How to Pollinate Varieties of Apple Trees

All apple trees, including those labeled self-pollinating or self-fruitful, benefit from another apple tree growing nearby for pollination. As bees gather pollen from both trees, the trees are cross-pollinated, resulting in a high-quality, abundant harvest. For good pollination, plant dwarf trees no more than 20 feet apart and semi-dwarf and standard trees 50 feet apart. Keep the trees healthy through proper pruning, watering and disease management. Late spring frosts can nip buds, while an extended period of cool, rainy weather during blossoming can reduce pollination, limiting the harvest for that year.

Things You'll Need

• Pruning shears
• Bucket

Instructions

1. Plant a crab apple or another apple variety near your apple tree. Choose a variety that blooms at the same time your apple tree blooms, but don't plant two identical trees. Nurseries offer guidelines to help you choose an appropriate companion tree. For example, Jonathon, Granny Smith, Gala, Braeburn, Fuji and Jonafree pollinate each other. Manchurian crab apple pollinates early- to mid-blooming apple trees, while Snowdrift crab apple is used to pollinate mid- to late-blooming varieties. Winesap, Stayman, Mutsu and Jonagold varieties produce sterile pollen and will not pollinate other trees.

2. Cut 4-foot long branches from blooming crab apple or apple varieties and place them in a bucket of water under a solitary tree in bloom. Bees will carry the pollen from these branches to your apple tree, pollinating the tree.

3. Encourage bees to visit your landscape by planting lavender and other flowering annuals and perennials. Avoid using pesticides, particularly when the apple trees are in bloom. Commercial apple orchards rent beehives to pollinate the trees. Consider renting a beehive or installing your own if you have several trees.

Tips & Warnings

• The king blossom is the largest and first flower to bloom in a cluster of blossoms. It is from this blossom that fruit is usually produced. Choose a pollinator tree that blooms when the king blossoms appear.

• Crab apple trees make excellent pollinators if you don't need more than one apple tree. Crab apple trees are small and easy to care for.

References

• University of Missouri Extension; Pollinating Fruit Crops; Michele R. Warmund; 2002
• Washington State University; Why Fruit Trees Fail to Bear; Kerry Retzel; August 1995

Resources

• Washington State University; Pollination of Fruit Trees; Tonie Fitzgerald; January 2005