Starting Apple Trees in Maine

kwmainer · 08-20-2009, 11:58 AM

Okay, all you fruit tree lovers. Looking for advice.

DH and I are buying property in Maine. I would like apple trees on it. I am doing the research on types/kinds of apple trees that do well in the region, nearby local, soil and hardiness zone. So I will know exactly what sort of apple trees to get to plant on the 'new' land.

My question is this:

Is it possible to get apple trees that are not little saplings? And can they survive transplanting the rootball, etc.? I'd like to have bearing trees before I die... so... lol. Anyone done this? Got any pointers? Special fertilizer? Special over-wintering protection? ???

There are several internet/mail order reputable nurseries that will sell apple trees, up to about 2 foot high. Anyone know of a Maine or NH nursery that will sell them larger than that? I'd travel to pick them up.

I know - some of you will tell me that the easiest way to do this .... is to buy land with mature trees already on it! lol Yeah. That may not be an option for us at the moment.

Any thoughts?

kwmainer · 08-31-2009, 08:12 PM

Well, since no one on the forums seems to know much about apple trees... lol. I have continued doing some checking. As I thought, apple trees are usually grafted onto a root stock. Grafting isn't hard but... you'd have to have some available root stock. Which, I don't know what it is yet.

But, I did find a place that sells 7ft trees (grafted, I presume...)... that's about where I'm at... at the moment.

Here in the south, I have successfully grown avocado trees from seeds (they're also better grafted). I just root em, plant em, water em and put them in the ground when they get about 4 foot high.

I would bet that your young seedlings will need to be protected from winter... maybe overwintered inside a barn or something? I dunno.

good luck... if I find out more, I'll post...