Grove Lab
10 Gallon - Apple Tree
$150.00
| Sale size | 10-gallon nursery container; current height and age vary. A 10-gallon pot does not establish mature size or time to first fruit. |
|---|---|
| Sun & soil | Full sun: at least 6 hours daily. Choose well-drained soil. |
| Planting | Remove the pot and correct circling roots. Dig a wide hole; keep the root flare at soil level and the graft above soil. Backfill, water thoroughly, and mulch away from the trunk. |
| Mature height | Depends on the rootstock and pruning. Standard apples may exceed 20 ft; dwarfing types may reach about 8–15 ft. Confirm the rootstock for your selected tree. |
| Ground or pot? | Ground planting preferred. Permanent container growing requires a suitable dwarfing rootstock and a large pot with drainage. |
| Watering | Check the root ball daily while establishing. Water slowly and thoroughly when it starts to dry; avoid saturated soil. Adjust for rainfall, heat, and drainage. |
| Pollination | Plan for a different compatible apple variety with overlapping bloom. Arkansas Black and Stayman are not reliable pollen donors. |
| First harvest | Variety, rootstock, tree age, and establishment determine first fruiting; container size does not guarantee a first-season crop. |
| Variety | Chill hours | Fruit & flavor | Harvest season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas Black | ≈600 | Medium, very firm; mellows in storage | Fall |
| Enterprise | ≈800 | Firm, crisp; spicy and mildly tart | Fall |
| Fuji | ≈500 | Large, sweet and firm | Fall |
| Gala | ≈600 | Medium, crisp, mild and sweet | Late summer |
| Gold Rush | ≈800 | Golden, crisp, juicy and sweet-tart | Late fall |
| Granny Smith | ≈600 | Firm, green and tart | Late fall |
| Honeycrisp | ≈800 | Large, crisp, juicy and sweet-tart | Early–mid fall |
| Liberty | ≈800 | Crisp, juicy and mildly tart | Early fall |
| Pink Lady / Cripps Pink | ≈200–400* | Crisp with balanced sweet-tart flavor | Late fall |
| Red Delicious | ≈800–900 | Crisp, mild and sweet | Fall |
| Stayman Winesap† | ≈800 | Tart; useful fresh or cooked | Fall |
| York | ≈800–1,000 | Firm and tart; good for cooking and sauce | Fall |
Chill hours are approximate winter-cold requirements, not frost-hardiness ratings. Harvest seasons vary by climate. *Pink Lady’s 200–400-hour estimate reflects Southwest nursery observations, not a tested requirement. York’s 800–1,000 hours is a nursery estimate. Stayman is commonly listed around 800 hours, though published estimates range from 500 to 1,000. York fruit notes refer to the apple commonly known as York Imperial.