Month To Month Tasks for Apple Trees

 Month to Month Care for Apples with minimum spray program

January            Apple – Prune apple trees only when the tree is dormant; this is a good month.  General pruning is needed only to remove the vertical branches called water sprouts (no fruit is formed on a vertical branch), any dead material, and any branches that are rubbing together as they cross each other (to avoid possible disease problems). 

Spray program - This month or next month 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 entire tree.  Do not spray when the temperatures are below 40°F.

Optional – Mount bird houses in apple trees; especially houses designed for house wrens and chickadees; if you location is right, bluebird houses are also in order.

 February            Apple – Prune apple trees only when the tree is dormant; this is a good month.  General pruning is needed only to remove the vertical branches called water sprouts (no fruit is formed on a vertical branch), any dead material, and any branches that are rubbing together as they cross each other ( to avoid possible disease problems). 

Spray program - If you did not do this last month, this month 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 entire tree. Do not spray when the temperatures are below 40°F.

Optional – Mount bird houses in apple trees; especially houses designed for house wrens and chickadees; if you location is right, bluebird houses are also in order.

 March - Apple – If you have not yet done so, this month is still okay 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 entire tree. Do not spray when the temperatures are below 40°F.  You want to finish this job at least 3 weeks before the leaf buds begin to show. 

 April            Apple – Fertilizing apple trees can be tricky. Always avoid over-fertilizing.  If they are growing in sod they need twice the fertilizer needed by trees in mulch or living in ground cover.  For trees not in sod, use a balanced (10-10-10 or 15-15-15) slow release form of organic granular fertilizer (about ½ pound per dwarf tree, 1 pound per semi-dwarf, and 2 pounds per full sized tree).  Spread the fertilizer under the tree out just past the drip line or a little beyond. 

Optional – Spray with seaweed extract (1/2 ounce per gallon water) to stimulate growth. Mix the seaweed with Thrive which adds beneficial microbes to your tree and soil.

 May            Apple – If it is not already there, place a 3 to 4 inch layer of organic mulch around the tree out to the drip line, keeping that mulch in place for 365 days a year.  This mulch is food for the soil food web that keeps your soil healthy and productive.

Optional – Spray with seaweed extract (1/2 ounce per gallon water) mixed with Thrive. 

 June            Apple –

Optional – Spray with seaweed extract (1/2 ounce per gallon water) mixed with Thrive. 

 July            Apple – Optional – Thinning – Many varieties tend to set more apples than the trees can handle.  Several weeks after the trees bloom, thin young apples to about 6 to 8 inches apart on the branches.  This often leads to having bigger apples.

Optional – hang eight to ten sticky red spheres per semi-dwarf tree. 

Optional – Summer pruning – The Europeans do most of their pruning in the summer in the belief that they get more apples next year.  They do about 50% of the pruning this month and the other 50% next month.  You prune stems back to the first set of leaves.  Be sure the shoot has turned woody where you are going to cut it, so that a fruiting spur will form at that point.  If you prune a stem when it is still soft and green, it will just turn into another stem—no harm done, but also no fruit at that spot next year. 

Optional – Dealing With Squirrels – If there are no other trees around from which squirrels can launch, a baffle around the trunk of an apple tree will usually keep squirrels in control.  If you use a squirrel repellent make sure it is approved for use on fruit trees, Plantskydd is a good one.

Optional – Dealing With Deer – Deer will eat all the apples on the tree they can reach, sometimes standing up on their hind feet.  An electric fence is the best way to repel deer.  If you use a deer repellent make sure it is approved for fruit trees. Plantskydd does the job.

Optional – Spray with seaweed extract (1/2 ounce per gallon water) mixed with Thrive. 

 August            Apple – Optional – Summer pruning – If you started last month, finish the job this month.  You prune stems back to the first set of leaves.  Be sure the shoot has turned woody where you are going to cut it, so that a fruiting spur will form at that point.

Optional – Spray with seaweed extract (1/2 ounce per gallon water) mixed with Thrive. 

 September            Apple – Apple trees should not be fertilized in the fall.

All fruit should be picked before becoming over-ripe.  Also no fruit should be allowed to remain on the trees after ripening.  This helps to reduce many disease and insect problems.

Optional – Spray with seaweed extract (1/2 ounce per gallon water) mixed with Thrive.

 October            Apple – Apple trees should not be fertilized in the fall.

Cleanup - As soon as the leaves fall from the trees, rake up all leaves, leftover mulch, rotten apples, and other debris from under the trees and dispose of the stuff or place it in the compost bin.  This reduces the repetition of certain diseases and insect problems next year. IMPORTANT - replace the old mulch with a new 3 to 4 inch layer of organic matter such as straw and leave it till end of harvest next year.  Mulch should not touch the bark of the tree.

Optional - - Rodent and Rabbit Protection – If you live in an area expecting snow cover during the winter, then surround the base of the apple trees with a one foot wide band of hardware cloth will keep mice, voles, and rabbits from eating the bark off the tree and possibly killing it. 

Optional – set up a bird feeder near the apple trees to attract chickadees, nuthatches, and titmice, all good gleaners of insects on the bark of apple trees.  

 November            Apple – If there has been a dry fall, be sure to give all apple trees at least one inch of water before hard freeze of the soil.

Optional – set up a bird feeder near the apple trees to attract chickadees, nuthatches, and titmice, all good gleaners of insects on the bark of apple trees.  

 December            Apple – Optional – set up a bird feeder near the apple trees to attract chickadees, nuthatches, and titmice, all good gleaners of insects on the bark of apple trees.