We’re only a week into the new year, and the forecast is calling for a hard freeze and possible snow flurries at the end of next week, but my thoughts today are on mid July. If all goes well, that’s when I will be harvesting apples from the

trees in my yard.

Anna apples growing in my Niceville
yard this past spring.

I’m thinking about that today because the time has arrived to begin preparing the trees for the new season ahead.

The buds are beginning to swell, so before they open, I will apply a dormant oil spray. The spray will help fight pests and disease, and make them more manageable in the months ahead.

When the buds are in the pink stage (before they open) I will use a product called Pyola from Gardens Alive for pest control. This is not toxic to bees. I will not use any insecticides during the bloom stage so the bees that are graciously pollinating my trees will not be harmed.

Also during the pink stage, I will fertilize using a good quality fruit tree fertilizer.

After the bloom I will begin a spray regiment to help prevent disease and pests. The trees will need regular spraying over the next seven months to protect the fruit.

I have three varieties of apple trees growing in my yard here in Niceville: Anna, Dorsett Gold and Tropic Sweet. Each is a recommended variety for Florida because of the low number of chill hours they need to produce fruit (under 600 hours) and their ability to stand up to diseases in our hot, humid environment. Another cultivar recommended for Florida is called Ein Shemer.

If you are planning to plant your own apple trees this spring, make sure you plant two of the four cultivars of trees listed above. You should have two different varieties of apples growing within about 100 feet of each other for successful pollination. Dorsett Gold is said to be self-fruitful but cross pollination helps produce more fruit.

Don’t make the mistake of trying to grow Red Delicious or other such apples you may be familiar with from the grocery store. They simply will not produce well here—if they produce at all. That’s largely because our winters are too short and not cold enough, and our summers are too hot and humid.

Don’t fear, though. The four apple varieties that we can grow here are absolutely delicious!