Apple Trees?

[ExtremeSoloDubV]

What is the best type of apple tree to plant for whitetails. Also, when do you all recommend planting them? How long does will it take for them to produce apples? Give me some feedback. Hope to plant some soon.

Thanks

[hoyt19]

I dont know the specifics about it other than type. I have a tree stand on our farm that is situated between 4 johnathan apples trees. Our bow season started the 1st of october and that stand is hot the first 2 weeks or so of the season. I dont really think it matters much what type of apple it is either. We have pear trees in out back yard that become popluar to the does too.

[NY911Bowhunter]

PM Adkhunter - he's a tree genius!

[JimT]

Good post. I should put a couple apple trees out back. What does it take to get a few going?

[brownie65]

I have planted a few apple trees & usually I have apples within a couple of years. Might think about planting a couple of different kinds. They do need to have another tree for cross pollination. There could be another tree around to do that already.They can be several miles apart & still pollinate. This is what the nursery has told me in the past anyway. I am not a expert on this so I'm sure somebody else can tell you alot more about it. As far as Pear trees,deer love pears. They also really like persimmons. I have also watched them tear up some peaches.

[archerjg]

Deer love apples and around here the deer just destroy Dad's Yellow Delicious apple tree.

Archerjg

[wtnhunt]

Whatever you do with whatever type trees you decide on DO NOT buy the trees from Lowes.

You will not get what you are supposed to and they will likely die after the first year.

We bought granny smith and red delicious trees from lowes. The granny smith truned out to be a crab apple. The deer will eat the crab apples, but not fit for us to eat.

Might consider pears. Deer love kiefer and bartlett pears. Have had them in the yard under our pear trees in broad daylight on several occasions.

[AJ]

I hunted apple orchards for 5 years. The critters seem to go for the golden delicious over the reds. They would take any apple that was offered to them late in the season, but they did like the goldens. Talk to the orchard owner near you to get saplings. They get the first quality trees. Nurseries get the seconds and Hardware stores get something lower down the line.

Use some good fertilizer (speak with the orchard owner) and keep them bug free. Be sure to cage the trees to keep critters away from the young tree. You can have fruit in 2 years. Fall is the best time to plant, but spring time after the ground thaws, will also work.