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Arizona Gardening: Fall Anna apples are a little too late
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Q: I have what I think is an Anna apple tree, but it is maturing fruit in November. I thought apples in the Valley only ripened fruit in early summer. The apples are only the size of golf balls and the leaves have brown edges. Do you have any diagnosis for my tree?
A: Anna apples usually ripen in early summer but may set a second and even a third crop later in the year, but there isn't enough time left in the season, so they most likely will not reach maturity.
Yes, they are greenish yellow and may also have a slight pink blush. They bloom and set fruit at the tips of the branches instead of along the length of the branch. If most of the fruit at the tip - 4 to 6 apples - matures, they will be small unless you thin them. To increase the size, leave one or two per cluster. The brown edges are from either too much water or not enough water. With temperature in the 80s, water about every seven to 10 days and deep enough to reach about 2 feet one hour after you finish watering.
One of the characteristics of Anna apples is they produce fruit at a very young age and don't need another tree to pollinate them. They are self-fruitful but will produce better if they have a Golden Dorsett or Ein Sheimer to pollinate them. The Golden Dorsett and Ein Sheimer may take several years to mature before they will bear fruit. All three varieties have very low chill requirements to fruit. The Golden Dorsett is native to Bermuda, the Anna and Ein Sheimer are native to Israel and therefore are well adapted to our warm winters and hot summers. You will find them in the nurseries in January, or you may plant them any other time of year if they are potted up. Fall is a great time to plant fruit trees, so they will be settled in before the next warm season.
My own apple tree has all three varieties budded onto the same tree.
CONTACT WRITER: john@johnchapman.com
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