Homegrown Apples

Who doesn't love an apple, especially fresh homegrown apples? There are so many varieties of apples to choose from: crunchy, tart, sweet, aromatic and more. I find new types of homegrown apples I love every single year.

Why grow apples

Homegrown apples or locally grown apples are available in many communities. Apples have long been known for their antioxidant benefits. Many of the healthy nutrients are found in the skin, but the pulp is power packed as well, and it holds pectin, the fiber in an apple.

I could go on and on about the health benefits of the apple, but the beauty and taste of the apple are what win me over. Apples also preserve well, so you can enjoy them for months after their harvest season. A tree of your own lets you pick the varieties you love most, not just the ones in the store.

When and where to plant

Choose a spot with full sun and well-drained soil. In colder climates, spring planting is often the safer choice. Think about size before you buy: depending on rootstock and variety, mature trees reach about 10 to 30 feet in height and width. Dwarf trees need much less space than semi-dwarf or standard trees.

Apples are self-unfruitful, so plan for pollination. You need two different varieties blooming at the same time for a strong fruit set. A flowering crabapple that blooms alongside your apple, even in a neighbor's yard, can serve as the pollinator. Some varieties, such as Winesap, have sterile pollen and cannot pollinate other trees.

How to plant an apple tree

Apple trees are sold grafted onto a rootstock, which largely sets the size of the tree. When you plant, keep the graft union (the bump near the base of the trunk) above the soil line, then water thoroughly.

Cut a new tree back to about 30 inches tall at planting. Spread a 2 to 4 inch layer of mulch around it, kept several inches away from the trunk. For the first year or two, pick off any fruit so the young tree can put its energy into roots and branches.

Care through the seasons

Keep watering during dry spells, but avoid overwatering. In winter, pull the mulch back from the trunk to discourage mice and voles. Deer love apple bark, so tree guards or mesh around young trunks are worth the effort.

Watch for apple scab, cedar-apple rust and powdery mildew. Good spacing, yearly pruning and plenty of air circulation all reduce disease pressure.

Prune while the tree is dormant, in late winter or early spring. Avoid pruning in early winter, which raises the risk of cold injury. Remove dead, diseased or damaged wood, crossing and rubbing branches, water sprouts and suckers. Then thin the canopy so sunlight reaches the inside branches, which helps flower buds and fruit color.

Harvesting apples

Harvest dates vary by variety, year and location, so look at the fruit rather than the calendar. Ripe apples are firm, crisp, juicy and well colored, with the flavor of their variety. Cut one open: the seeds should be brown. Red color alone can fool you, because some varieties turn red before they are fully mature.

To pick, cup the apple in your palm and roll it upward. A ripe apple releases easily with its stem attached. Don't yank: you can pull off the stem, and stemless apples do not store as well. Yanking can also tear off the fruiting spurs and reduce next year's crop.

Storing apples

Apples keep best at 32 to 40°F with 90 to 95 percent relative humidity. At 50°F they spoil two to three times faster than at 32°F. For a small harvest, perforated plastic bags in the refrigerator hold the humidity without trapping too much moisture. Larger amounts can go in a cellar, an unheated outbuilding or a cold room.

Sort your apples before storing. Bruised, cut or insect-damaged fruit does not keep, and injured fruit gives off ethylene gas that ripens its neighbors faster. Use those apples first for cider, sauce or baking.

Recipes with homegrown apples

• Apple Spice Liqueur
• Best Carrot Apple Ginger Soup

Check out all of my favorite apple recipes.

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