Rural Smallholdings Magazine

One of the joys of owning your own smallholding may be found in the heirloom apple trees around the property. Don’t think that because these trees are currently producing only wormy worthless fruit that they are only good for firewood. These old trees can produce an abundant crop of apples just right for making your own apple cider, apple butter and apple sauce if they are cared for properly.

The key to resuscitating these older trees is a little loving care—the same kind of care you give younger apple trees. When you know how to care for the apple trees on your property, you will be amazed at just how much you can increase the yields from these old trees. And often you will discover that the flavor of these heirloom cultivars is superior to any of the newer varieties.

Autumn is just the right time to start. First, rake away all the leaves and fallen apples and compost them. The heat of composting will kill off many of next year’s pests. Then, prune away any dead sections in the tree (saving these branches for smoking your favorite cut of meat). It is important to cut flush with the branch, so that the bark can grow over the cut. An application of pruning seal will protect the wood from fungus and rot through the damp winter months.

Even if your trees have been weathering winter for many years, it’s a good idea to apply a thick layer of mulch around each tree. The tree’s roots extend all the way out to the tips of the branches, so mulch the entire area covered by the tree’s canopy. That way the nutrients from the mulch will soak into the ground right where the tree most needs it.

Your trees will also benefit from a protective wrap of burlap. This protects the trunk of the tree from cold damage, making it more likely that all the branches will receive all the sap they need in the spring. Start where the first branches split off the trunk and wrap all the way to the ground.

Now you are ready for the last autumn task—applying dormant spray. Dormant spray is available in both petroleum and natural oil formulas. The formula includes an emulsifier so the oil mixes with water and sticks to the tree. Once all the leaves have dropped, spray the entire tree thoroughly. The goal is to kill any insects and mites that could harbor in the buds and crevices of the tree. Many fungal problems are also smothered by dormant spray.

It’s best to wait until late winter to prune your apple trees, before the days start warming back up to 5°. The trees will be completely dormant by then. Remove any branches that cross each other. The goal is to allow light into the middle of the tree and keep branches about 10 to 15 centimeters apart. In the spring, when the sap starts to run, the tree will have plenty of energy to produce fruit.

Give the trees another spray. BioNeem is an excellent organic oil that will make a major difference in the health of your trees come spring. This is the one spray you don’t want to miss!

When the ground thaws in the spring, it is time to feed your apple trees. Apples love potassium so save any wood ashes in a dry place. They are a great natural source for both potassium and calcium. You will also want to sprinkle some seaweed meal around the drip line of the tree. This will provide micronutrients. You can also use an organic fertilizer containing blood, fish and bone meal. The important thing to remember is that the active roots are where the tips of the branches are, not near the trunk of the tree.

Encourage the best fruit set, by avoiding the use of pesticides on your trees. You don’t want to kill the bees, butterflies or at this stage, even wasps who pollinate the flowers. If you must apply a pesticide, do it after the sun goes down. Bees aren’t active at this time of day.

If a late frost or a windstorm doesn’t thin your fruit for you, you may choose to thin the apples by hand. The more fruit on the tree, the smaller the apples will be, especially if the tree hasn’t been pruned in a while. For cider and applesauce, size doesn’t really matter, but larger fruit is nicer for baking and eating out of hand.

Don’t give up if the first year doesn’t give you the results you had hoped for. A tree can be so starved for nutrition that all your hard work the first year just goes to nurturing the tree. If two years of coddling doesn’t do the trick, then consider removing the tree, remembering that apples do set more fruit every other year.

If you do remove an old tree, don’t try planting another apple tree (or a pear tree) in its place. No apple or pear will do well for at least five years after an older tree has been removed. If you notice, you don’t see very many apple seedlings around an old tree. The mature tree poisons them as they sprout.

Instead, look for another spot on your holding to plant your new apple trees. Your best option is to purchase grafted apple trees that use a dwarfing root stock. You can plant the trees much closer together, and it is easier to keep them pruned to picking height. Give them the same loving care you gave your older trees and within two or three years, you can begin letting two or three apples set. Your new trees will help to pollinate any older trees on your property.

All it takes is a little care every year and your apple trees will reward you with an abundant harvest. That old saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” may be as much myth as wisdom, but all the delectable treats those apples produce can be a major boost to your health and wealth when managing a small holding.

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Article by Rural Smallholdings Magazine