Red Delicious Apple tree (Malus x domestica)

The Red Delicious Apple Tree is also called as apple orchard. Red apples are considered as America’s favorite apple for their juicy, crispy pulp and delicious flavor.

Planting

Red apple tree is usually planted in spring. Regions where weather conditions stay moist or mild during spring and winter, planting is planting is done in the fall.

Climate Considerations

There are more than a dozen types of red delicious apple trees. None of them grows everywhere. Each of them takes different number of days to attain fruit maturity as well. Each type of red apple trees requires a different number of chill hours to set fruit. Chill hours are the time required by a certain apple tree to set fruit when the temperature should be strictly between 32 and 45 degrees F.

Site and Soil

Well drained soil that doesn’t hold any extra water other than its water holding capacity is one of the vital requirements for growing apple trees. Otherwise its root system is damaged. The soil should be plowed to hold average air within the soil particles too. As long as organic wastes are provided to the soil, there is absolutely nothing to worry about chemical fertilizer.

The site chosen for apple tree planting should get full sunlight i.e. six or more hours of direct sunlight daily. A minimum spacing of 15 to 18 feet in a row should be maintained to make the maximum use of rootstock, soil fertility and moist water in the soil.

The site must not be in a frost pocket zone where cold air doesn’t get to flow away. A higher site with a slip is perfect for apple trees as the cold air flows away eventually. Usually the site is not chosen near wooded areas as the trees from woods are generally decades old and their root is spread in a huge area.

Care

Separate the unwanted buds from the branches of the growing tree to avoid unwanted or misplaced branches.

Remove weak twigs.

Cut down droopy stems.

Harvest

The red delicious apple tree branches become full of matured fruits during August. The harvested fruits can keep well for six months if the environmental condition is maintained at 32 to 45 degrees F.