What Apple Trees to Plant Together

If you’re planning to grow apple trees in your yard, you might have wondered if there’s a best way to combine different varieties of apples. The answer is yes, there is. Here, we’ll discuss the types of apples that work well together in terms of pollination, taste, and harvest time.

Pollination Compatibility

Apple trees are self-sterile, which means they need two different cultivars for cross-pollination. So, it’s important to choose varieties that bloom at the same time and have compatible pollination groups.

Each variety is assigned a pollination group based on its flowering time: early season (group 1), mid-season (group 2), and late season (group 3). Ideally, you should plant two or more trees from different pollination groups to ensure proper pollination.

Taste and Uses

Apple cultivars have different flavor profiles and culinary applications, so it’s important to choose varieties that fit your preference and intended use. For example, if you want to make cider, you should select cider apples with high tannin and acidity levels, such as Kingston Black and bittersweet varieties like Dabinett and Yarlington Mill.

On the other hand, if you prefer apples for fresh eating, you might want to look for crisp, sweet-tart varieties like Honeycrisp or Gala. If you’re fond of baking, choose apples that retain their shape and texture after cooking, such as Granny Smith and Braeburn.

Harvest Time

Harvest management is another important consideration when planting apple trees. Different varieties of apples mature at different rates, so you should select cultivars that have overlapping harvest times to ensure a continuously ripe crop.

For instance, if you plant an early-season variety like Redfree, you can harvest it in late July to early August. But, you’ll have to wait until late September to pick your late-season variety, like Honeycrisp. If you want to avoid a harvest gap, you can plant mid-season varieties like Liberty or Jonamac, which mature in late August to early September.

Conclusion

In conclusion, choosing the right apple tree varieties to plant together is essential for optimizing pollination, taste, and harvest management. By selecting varieties with compatible pollination groups, complementary flavor profiles and culinary uses, and overlapping harvest times, you can grow a thriving orchard that produces a bountiful harvest of delicious apples.