- The need for different varieties of apples for cross-pollination
- Consider the environment when planning your garden
- Clarify the fertilization ability of apple trees according to the table
- With a trick to a self-pollinating apple tree
- tips and tricks
In principle, apple trees are self-sterile, so pollination of the apple blossoms requires the pollen of another apple variety. However, this property can be circumvented with a clever trick.
The need for different varieties of apples for cross-pollination
Even if self-pollination between the blossoms of a single apple tree is impossible, self-pollination is sometimes spoken of when the pollen of a second apple tree of the same yield variety is sufficient for pollination of the apple tree.
Consider the environment when planning your garden
In the case of fruit trees, the flora in the immediate vicinity is also important when planning the planting of a garden. For example, in areas with little or no other apple trees, more than a single apple tree should be planted. If you rely on different apple varieties, you can not only achieve better pollination performance, but also harvest different apple varieties at different times.
Clarify the fertilization ability of apple trees according to the table
The apple varieties available in specialist shops not only offer the advantage of a controllable growth habit, but also security when determining the respective apple variety. Based on this, the optimal combination of apple varieties can be determined in garden guides using a table based on their mutual pollination ability. For example, the following apple varieties are ideal pollinators for the “Elstar” apple variety:
- James Grieve
- Cox Orange
- Melrose
- Pinova
- pilot
- Laxton's Superb
With a trick to a self-pollinating apple tree
With a bit of skill and luck, you can turn an existing apple tree in your garden into a self-pollinating tree by copulating the scion of a pollinator variety on a branch of the tree. If the branch has been successfully grafted with the other variety, this can provide the pollen for the pollination of the remaining apple blossoms on the tree in the years to come. Make sure, however, that the pollinator variety flowers at the same time as the rest of the tree.
tips and tricks
If grafting the pollinator variety on part of the apple tree doesn't work right away, you can also attach a flower vase or similar vessel to the tree trunk and place a cut two in it at flowering time.