Winter Protection – Only minimal winter protection is necessary for hardy apple trees. Wrap young tree trunks to discourage mice and rabbits from nibbling on the bark. Keep deep snow shoveled, or at least trampled down around trees to put off these pests.

Pruning - Beginners should prune apple tree limbs only when the tree is dormant, which is usually in late winter. General pruning is needed only to remove the vertical branches, called water sprouts (no fruit is formed on these vertical branches), any injured or diseased branches, and any branches that are rubbing together as they cross each other (which may cause disease problems). More extensive pruning should be done only after consulting information on the advanced pruning of apple trees.

Spray program – January or February is the time to spray all fruit trees with dormant oil or all season horticultural oil (2.5 ounces per gallon of water) to smother eggs of pest insects over-wintering on the bark of the tree. Spray the entire tree, but make sure not to spray when the temperature is below 40°F. You want to finish this job at least three weeks before the leaf buds begin to show.