Apple trees are a classic addition to any home garden or orchard. With over 7,500 varieties to choose from, selecting the right apple tree for your needs can seem overwhelming. However, understanding key factors like climate, disease resistance, ripening times, and intended use will help you pick the perfect trees for a productive and delicious harvest.
We’ll talk about the 8 best apple tree varieties for growing in your own yard and highlight what makes them stand out. These choices will give you bushels of crisp, juicy apples for years to come, no matter how experienced you are as a gardener or if this is your first time planting an orchard.
Factors to Consider When Choosing an Apple Tree
Before diving into the list let’s go over some key considerations when selecting an apple tree for your property
Climate and Growing Zone – Most apple trees need chill hours (hours below 45°F) during dormancy to produce fruit Choose varieties suited for your USDA Hardiness Zone and region.
Disease Resistance – Look for varieties bred with resistance to common diseases like apple scab, fire blight, and powdery mildew.
Ripening Time – Stagger ripening periods to enjoy fresh apples from late summer through fall.
Plant two types of plants that are compatible with each other and bloom at the same time to get better yields and cross-pollination.
Intended Use – Some apples are better for eating fresh vs. cooking, baking, cider, storage, etc.
Tree Size – Standard trees reach 15-20 feet tall. Dwarf and semi-dwarf rootstocks limit height to 8-12 feet.
The 8 Best Apple Trees for Your Home Orchard
Based on their stellar performance, taste, and ease of growth, here are my top recommendations:
1. Honeycrisp
Honeycrisp is treasured for its supremely sweet, crisp, and juicy texture. This cold hardy variety develops a bright red skin overlaying a yellow background. The balanced flavor has hints of vanilla.
- Zones: 3-8
- Chill Hours: 800-1000
- Use: Snacking, salads, baking
- Ripens: Mid-September
2. Gala
Gala boasts a distinctive yellow skin with bold red striping. The aromatic fruits are very sweet and juicy. This variety is also quite heat tolerant.
- Zones: 4-8
- Chill Hours: 500
- Use: Snacking, salads, cooking
- Ripens: August-September
3. Fuji
The super sweet Fuji was developed in Japan. It bears large fruits with yellow-green skin flushed with light red. The dense, crisp flesh is excellent for eating fresh.
- Zones: 4-9
- Chill Hours: 200-400
- Use: Snacking, baking, cider
- Ripens: Mid-October
4. Pink Lady (Cripps Pink)
Pink Lady is aptly named for its lovely pink blush over yellow skin. It offers a perfect sweet-tart balance and firm, crunchy bite. The tree resists scab and mildew.
- Zones: 6-9
- Chill Hours: 200-400
- Use: Snacking, salads, baking
- Ripens: October-November
5. Granny Smith
A longtime favorite, Granny Smith bears large green fruits with tart, crisp flesh. It holds up well when cooked and offers excellent storage capacity. The tree is quite vigorous.
- Zones: 6-9
- Chill Hours: 400
- Use: Snacking, baking, cooking
- Ripens: October-November
6. Liberty
Liberty was developed specially for resistance to common apple diseases. The medium-sized red fruits are crisp with a mildly sweet flavor. It also tolerates warmer regions well.
- Zones: 4-8
- Chill Hours: 800-1000
- Use: Snacking, cooking, cider
- Ripens: Late September
7. Red Delicious
Red Delicious is instantly recognizable for its vivid, deep red skin. The sweet flavor is best suited for fresh eating. Growers appreciate the tree’s strong, upright growth habit.
- Zones: 5-8
- Chill Hours: 700-800
- Use: Snacking, salads
- Ripens: September-October
8. Golden Delicious
Sweet and mellow Yellow Delicious bears fruits with pale green-yellow skin. It thrives in a wide range of climates. The tree is a tip bearer, so it requires careful pruning.
- Zones: 5-8
- Chill Hours: 700
- Use: Snacking, baking, cooking
- Ripens: September-October
Tips for Successfully Growing Apple Trees
- Amend soil with compost and keep trees regularly watered, especially during dry periods.
- Plant dwarfs 8-10 feet apart, standards 15-20 feet apart. Allow ample space for growth.
- Prune trees in early spring to shape and improve air circulation and light penetration.
- Prevent disease with sanitary pruning practices. Disinfect tools between trees.
- Protect trunks from rodents and sunscald in winter. Mature trees only need light pruning.
- Thin crowded branches and excessive fruit in early summer to maximize apple size.
- Pick apples when background color changes from green to yellow. Store ripe fruits in cool conditions.
With so many fantastic varieties to select from, it can be tricky settling on the perfect apple trees for your yard. But keeping climate, intended use, and other key factors in mind will set your orchard up for success. Plant wisely, tend with care, and you’ll be rewarded with bushels of homegrown goodness for decades to come.
Planting and caring for young trees
Learn how to choose a location, prepare for planting and space trees.
Apple trees need full sun, so put the tree somewhere where it will get at least 8 hours of direct sunlight every day.
When it comes to soil, apple trees can grow in most soils as long as there is no standing water and the pH of the soil is between 6 and 7.
- Have your soil tested to determine pH
- pH of the soil should be between 6 and 7
- Even if there is water sitting still, apple trees can grow in most soils.
- Don’t plant in places where water stays for hours after it rains.
In case you don’t know what your soil’s pH level is, test it before you plant and make any changes the test results tell you to.
How much space do you need for apple trees? A good rule of thumb for a garden fruit tree is to provide at least as much horizontal space as the anticipated height of the tree. So, if your tree will grow up to 8 feet high, make sure there are 8 feet between it and the next tree.
If you plant trees too close to each other, they will shade each other out, which will lower the number and quality of the fruits your tree produces.
- Standard trees: 20-25 feet
- Semi-dwarf trees: 12-15 feet
- Dwarf trees: 6-8 feet
- Just below the root ball, dig a hole twice as wide and as deep for each tree.
- Put the dirt you dig out of the hole on a tarp or piece of plywood to make it easier to put back in.
- You can add up to one-third of the volume of compost, peat moss, or other organic matter.
- The soil you took out of the hole should make up most of what you put back in it.
- There is no need to add fertilizer to the hole.
- If you bought bare root trees, look closely at the root system and cut out any encircling roots or J-shaped roots that could choke the trunk.
- For trees in pots, check the root systems for woody roots that wrap around the tree.
- Before you plant, straighten any woody roots that are twisted around in a circle or make several cuts through the root ball.
- This helps the plant grow stronger roots and stops the growth of girdling roots, which weaken trees over time.
- Place each tree so that the graft union is about 4 inches above the ground. The graft union is the area where the rootstock and variety meet. The variety (scion) will root if the graft union is placed near or below the soil line. This will help the trees grow to their full size.
- Make sure that none of the roots of bare-root trees are bent as you spread them out.
- Have someone help you get the tree standing up straight.
- Start adding the soil and tamp it down as you go to get rid of any air pockets.
- Once the hole is filled, gently press down on it and water it well to get rid of any air pockets that are still there.
- The soil may settle an inch or two. If this happens, add more soil.
Two trees can provide plenty of apples
Apples are pollinated by insects, with bees and flies transferring pollen from flowers of one apple tree to those of another. But you dont need to plant a whole orchard to enjoy apples right off the tree. Two trees will reward any family with enough fruit to enjoy and share with friends.
Apples require pollen from a different apple variety to grow fruit. If you only have room in your yard for one tree, there may be crab apples in your neighborhood to provide the pollen your tree needs.
Most apple trees are grafted onto dwarfing rootstocks and only grow to be about 8-10 feet tall. So even if youre short on space, you probably have space for two trees.
Top 5 Most Popular Apple Trees (and Their Pollinating Partners!) | NatureHills.com
FAQ
Which apple is easiest to grow?
The best apple trees for beginners1st GoldRush. GoldRush is the ideal apple tree for beginners. 2nd Alkmene. Alkmene is a reliable heavy-cropping mid-season apple, originally from Germany. 3rd Enterprise. 4th Liberty. 5th Akane.
What is the best tasting apple?
The Honeycrisp is hands-down the best tasting apple in the world.
What’s the best month to plant apple trees?
The best time to plant an apple tree depends on your climate, but here are some general suggestions: Spring: Late March to early May is a common time to plant This allows the tree to establish roots before the heat of summer. Fall: September to early November is also a good time in many regions.