What apple varieties do recommend for Zone 5?
Question:
We just bought a place in Sweden, Maine, zone 5a, with Adams type soil/outwash sand and I’m looking to plant a few apple trees. What varieties of apple would you recommend? It’s not an exposed site; fairly sheltered from wind. We will be clearing an area for the trees.
Answer:
We have a lot of information about growing apples and other fruit trees.
Which variety you choose is really a very personal choice. Three important considerations for a home orchard are pollination requirements, disease resistance, and root stock (which determines the size of the tree). And then there’s flavor: do you want a fresh eating apple, a storage apple, great fruit for pies, or tart fruit for cider. So much to consider!
Here are some resources to look at before you make your choice.
If you order from online nurseries, be sure you do it early since the most popular varieties go quickly.
Because you have sandy soil, be sure the tree will be in a place where you can provide it with water for the first few years of establishment.
It’s still not too late to do a soil test to find out what your pH and nutrients are. Please send your address and we can mail one to you.