My Edible Fruit Trees: Dwarf Apple Trees QLD

Dwarf Apple - Royal Gala (Grafted) ^10/10

Comments: -

I bought the book "Growing Apples in the Tropics" by Kevin Hauser from Kufflel Creek Nursery where he advocates that it is   possible to obtain decent apple crops from varieties that have chill hours above those accepted as low chill varieties and that he sells his trees into the warmer areas of Africa.

So my Dwarf Royal Gala and Granny Smith are going to be grown using his methods. Already my Anna and Tropic sweet are flowering using his methods. Not enough yet for pollination but we are still 2 weeks from spring! 

Jan 2017: Royal Gala must be self fertile to some degree as the tree is setting fruit where ever it flowers.There is not anything else in flower in the garden and being iin a sub tropic cl imate I don't expect that  there would be anyone else close by trying the same thing. Anyhow it will be interesting to see what happens.

Dec 2017 A small crop of quite nice apples coming on. It was late coming into flower but coincided with the Granny Smith so it set a lot fo fruit that I have had to thin heavily..

Planted: 2016

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Cross Pollinator Variety: Granny Smith

When I Fertilise: Spring

Pest Control: Fruit will be bagged

Organic Status:Partially Organic

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna

Comments: -

Love apples.  Planted full sun (summer) - full shade (winter).  Planted in my front garden

Planted: 2014

Height 1 metres

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pest Control: Need to cover fruit to protect from fruit fly

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna

Pollination: No

Comments

Fruit tastes good, tough tree.

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna (Grafted) ^10/10

Comments: -

   I love apples, but I'm sick of the tasteless ones sold in supermarkets, so three trees should keep us going for hopefully nearly six months of the year.

   Bought from Daleys and planted mid Nov 2017 (Gold Coast) in a garden bed next to a dwarf tropic sweet (centre) and dwarf dorsett golden (on right). These three form a triple planting about 45cm apart under the Dave Wilson Nursery backyard orchard concept. The entire bed has a thick layer of cane mulch. At present (Jan 2018) they are about 90cm tall, and will be pruned regularly so they grow no taller than 150-180cm.

   I fertilise with varying ratios and amounts of Dynamic Lifter or Rooster Booster, sulphate of potash, and blood and bone at the beginning of spring, summer and autumn. I also give fortnightly foliar sprays of a diluted solution of Seasol, Powerfeed for flowers and fruit, soluble sulphate of potash, and Epsom salts during the non-dormant months.

   I use a soil moisture meter, and water the trees as necessary.

   All three apple trees are very healthy and growing vigorously, and the grafts are very strong.

Height 90 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Cross Pollinator Variety: Dwarf tropic sweet and dwarf golden dorsett

Pest Control: Occasional Eco-Neem spray, and copper spray during dormancy. When fruiting the fruit will be bagged against fruit fly.

Organic Status:Partially Organic

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna (Grafted)

Comments: -

1st picture taken 2009. No rain Nov-Jan  Aug-Sept Flowering

Planted: 2008

Height 1 metres

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: Self Pollination

Comments

I am wondering myself whether or not these would really be suitable for coastel north of Brisbane weather. I think not actually and I wondered what sort of climate you are ine. What would be the lowest temperature you get down to in winter?

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna ^8/10

Comments: - Wanted a tree that I could train over an archway that was not too big

Planted: 2013

Height 3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Amgrow Organic Fruit Fertilizer and Composted Manure

When I Fertilise: Winter and Spring

Pest Control: Under Planting of Foxgloves, only use Cert Organic Pest Killers when I have to and also use Beneficial Insects

Organic Status:Certified

Question: When is the best time to fertilizer and Prune Apple Trees

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna

Planted: 2008

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 2

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Fertiliser or Organics Used: chook poo

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna (Grafted) ^10/10

Comments: -

This is my other apple  and it and my tropical sweet willl polinate each other. I am hoping for one or two fruit from each tree next season.

June 2016. An expected very small crop of fewer than a handful. Hoping for a better result this year

Dec 2017 A small crop of quite nice apples coming on

Planted: 2014

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Cross Pollinator Variety: tropical sweet

When I Fertilise: Spring

Pest Control: Tree will be netted and fruit bagged

Organic Status:Partially Organic

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna (Grafted) ^6/10

Comments: -

Poor Anna struggled with her first few days of full Mareeba sun. The new leaves were all burned. Since being moved to a position that gets full sun in the morning only, the recovery has started.

Height 0.8 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna (Grafted)

Comments: -

Have grown at previous property, and they really are like a Red Delicious. I didn't really want to grow apples again as they are high maintenance plants, but they are my son's favourite fruit.  At least now I know what I'm in for!  At least there should be less pruning, as this is a dwarf.

When growing your own apples, apart from the obvious benefit of having super fresh fruit, you can avoid all the stronger chemicals used in commercial orchards which are sprayed frequently.

Planted: 2012

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Cross Pollinator Variety: Tropic Sweet

Pest Control:

Be vigilant with fungal sprays (organic ok), and use exclusion nets as soon as fruit sets - keeps out bugs, birds, bats, possums.

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna

Organic Status:Organic

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna (Grafted) ^5/10

Comments: -

I had two tropical apples next to each other in large pots for cross pollination. Bloody possum ate the smaller of the two to the ground.

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna (Grafted) ^8/10

Comments: -

 I raelly need to work out how to stop grass hoppers eating all the new growth

Planted: 2013

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 2

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: Self Pollination

Fertiliser or Organics Used: composted cow/chicken manure,seaweed,liquid fertiliser

Pest Control:

not sure what to do can't seem to stop everything from eating the new growth.seems caterpillars and grass hoppers

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna (Grafted) ^1/10

Comments: -

No idea what happened. Got this with the Golden Dorsett, this died, that didn't :-(

With my 2 blueberries from Diggers dying at the same time put me off mail order plants for a while...

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna ^10/10

Fruiting Months May, June, July, August, September

Planted: 2008

Height 120 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

First Fruited: 16 Months from Purchase in Pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Blood and Bone

When I Fertilise: Spring

Organic Status:Partially Organic

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna

Comments: - WISH LIST Top of my priorities is growing apples in Brisbane. A few locals are having great success in South Brisbane. I want so badly.

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna (Grafted)

Comments: -

Planted 2008 and seemed to be going strong but curled up its toes in Winter 2009 which was very disappointing.  Have just received a replacement which I will plant on the weekend so hopefully I will not have the same problem.

The replacement tree is going well.  Hopefully it will survive.  Has had a few bugs on the new growth which I have controlled manually at this stage - not sure what they were - little yellow bugs about the size of a flea.

No bugs worrying it now that it has matured a little more.  No flowers yet, though hope there will be some to help its companion along.

Fruiting Months January, November, December

Planted: 2010

Height 2 Inches

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: Self Pollination

Fertiliser or Organics Used: manure, potash, seaweed, blood

Pest Control:

None but anticipate fruit fly

Organic Status:Organic

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna (Grafted) ^10/10

Comments: -

I want apples! And I live in Brisbane! We grew apples in Alstonville when I was a kid they were so much nicer than the supermarket ones we eat ATM. I cant wait until this fruits!

Height 70 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: Self Pollination

Fertiliser or Organics Used: chook poo plus mulch

When I Fertilise: Yearly

Pest Control:

Organic Status:Organic

Question:

Can any one get any other types of tropical apples? I know there are a few different types but eveyone is out of stock. I need minimum chill types because its only going to get warmer as the city spreads out towards my place.

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna

Planted: 2008

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna (Grafted) ^8/10

Planted: 2011

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In a Pot

First Fruited: 6 Months from Purchase in Pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: Self Pollination

When I Fertilise: Yearly

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna (Grafted) ^5/10

Height 1.2 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Cross Pollinator Variety: Golden Dorset

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Worm Wee, Potash, Seasol

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna

Dwarf Apple - Tropical Anna ^5/10

Comments: -

Not having any luck growing any of the tropical apples

Planted: 2008

Height 40 Centimetres

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Shade

Water Given in: Spring