I agree that growers propagate apples via grafts, rather than by seed, because apples do not reproduce true to the source tree. Your pip problem might be related to the same point. Most, but not all, apples need to be cross-polinated with another type of apple to fruit. Some varieties are self-polli...

Perhaps I should not be surprised, but among the apples not yet listed under "Apple Varieties" is the Gordon apple. It is, by far, the best apple variety that I have been able to grow in coastal San Diego. Delicious, plentiful fruit every year-- great for fresh eating, applesauce, and pies...

I am planting new trees this year here in coastal San Diego. Just a small backyard orchard we are expanding, after cutting down a couple of Brazilian pepper trees to put in something more useful. We are using graywater and trying to avoid chemical pesticides/herbicides and we'll see what happens. I ...

stive-- If you are not inclined to find a proper match for your lone tree, or you don't have much space, you also may use a crabapple to pollinate your tree or mismatched multiple apple trees.

Because I live in Southern California (coastal San Diego County), my apple trees do not tend to drop their leaves in the winter. Can I still use dormant oil spray, or will it do more harm than good? And if I can use it without undue risk to the tree, would I use it at about the same time as in colde...

Good advice- thank you, again.

Your note does help-- thank you. We are in San Diego near the coast. Dry temperate climate with clay soil. The 2 Annas, Dorsett Golden, and 2 Gordons seem to be quite happy. The others are not thriving as readily, but are still dormant (I hope). Just tore out a young Pettingill that developed some k...

We are using graywater to irrigate our apples. All but two of our ten trees are two years old or less; two trees are about 10 years old. Does anyone have experience with this sort of thing? I am not worried about water-borne diseases, but do not know how a steady diet of soapy water (from shower, tu...