Columnar Apple Trees are the BEST for growing fruit in a small to medium size garden. They are fantastic options, if you can’t get a big apple tree into your garden and honestly you don’t need 1 big one, when you can have 3 small columnar ones instead!

This was our apple harvest this year from 2 apple trees in their 3rd year of growing! A whole basket full to the brim of homegrown apples.

This was our harvest last year from one of the other columnar apple trees.

What are Columnar Apple Trees?

• They are grown on the smallest Dwarf Rootstock,
• They are great for small gardens and only have to be planted 1 metre apart,
• They reach 6 foot or approx 2 meters high,
• Every year they need some harsh pruning – I’ll be chatting about this below – it’s sounds scary but it’s not!
• They are easy to grow and just need water, a glue band and some pruning.

Columnar Apple Tree Timeline

If you want to grow columnar apple trees, here is how long you’ll have to invest in them. Fruit trees are the long term gain and growing vegetables are the short term gain.

1.Plant Bare Root Trees

Plant bare root columnar trees in November to early March, when the tree is dormant. This will help the tree as you plant it outside in new soil and it will start growing in March to April.

Read: We have Bare Root Fruit Trees

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2.Growth – Year 1

In the first year of growth, all you will see is branches, the trunk thickening and leaves forming. There will be a stunning display of blossom but there will be no apples until Year 2.

Read: Columnar Fruit trees in the Veg Garden – 1 Year Growth Update.

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3.Harvest – Year 2

This is the exciting year, your trees will give you an apple harvest! Keep watering during the apple growing period and I add compost to the top of the soil every year to give it a nutrient boost. The worms will take it down into the soil & root ball. Plan for what to do with your apple harvest!

Pruning

Your tree is 2 years old now, you will need to prune it. There will be branches crossing one another, branches may have grown too long and it may be too tall. It is scary when pruning for the first time, especially if you are not sure what you are doing.

I watched this great YouTube video a few times to understand what branches I needed to cut.

Eli and Kate – YouTube Video Link

After Pruning

Pruning is required to bring the dwarf tree back to its original state of a columnar tree shape and not too bushy.

4.Larger Harvest – Year 3

The pruning worked amazingly well, in Year 3 you’ll get even more vigorous growth, it’s like the tree has been invigorated by the pruning. Also you’ll get a larger harvest (hopefully). Look at the amount of apples growing on this small 6ft tree!

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Grow Your Own Fruit

Loganberry – The Best Berry for Big Harvests

Strawberry Fields Forever

Tips for Growing Fruit in your Garden

For Apple Recipes – Follow me on Instagram @traceysowgrowharvest

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