Growing Apples

Apple Growing Guide

A helpful resource to get you started growing your own apple trees.

An apple is a sweet, edible fruit produced by an apple tree, Malus domestica. Apple trees are grown worldwide and have been cultivated by humans for thousands of years. There are over 7,000 varieties of apples grown for reasons as wide ranging as fresh eating to cider making, so it is important to choose one that is right for your area and needs. It's important to know what your USDA zone is, and what your average chill hours are, to be certain your trees will not freeze out or lack dormant hours to bloom and fruit properly.

Apple trees became popular in the 17th century after being imported to America by early settlers due to their versatility, ease of preservation, and the high value of apple cider. By the mid-1800s apple fruits, especially cider apples, would become the most common fruit grown in America. Apple cider remained extremely valuable until the prohibition era of the 1920s and 1930s that outlawed all forms of alcoholic beverages, leading to the removal of the majority of America's older cider apple orchards. Modern day apples are no less popular however, and thanks to fruit historians, and avid enthusiasts, many of our old heritage varieties are making a comeback!

Here are some helpful videos on growing apples!