Gravenstein Apple Tree - One of the largest and hardiest apple trees! (2 years old and 3-4 feet tall.)

Most likely, yes. Most apples need pollen from a different apple variety that blooms at the same time, ideally planted within about 50 to 100 feet. A flowering crabapple or a neighbor's apple tree can count. Three of our varieties, Jonagold, Gravenstein and Winesap, are what's called triploid: their pollen can't pollinate other trees, so each one needs two other apple varieties nearby to cross-pollinate.

Most of our apple trees grow to about 10 to 15 feet tall in the ground, and our columnar apples stay narrow, about 4 to 6 feet wide. This page lists the size for this variety. The rootstock sets most of it, and summer pruning plus a light hand with fertilizer keeps a tree somewhat smaller. Plant with the graft union, the knobby bump near the base, above the soil, or the top can root and grow larger.

Check the USDA hardiness zones listed on this page, and look up your zone by ZIP code. Your zone is set by how cold your winters get. Fruit trees also need enough winter chill, the cool hours between about 32 and 45°F, to bloom well. Where winters are mild, ask your county Extension office which varieties fruit there. Beverly Hills is our low-chill apple, for areas with mild winters.

It depends heavily on climate and care, so plan on a few years. Most apple trees can start bearing right away, but it's best to pick off any flowers or tiny apples for at least the first one or two summers. That sends the tree's energy into roots and branches, which means bigger harvests later. You can usually expect a reliable harvest in the third to fifth year after planting, and trees on larger rootstocks can take longer.

We recommend planting it in the ground, where the roots have room and stay warmer through winter. A pot can work, but it's best if you have some experience, or don't mind less-than-ideal results while you learn. A tree in a pot needs much more care: more watering, and the nutrients it would otherwise pull from the ground. Every few years, prune the roots and change the soil, or move it up a pot size. Expect more ornamental value than a large harvest: a tree in a pot will fruit, but not as much as one in the ground.

Most likely cedar-apple rust, a fungus whose spores blow in from junipers and red cedars, sometimes from more than a mile away. It rarely does serious damage, and spraying won't help once spots appear. Live with it, and cut any galls (round, woody lumps) off nearby junipers before they sprout orange horns in spring.

They can, if they're compatible and bloom at the same time. Grafted varieties pollinate each other the way separate trees would, and every grafted variety has its own tag. When we graft, we choose varieties that cross-pollinate. We graft five onto each tree, but sometimes two or three don't take, which can leave a less-than-ideal mix for pollination. Winesap's pollen can't pollinate anything, Gala and Golden Delicious don't pollinate each other well, and an early bloomer like Braeburn may miss a later one like Fuji. If your tags show one of those pairings, plant another apple or a crabapple nearby.

It depends on when it ships. In the dormant season, while trees rest over winter, it arrives bare root: no leaves, no soil, and roots wrapped in a damp packing mix. That's what a healthy dormant tree looks like. When it's actively growing, the same tree ships potted and in leaf. Our fruit trees ship at about two years old and 3 to 4 feet tall. If the roots are dry or mushy, or anything looks damaged, contact us that day with photos.

Most bare root trees planted in spring show new growth within a few weeks. Some take longer, especially after a cold spring, and a tree planted in fall waits for spring. Fall planting works best where winters are mild, generally zones 7 through 9. Every region has its own climate and microclimates, and apple varieties vary widely in when they first break bud in spring. To check on your tree, scrape a tiny patch of bark near the top with your thumbnail: green underneath means it's alive. If it's been 45 days since spring planting with no new growth, or 30 to 45 days since other apple trees in your area leafed out, please contact us.

Keep the roots cool and damp, out of sun and wind, and keep the tree shaded and as cool as possible. Plant within a couple of days if you can. In cold storage at about 37°F, a dormant tree keeps for months without harm, as long as you water the roots now and then. Without cold storage, heel it in for a longer wait: lay it in a shallow trench and cover the roots with soil.