How to Plant & Grow Apple Trees in Washington

Apple trees provide a nutritious snack right in your backyard.

Planting and caring for apples in your home landscape in Washington state can be an educational and rewarding experience for you and your family. Apples grown in your yard provide a healthy snack and a delicious ingredient for pies, salads and juice. Choose apple trees that grow well in Washington, such as Fuji or Red Delicious. Plant two different cultivars next to each other for cross-pollination, or the trees will not produce any apples.

Things You'll Need

• Soil testing kit
• Shovel
• Mulch
• Fruit fertilizer
• Apple fungicide

Instructions

1. Conduct a soil test to verify that the pH is 6.5, which is the ideal pH level for apple trees, according to The Ohio State University Extension. Amend the soil if necessary following the results of the test, using any recommended amendments. Mix the amendments into the native soil 12 to 18 inches deep.

2. Soak the roots of the two apple tree cultivars you obtained for 30 minutes before planting. The apple trees should be healthy, 1-year-old nursery trees, which stand 4 to 6 feet tall, as recommended by North Carolina State University Extension.

3. Dig a hole two to three times deeper and wider than the root system. Place the apple tree into the hole so that the bud union is a couple of inches above ground level. Spread the roots into the hole.

4. Backfill the hole half way with the soil that was removed from the hole. Water with 2 gallons of water to settle the soil. Once it has drained, finish backfilling the hole. Water again with 2 gallons of water. Plant the second apple tree in the same manner, spaced according to the type of cultivar you chose. The spacing information should appear on the label on the tree.

5. Establish the roots of the apple trees by watering every two to three days with 3 gallons of water each time. Mulch with 3 inches of organic mulch to suppress weeds and retain moisture.

6. Feed the apple trees in the beginning of every spring with 1 lb. of fruit fertilizer per year of the tree's age. Sprinkle the fertilizer around the tree, starting a few inches out from the trunk of the tree. Water deeply.

7. Prevent pests and disease by eliminating diseased and dead foliage and fruit. Spray a multipurpose fungicide formulated for apple trees. Follow the manufacturer's directions carefully when applying the spray.

References

• Naturally Delicious: Washington Apples
• North Carolina State University Extension: Growing Apple Trees in The Home Garden
• Ohio State University Extension: Growing Apples in the Home Orchard

Resources

• University of Illinois Extension: Apple Facts