Standard Vs. Dwarf Fruit Trees

[Rosalind]

heavy fruit loads break the branches easier atleast with the larger fruited ones like apples and pears

Yeah, I forgot to mention that--I routinely pick off about 1/2 - 2/3 of the fruit when it's little green ping-pong size to let the remaining fruits get bigger. So I don't have that problem. Stonefruit don't really have this problem because they will automatically drop a bunch of green fruits in early summer, but apples and pears you have to go around picking them off. You can make green apple chutney, make pectin for jam with them, give em to birdies.

Oh yeah...if you have a dog, do not let the dog eat the dropped green stonefruit. Not that it will kill them or anything, but you do NOT want to clean up the diarrhea at 4am. Learn from my mistake!

 

[simple life]

Rosalind, how long did it take for your apple trees to start producing?
I have some dwarf/semi dwarf apple trees that are the antique varieties and wondering if they really do start to produce that much earlier than the standard.
I was told they should start to produce in 3-5 years depending if they are dwarf or semi.
Is that an accurate time frame?

 

[Rosalind]

Yeah, 3-5 years is about right. Some varieties earlier, some later. My Calville Blanc and Northern Spy fruited in 2 years, the others in 4-5 years.

Or 7 years if you have a very persnickety, annoying Spitzenburg that only fruits according to how many death threats and cusswords you scream at it.

 

[simple life]

I actually have a Northern Spy and a Spitzenburg so I guess that is good news and bad news.