When Do Semi-Dwarf Apple Trees Start to Produce?

Semi-dwarf apple trees usually produce fruit one to two years earlier than standard fruit trees. Fruit production times vary with cultivar and environmental conditions. To extend the harvest period, plant early, mid- and late-bearing trees.

Cultivars

• Select cultivars with resistance to pests and diseases in your region. Pests and diseases can delay and decrease fruit production. County agriculture extension offices provide lists of resistant apple tree varieties for each region.

Pollination

• Semi-dwarf apple trees do not self-pollinate. To produce fruit, two different varieties of apple trees must be grown within 50 feet of each other. Insects, such as bees and wasps, pollinate apple trees.

Climate

• To break dormancy and begin fruit production, semi-dwarf apple trees must experience cold temperatures followed by a warming trend. Hours of chill required vary by cultivar, from 200 hours for warm climate trees to 1,000 hours for very cold climate trees.