How Much Do Apple Trees Cost?

Growing a fruit tree in your garden is an excellent idea. An apple tree, in particular, is one of the best fruit trees to grow. It can yield sweet, delicious fruit for many years. If you are wondering how much an apple tree costs, you just got lucky! We researched this topic and have information to share.

An apple tree can cost between $25 and $150, depending on its variety and size. Aside from the upfront cost of the tree, you will need to pay for plant food, tools, and insecticide.

Growing apple trees comes with a price since you will need to plant two saplings simultaneously for cross-fertilization. Continue reading to learn everything about growing and maintaining healthy apple trees.

Cost Of Growing Apple Trees

Having a fruit-bearing tree in your garden is more challenging than you might imagine. It takes time, effort, and money to grow an apple tree and ensure it produces the best fruit.

You will need to grow two apple trees in your garden, which can be expensive. Why two apple trees? Because pollination brings a quality harvest.

Apple trees typically do not self-pollinate, so you need to plant two apple trees of different varieties close to one another to let the bees pollinate.

Factors Affecting The Price Of Apple Trees

Several factors influence the price of an apple tree. One factor is the variety of the apple. The Fuji apple, a common apple variety, is less expensive than an Arkansas Black hybrid.

Where you buy your tree—online or from a commercial nursery—is another factor that will influence its price. You will pay more for a tree from a local nursery since most sellers are resellers.

An apple tree's price also varies depending on how big it is and what age group it belongs in. A five-foot apple tree is more expensive than a three-foot tree. Also, potted apple trees are more costly than bare-root ones.

Cost Of Growing Two Two Apple Trees

Growing your trees until they yield a productive harvest requires hard work and a budget. Here's a checklist of approximate costs involved with growing two apple trees.

Two apple trees: $50 or more
Ladder: $130
Hand shears: $25
Hand saw: $30
Sprayer: $25
Fertilizer: $35
Labor for pruning and training: $20 per hour
Sprays and pesticides: $45

You may spend more money during the first year of growing your trees because of the tools you need to purchase. Regular costs for maintaining the trees will be roughly $200.

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Best Time To Plant Apple Trees

Planting your apple trees at the right time will give them the best possibility to flourish and bear fruit.

You should plant your bare-root apple trees in the spring during the months of March and April. Note that if you plant the trees in the summer or winter, they will not bloom.

Best Location For Apple Trees

Apple trees produce a good harvest when they get direct sunlight for at least six hours each day.

You should keep the following factors in mind when choosing a location for apple trees in your yard or garden.

Plant your saplings in soil that has a light to medium composition. When you plant your fruit trees on muddy ground, they are less likely to survive.
Plant your apple trees in a spot with sufficient ventilation, so the leaves are able to dry if it rains.
Don't plant the trees near forested sites or other trees.
Don't plant the trees in low locations where frost occurs.

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Tips For Planting Apple Trees

Prepare a circular space with a four-foot span before planting, and pull out any weeds.
Check on your apple tree sapling. Make sure it's healthy, and the roots aren't dry.
Make sure there is a distance of 15 to 18 feet between each tree.
Dig a hole that's two feet deep and twice as wide as the roots of the tree. Place the tree in the hole and add some loose soil. To ensure that the roots go into the ground, slacken the dirt on the hole's walls.
Resume filling in around the roots with soil. You do not need to fertilize it at this point.

For more details on the process, check out this video.

Growing Apple Trees

Apple trees need care to make sure they grow and bear a good harvest. You'll need to invest time and effort when raising the trees.

Here are some helpful tips for growing healthy apple trees.

Make sure the trees get the right amount of water to make sure the roots are deep-settled.
Freshen the mulch regularly but keep it away from your tree trunk to prevent it from decaying.
You will need to train young apple trees to ensure they develop strong branches that can bear the weight of the fruit. You can put up a trellis to support dwarf plants and try using a central-leader system of training.
When taking care of your trees, you will need to consider pest control. Study your apple tree variety to determine which type of pests you might encounter and how to control them.

Pruning Your Apple Trees

Pruning controls tree growth, boosts yields, enhances fruit size, and keeps a tree healthy and vital. However, you should not rush into pruning your apple trees because it may keep the trees from growing and delay the bearing of fruit.

When your tree bears fruit, make pruning a yearly habit. You may need a ladder to prune large trees.
Prune your trees when they become inactive and stop growing. You should cut excessively robust stems.
Remove any failing branches from the tree.
Cut stems that are drooping on the ground.
Short, stout twigs can wear out as your tree ages. Cut out and shorten these fruit spurs.

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Harvesting Your Apples

Picking ripe apples is one of the most exciting parts of growing the trees. Here are some factors to keep in mind when harvesting the fruit.

Apples are ready for harvesting when their color intensifies.
Carefully pick an apple by cradling the fruit in your hand and lightly twisting it until it separates from its stem.
Don't forcefully pull apples from the tree to avoid damaging fruit spurs.
Use a ladder when picking apples from higher branches.
Apples will not ripen simultaneously, so you should harvest per group of ripened fruit.

Lifespan Of Apple Trees

It is good to know how long your apple tree will live and what affects its lifespan. An apple tree can last between 15 and 50 years. A tree's lifespan will be impacted by factors such as variety and health condition.

Large, mature apple trees can last for 100 years! Dwarf and ornamental varieties may live 15 years.

Elements Affecting The Lifespan An Apple Tree

Rivalry With Other Fruit Trees

Apple trees planted in groups like those in orchards and gardens are not likely to endure for their full lifespans. The apple trees compete with other plants and trees to survive. They may not flourish to yield a good harvest.

Wrong Soil

If you plant apple trees in the wrong type of soil, their growth and capacity to produce fruits will be negatively impacted. You should grow the trees in rich, natural, well-drained soil.

Insufficient Sunlight

Apple trees should get adequate sunlight to reach maturity. Insufficient sunlight will prevent the tree from growing to full health.

Wrong Amount Of Moisture

An apple tree needs the right amount of water. Overwatering or underwatering your trees will impact their life expectancy. If you give your trees too much water, the roots will deteriorate, causing microbes to slowly kill the tree.

Insufficient water can make a tree sick, drained, and incapable of bearing fruit.

How Soon Will An Apple Tree Produce Fruit?

The waiting time for apple trees to produce fruit ranges between five and 10 years. The trees can be productive for 10 to 40 years or more if they are properly taken care of.

Many elements can influence an apple tree's capacity to bear fruit, including weather conditions, poor cross-breeding, and insufficient water and sun.