Need an apple tree expert!

[suziquzie]

Our property came with 2 long-neglected apple trees. Don't know what variety they are.
Any tips on bringing them back to edible?
I can go out and take a pic if it helps.
I did find a few websites, just wondering if anyone has any first hand exp. to share.

 

[Constance]

They will need to be pruned a certain way, and sprayed with dormant oil spray in February. I suggest you talk to your local farm extension office about pruning...they'll probably have a pamphlet on it.

 

[pacanis]

What is inedible about them, Suzi? Wormy, no fruit, too small....?
I will be seeing an apple farmer on Wednesday that I can ask if you want me to, but he may want more info.

I used to have three pear trees and they only bore fruit every other year. Someone told me it was because they were old. When I cut them down the trunks were half rotted. I miss the flowers in spring, but I don't miss the rotting fruit and bees.

 

[suziquzie]

It does have fruit but not much and pretty little... they do get munched up by something, birds, worms, bugs, not sure.
I haven't tried to eat one so I don't know that that are actually inedible, I'm just afraid to be the one that finds out they aren't!
brb... I'll see if I can sneak the camera past the kids (all MAJOR hams) and get the tree.

 

[quicksilver]

Need pics, Suzie.
And it's too late in the season for pruning to do any good this year. The tree is spending energy, if any, on producing food now. What you may do now may shock it. So let's wait and see what you've got.
Pruning should be done like in Feb., or in the fall, after the crop is spent.

 

[CharlieD]

Could it be that it is a crab apple?

 

[suziquzie]

No they are way bigger than crab apples.... got 3 of those too.....
I tried twice this morning to post pics but it wont let me....
Here goes nuthin, 3rd time's the charm?

 

[suziquzie]

I probably took too many pics....
And I probably tried to upload too many at once so I split them up.
Looks like the tree closest to the field next dooe has more fruit than I thought.... the other doesn't have much.

 

[suziquzie]

and the rest......

 

[larry_stewart]

Any clue how old the trees are ?? I know it usually takes 3 to 5 years before a tree will give off any sizable yield. Mine are about 5 years , and until now, ive gotten practically nothing. At this point of the season, most the apples of any tree will look similar ( small and green) as the season progresses, the red apples will be come more red, and the yellows more yellow. At this point, your pics look similar to what i have here. They also seem to be in a nice location, with room to grow, Mine are cramped with not enough ideal sun exposure

 

[suziquzie]

I have no idea how old.... we've been here 3 years now and they were ugly when we came. I doubt the guy we bought it from did anything with them or planted them, he was here 10 years.
They get streaked red / green when they are done. I should've taken a pic last fall.

 

[larry_stewart]

My dad a a few trees that produced ugly, deformed apples. His solution was to buy one of those hand-cranked apple cider presses. Just grinds up the whole apple, seeds and all, presses the juice right out of the apple, so it doesnt matter how ugly they are. The cider is crazy good, especially considering it comes from such an ugly apple. The problem now is keeping the **** squirrels from eating the apples !

By the way, just want to make it known that im no expert , just a guy with a few apple trees

 

[quicksilver]

Some serious pruning needed according to your pics.
A couple of locations you can visit, who show and tell better than I can:

Pruning:
YouTube - Fruitwise guide to apple tree pruning-sawing large branch
(also watch related videos on right side)

extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/html/ec/ec1005

(when you check this article out, then go to Contents, and check that out as well.

extension.unh.edu/Pubs/HGPubs/caremat.pdf

diseases:
(I thought this was good because your trees, according to your pics, seem to be very near evergreens)

GARDENING : Maintenance : Pruning Apple Trees : DIY Network
(scroll down to green print on fruit tree diseases)

Pollination:

www.cloudnet.com/~edrbsaas/applepollination.html


Keep us updated with your progress. (words & pics)

I don't know why some of the links aren't connecting lately, but if they don't for you, type in the above info, outside of the forum. Sorry.

 

[pacanis]

My apple farmer just stopped in. I'm probably repeating others or what you've already read, but here it is anyway;
He said to wait until winter and prune off all the vertical growth. I've ridden through his orchards before and apple trees kind of look like mushrooms. They are wider than they are tall, and not all that tall anyway. So that's the look you are going for.
He also said you HAVE to spray. He sprays about every six weeks, both an insecticide and a fungicide. You can buy large netting to wrap around the tree for bugs, and he said they do in China due to cheap labor, but if you live in a damp or rainy climate you will need the fungicide, otherwise you get absolutely no shelf like after you pick the apples..... about three days before they start rotting, but they are OK to eat right off the tree. If you are into organic, they do make organic sprays now, but they are very expensive.

And that's what I know :^)

 

[suziquzie]

Organic isn't an issue, I'll spray whatever I need to spray to avoid eating bugs.
I think once the things are pruned they are going to look like a post sticking out of the ground, ALOT of the growth is pretty vertical!
Oh well. Thanks muchly, I appreciate your asking!

 

[MJK]

From the pictures it looks as though there is nothing wrong with your apple trees a little pruning won't cure. Wait until after the leaves fall and trim the vertical shoots. Dad used to say you should prune an apple tree so a robin could fly through it. Of course this was the man who took a baseball bat to an apple tree in the back yard. He beat it several times on the trunk before it budded. Somewhere he heard if you shock a tree like this it would produce fruit. We had an apple tree in the back yard that was only good for shade so he whacked this tree rather than his prize Red Delicious and Macintosh trees. Guess what? That fall he had more useless apples than he could shake a stick (bat?) at. Bottom line is don't worry about over harming the tree. Be more concerned about the type and AMOUNT or sprays you use if you must use them.