Here's a chance to grow your own unique variety of apple. When apple trees are grown from seed they are unique, and will not be identical to the parent tree. Eg. If a granny smith tree has some seedlings all will be different and the apples will not be granny smiths. The only way to ensure they are granny smiths would be to graft granny smiths branches onto rootstock. These would then be clones and produce the exact same apple as the original tree.
Growing from seeds means it remains a mystery what type of apples the tree will produce until the first time the tree blossoms and apples start growing. It can be very random, often the apples can be small and like crab apples. However you could hit the apple jackpot and your tree grows huge, sweet delicious apples in a unique colour. If that happened, again, the only way to get more trees growing your new variety would be to graft onto new rootstock, as the seeds will grow trees with apples different to your tree.
Even if your new apple variety isn't the best, the apples should still be suitable for pressing for juice, stewing, pies and crumbles. Apple trees are also a lovely tree just for their look alone. They have white blossom in spring, then summer the apple tree foliage is lush and green. In autumn the tree becomes full of apples, which look fantastic.
There is three possible ways to grow the tree.
1. Bonsai. The tree can be kept very small in a bonsai pot. An attractive tree for bonsai collections, with white blossom in spring.
2. In a large planter for decking, patios and small veg gardens. If kept in a large planter it will grow larger than a bonsai, perhaps 1 to 2 metres, but still remain manageable and easy to prune. It's amazing how many apples you can get from a small tree. The tree these seeds are from is on dwarf rootstock and about 2 metres tall. It grew, in one season, enough apples to fill 3 plastic crates. (Remember, in a planter it will dry out quicker than when planted in the ground, so ensure it is well watered during dry, sunny periods.)
3. Plant in the garden. Great for A wildlife friendly garden. Without regular pruning the tree is likely to grow to a full size apple tree 3 to 7 metres tall.
Size of seedling, approx 10cm.
Sent 1st class bareroot, in a letterbox friendly box, so it can be delivered if you are not in. Place in a pot with compost and water. Keep in a sunny place. If received in winter grow on an indoors windowsill or in a greenhouse then plant outside in spring.
Photos - gardenis
