Apple blossom time is spread out over a number of weeks, months even, from April through to June. This has enormous advantages both for the decorative nature of the apple tree flowers, and for the fruit to follow.
For those who: –
- love a springtime filled with blossom covered trees
- want to grow some edible foods in their garden or on their balcony
- would like lots of blossom in their garden
- love to eat apples
- want to grow bee friendly and pollinator friendly plants
- would like to grow some unusual and / or heritage fruit varieties
Growing apple trees would seem be the answer.
Many of us imagine cherry blossom when we first think of trees with laden with spring blossom. And I do love cherry blossom, whether from ornamental cherry trees or blooming on sweet dessert and morello cherries.
But, for all that we’ve been growing morello cherry trees in Britain for over 400 years, the apple tree has been grown for much longer. Although apple blossom may not be as showy as cherry blossom, I find the longer season more than makes up for it
Apple trees start producing a blossom from year one, but really get going from year three (dwarf forms). It’s worth noting that some apples are biennial fruiters, so their good blossom display is also every other year. Whilst apple trees can live to 100 – 150 years old, their flower and fruit production decreases from about 50 years.
How much Apple Blossom will give a Good Apple Harvest?
Unless a tree has borne blossoms in spring, you will vainly look for fruit on it in autumn.
Sir Walter Scott
There is more to fruit than purely an apple tree full of blossom in spring and early summer! Not only do you need plenty of flowers, but you also need pollinating insects, especially honey bees.
And there’s more…Many apple varieties are self-fertile; if you’re short on space in the garden this may be your best option. Those that are not self-fertile, need compatible varieties nearby to ensure pollination. This is where the weeks of flowering time may be a problem. A honeybee buzzing around in mid-April will not carry pollen around to pollinate those trees flowering in late May! You will need to choose varieties which are the in the same or adjoining groups.
Choosing the right apple trees for your garden with due regard for pollination groups and the vagaries of the British climate can seem complicated. It’s a topic I’ll write about in the autumn, as that’s when you’ll be able to taste different apples and put your order in for bare root fruit trees.
Back to our apple blossom. The other main criterion for a lovely display and a good harvest to follow is, of course, the weather. Apple trees need a period of dormancy, ie without active growth, over the winter. A mild winter may not provide enough ‘resting time’ for the tree to produce much blossom. If spring starts mild and warm, the pollinating insects may be around before early apple trees are blossoming. A warm start to spring followed by a cold snap may cause frost damage to the blossom, which will affect the later fruit production.
There are other reasons why apple trees may not be producing blossom and / or fruit, but I won’t go into them here. Some would be site specific rather than general. If you’d like a review of your apple trees, please get in touch as this is a service we offer as part of our Garden Advice and Consultancy.
Apple Blossom Photos
Lord Lambourne apple. Pollination group 2, early flowering. Dark pink in bud
Bardsey Apple, a beautiful heritage variety, hailing from Bardsey Island off the Welsh coast. Pollination group 2, early flowering. The blossom is almost pure white, and the fruit has a slight lemony taste.
Bramley Seedling apple blossom, Britains favourite cooking apple. Pollination group 3, a triploid, which means it needs 2 other apples of different varieties to be pollinated.
Greensleeves apple, a dual purpose fruit. Pollination group 3, but is self – fertile.
Tickled Pink is a recently introduced dual purpose apple, with red blossom, red skin and pink flesh. A real stunner! Pollination group 4
Should You Choose Your Apple Trees on the Basis of Blossom not Fruit?
A loaded question! It’s about personal choice, and the suitability of your garden or orchard for particular apple varieties.
One of the reasons why you might choose an apple tree for its blossom could be that you’re around in spring and not autumn. Someone else, your gardener, perhaps, can harvest the apples from the trees for you.
Or it may be that you love blossom filled trees and would relish having a longer season of beautiful blossom. The actual apples are a bonus. And in fact, this reason would reduce the worry about only growing compatible varieties for pollinating.
Yes, I can hear some of you at the back questioning why someone would grow an apple tree mainly for blossom. My response would be Crab Apples. These are largely grown in gardens for their blossom – and why not? Mention is made of their decorative autumn fruit, ‘for the birds to enjoy’, but the small crab apples are edible fruit, although best cooked.
More on Apple Trees and Edible Britain
A garden which is beautiful to look at, scented and productive, is to me a little patch of Paradise.
This year’s National Gardening Week organised by the Royal Horticultural Society runs from Monday 29th April to Sunday 5th May. The theme for 2019 is Edible Britain and Home-grown Produce. As National Gardening Week is a nationwide celebration of gardens and gardening, I try to do my bit to raise awareness, educate, entertain and enthuse.
Whether I can help you with an edible garden design; a gardening course on growing your own, where your garden becomes your classroom; or a review of the current fruit trees and vegetable garden you have, do please get in touch.
There are other tips and tricks, some of which can be found in other Plews Potting Shed blogs, including the selection below, our monthly Tipsheet and regularly on Instagram and Facebook
Making your life easier and enabling you to enjoy your garden is part of what we discuss when we come to design your garden and give gardening lessons in your garden.
Related Gardening articles you may enjoy from our Award Winning Blog
Many of the Plews Potting Shed articles mention growing your own food, whether that’s edible weeds or mini orchards. Here are just a few suggestions to get you started, including a recipe:
Apples and Other Top Fruit
How to have a Mini Orchard in Your Garden
Fruit Trees and Small Gardens
Quince Trees
Edible Gardens and Home-Grown Produce
Growing Methods for Gardeners
Edible Gardens Ornamental food
Easy Maintenance Edible Gardens
Quince Cheese
Allotments and Allotment Gardens
