Menards apple trees

[Ben.MN/WI]

Even though I initially decided not to plant any more apple trees at our place, I changed my mind last week. Menards in Rochester MN had some really nice apple trees (semi-dwarf based on expected size, but no root stock listed). The trees were probably 6-8 feet tall and the leaves were just starting to pop. I picked up a mix of 6 trees and hopefully they'll produce apples a few years earlier than the backbone trees I purchased from St. Lawrence Nursery last year. The SLN trees can't be beat based on lifespan and tree size, but I also like to throw in a few faster producing semi-dwarf trees to hold me over until the SLN trees start dropping apples.

The Menards trees were quite large for the size of the root wad, so I'm a little concerned that the roots might have trouble keeping up with the top heavy trees. I put a lot of leaves and old hay around each of the 6 new trees and hopefully that will keep moisture in the soil and also limit competition from grasses.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

I forgot to mention that the trees were on sale for $20 each. I picked up a Cortland, Sweet 16, Snow Sweet, HoneyGold and 2 State Fair.

 

[j-bird]

Ben -I have trees I got (wal-mart specials) and I had two of them fruit the second year I had it in the ground. I have since learned that I should have held out for Enterprise or Liberty's but I was young and dumb (only 2 years ago). I have not had any issues thus far that was not self-inflicted (bought some trees with poor form). I had to water them weekly (was the summer of 2012 when everything was dying). Somthing that I had to learn the hard way was keeping the weeds under control. I used mulch and that was a mistake as I had voles chew off the support roots around the tree and kill it. Since then I put down a weed barrier that allows water to pass,but nothing else. I then cover the fabric with gravel I got from the creek. This seems tworkalot better for me.

 

[2ndHand]

Ben, I have had good luck with the apple trees I purchased from Menards - no apples yet, this will be the third year, but they are growing nicely...;)

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

I planted these trees just a couple hundred yards from my house, so it will be pretty easy for me to give them some water during dry periods. If I can get them through the first summer, they should be good. It will be interesting to compare how these trees do versus the St. Lawrence Nursery trees I planted last year.

 

[ruskbucks]

That's a good deal. I just went to the Menards in Burlington,Wi those trees are marked $59.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

I was pretty impressed with how the $20 trees looked. I expected a Charlie Brown type tree, but these were really nice. They didn't have many varieties to pick from, but for that price I wasn't going to be too picky. I planted the specific early and late dropping trees last year from SLN, so these trees were just bonus trees that will hopefully produce apples a little sooner. I ran out of fenceposts and 6' deer proof fence, so in theory I should be done planting trees this year but I've said that before.