How to Grow Gala Apple Trees

Gala, or Malus domestica, is a popular apple variety that originated in New Zealand and came to the United States in the 1970s. A cross between the Golden Delicious and the Kidd's Orange Red, the gala apple ranges in colors from yellow-orange with pink to red stripping to almost solid red. You can eat it right off the tree or bake with it. Plant the gala apple tree with at least one other cultivar, like the Golden Delicious for cross-pollination, which is required to ensure fruit production.

Things You'll Need

• Shovel
• Mulch
• Fertilizer
• Pruning shears

Instructions

1. Plant the Gala apple tree in a location with well-drained soil and full-sun. Space dwarf trees 8 feet apart, semi-dwarf 10 feet apart and full-size 15 feet apart. Clear all vegetation in the area and dig a hole more than double the width of the root system and the same depth.

2. Place the Gala tree in the center of the hole with the roots spread out and make sure the graft union is at least 2 inches above the ground level. Backfill the hole and firm the soil around the roots as you fill the hole. Saturate the area with water to settle the soil and remove any remaining air pockets.

3. Cover the area surrounding the Gala apple tree with a layer of at least 3 inches of mulch, but keep the mulch 6 inches away from the tree's trunk. This will prevent weeds from emerging and retain moisture in the soil. Extend the mulch yearly as needed to cover the area beneath the tree's canopy.

4. Supply 1 inch of water weekly, if rainfall is less for the first two growing seasons.

5. Prune the Gala apple tree while dormant in the winter or early spring. Train a central leader, which leaves one main central vertical branch and three to four major lateral branches every 18 to 24 inches with the lower branches longer than the upper branches to allow the sunlight to reach all areas of the tree.

6. Apply 1 lb. of 10-10-10 fertilizer to the Gala apple tree in the spring, increase to 2 lbs. the next year, 3 lbs. the following year and then 5 to 6 lbs. per year after that. Keep the fertilizer at least 6 inches from the trunk and spread it out as far as the drip line, or the longest branches.

7. Allow the Gala apples to ripen on the tree until you can easily remove them by pulling up and out as you twist.

References

• Produce Oasis: The Gala Apple Tastes Somewhat Like a Golden Delicious Because They're Related!
• Backyard Gardener: Malus Domestica
• Texas A&M University: Home Fruit Production--Apples
• North Carolina State University: Growing Apple Trees in the Home Garden

Resources

• Ohio State University Fact Sheet: Growing Apples in the Home Orchard