeycrisp trees produce apples about 3 inches tall with dappled red skin and mild, sweet, off-white flesh.

Can I pollinate my apple tree?

Like all fruit trees, apples need to be pollinated if they are to set fruit. Wind will also help to pollinate apple blossom. While some varieties of apple are able to fertilize themselves (trees described as 'self-fertile'), others require pollen from another tree to do the job – a process known as cross-pollination.

Can you pollinate an apple tree with a pear tree?

It is always best to pollinate fruit trees of the same genus with each other (apples with apples, pears with pears) but pears can cross-pollinate with apples as long as both trees bloom at the same time. Some (but not all) crabapple trees work for cross-pollination. European apricots are self-pollinating.

How close do apple trees need to be to pollinate each other?

Plant at least two compatible-pollen varieties within 50 feet of one another. Pollination will still occur if trees are planted closer together, and may even occur between trees planted farther apart than this, but, for ideal pollination, a 50-foot distance between trees is good to aim for.

Can you plant different fruit trees next to each other?

Other fruit trees, like most apple, plum, sweet cherry and pears are cross-pollinating or self-unfruitful. They need another tree for pollination, and not just one of the same variety, but a different variety of the same fruit.

How do you self pollinate an apple tree?

Pollinate by hand.
  1. Fluff up a cotton swab by pinching the end and pulling. (A small paintbrush can work as well.)
  2. Dip the swab onto the pollen of a flower.
  3. Carry the pollen to a second flower and brush it onto a stigma, or sticky female area.
  4. Remember to transfer pollen between two different, compatible cultivars.

How far apart do I plant apple trees?

How Far Apart Do You Plant Fruit Trees?
  1. Standard apple trees need 30-35 feet between trees, while semi-dwarf apples require 15 feet and dwarf apples need only 10 feet.
  2. Peach trees should be spaced 20 feet apart.
  3. Standard pear trees need about 20 feet and semi-dwarf pears about 15 feet between trees.

Which apple trees pollinate each other?

In general terms each species can only pollinate others of its own kind - apples will only pollinate other apples, pears will only pollinate pears, and so on. Amongst apples there is generally no distinction between crab apples, cider apples, and mainstream apples - they can all potentially cross-pollinate each other.

Can crabapples pollinate apples?

Crab apple trees pollinate other apple varieties
Apple trees require a pollinator of another compatible apple variety to set fruit. Pollen from a crabapple tree will pollinate most apple trees provided that they blossom at the same time.

Do apple trees fruit every year?

Many species of apple tree will produce fruit every year -- provided they're grown in the right conditions and don't sustain any damage. In some situations, your tree may fall into producing fruit only every second year.

Do old apple trees stop producing?

Tree Age. Apple trees naturally do not begin to flower and produce fruit reliably until they are several years old. Some apples will not bear a significant amount of fruit until they are 5 to 10 years old, although apple trees grown on dwarf rootstocks may flower and fruit after only two or three years.