Malus domestica
The most important fruit tree in the British kitchen garden. A single well-chosen apple on a dwarfing rootstock will produce 10–20kg of fruit per year for 30+ years from a space no larger than a shed door. The key decisions — rootstock, pollination group, and harvest season — take 10 minutes to get right and pay dividends for a lifetime.
The rootstock controls the ultimate size of the tree. Choose it first — before the variety. All sizes below are approximate and depend on soil and management.
| Rootstock | Size | Height | Spacing | Suitable for | Support & notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M27 | Very dwarf | 1.5–2m | 1.2–1.5m | Container · Very small garden · Cordon | Permanent stake essential — Needs very fertile, well-watered soil. Poor on thin soils. |
| M9 | Dwarf | 2–3m | 2.5–3m | Cordon · Espalier · Small garden · Intensive orchards | Permanent stake essential — Most widely used commercial rootstock. Needs good soil and irrigation. |
| M26 | Semi-dwarf | 3–4m | 3.5–4m | Bush · Spindle · Most gardens | Stake for first 5 years — Best all-round choice for UK gardens. Performs well on most soils. |
| MM106 | Semi-vigorous | 4–5m | 5–6m | Half-standard · Bush · Fan · Large garden | Stake for 3 years — Good on poorer soils. More drought tolerant than dwarfing stocks. |
| MM111 | Vigorous | 5–8m | 7–9m | Standard · Half-standard · Orchard | Minimal after establishment — For traditional orchards. Long-lived. Not suitable for small gardens. |
The number of varieties shown for each crop is based on UK consumption data (2025/26) — the more popular the crop, the more variety choices we include.
The gold standard of English dessert apples. Superb, complex, aromatic flavour unmatched by any other variety when eaten fresh from the tree. Demanding — susceptible to scab, mildew, and canker — but the flavour reward justifies the effort. Best on M26. Pollination group 3.
The finest russet apple. Dry, nutty, honeyed flavour with a suede-textured golden skin. Easier to grow than Cox and stores well through to December. AGM. Pollination group 2 — an excellent pollinator for group 3 varieties including Cox.
Often described as an easier-to-grow Cox. Similar aromatic flavour, good disease resistance, and self-fertile — no second tree needed. AGM. Ideal first apple for small gardens or beginners wanting Cox-quality flavour without Cox-level difficulty.
A celebrated 18th-century heritage apple with exceptional complex flavour — considered one of the finest dessert apples ever raised in Britain. Medium-sized, greenish-yellow fruit flushed with orange-red. Rich, aromatic, nutty flesh with a distinctive Cox-like character. Parent of Cox's Orange Pippin. Ripens October, stores to December.
A superb New Zealand-raised dessert apple combining the flavour qualities of Cox with more reliable cropping. Rich, sweet, aromatic flesh with a distinctive orange-red flush over a yellow-green skin. Parent of Gala. One of the finest flavoured dessert apples for UK gardens. Ripens late October, stores to Christmas.
The most popular early-season dessert apple for UK gardens and commercial orchards. Bright red skin, crisp white flesh, and a refreshing raspberry-tinged flavour. Ready from mid-August — the first significant apple of the season. Best eaten straight from the tree. AGM and widely planted across the UK.
One of the best early apples — bright scarlet, sweet, and refreshing with a hint of strawberry. Heavy-cropping and reliable. Does not store — pick and eat immediately for best flavour. AGM. Crops in August, before most other apples are ready. Excellent pollinator for other group 3 varieties.
A true dual-purpose apple — excellent eating when ripe and an outstanding early cooking apple before full ripeness. Partly self-fertile, but crops better with a pollination partner. Heavy-cropping and reliable in most UK gardens, though prone to canker on heavy, wet soils. Very good pollinator for other varieties. Not suited to long storage — use within 2–3 weeks of picking.
One of the best self-fertile dessert apples for small gardens and containers. Very sweet, large fruits ripening in August. High disease resistance. AGM. Excellent choice for first-time apple growers or anyone wanting a reliable, heavy-cropping single-tree apple.
A historic variety with outstanding dual-purpose flavour. Triploid — needs two pollinators from groups 2–4. Very large, beautiful fruit with rich, nutty flavour. Stores until December. Best on a larger rootstock. A long-lived tree that improves with age.
A Cox cross with outstanding flavour — some consider it superior. Aromatic, rich, pear-drop notes with a beautiful red-flushed skin. Stores well into December. Easier to grow than Cox. Pollination group 3.
One of the latest-ripening and longest-storing dessert apples. Small, neat fruits that keep until February–March in cool storage. Sweet, nutty, rich flavour that improves in store. High disease resistance. AGM. Outstanding choice for extended storage.
The king of cooking apples — incomparable for pies, crumbles, and sauce. Collapses to a light, sharp purée when cooked. Triploid — needs two pollinators (groups 2–4). Very large fruits store well into March. The most commonly grown cooking apple in the UK by a wide margin. AGM.
The best early cooking apple — crops August–September when no other cookers are ready. Large, green, sharp fruits that cook excellently. Does not store — pick and use immediately. AGM. Provides cooking apples weeks before Bramley is ready.
Self-fertile cooking apple — no second tree needed. Heavy-cropping, reliable, and disease resistant. Sharp flavour ideal for cooking. Can be used as a dessert apple when fully ripe. Good for northern gardens and exposed positions where other varieties struggle.
A large, handsome Victorian cooking apple with yellow-green skin handsomely flushed with red stripes. Combines the cooking qualities of Bramley with a richer, more complex flavour when used in pies and sauces. Slightly less acidic than Bramley — some consider the cooked flavour superior. Very late keeping — stores well into February.
One of the largest cooking apples grown in the UK — fruits regularly reach tennis-ball size and can exceed 1kg. Pale yellow-green skin flushed with red. Mild cooking flavour, lower acidity than Bramley. Excellent for baking whole. A heritage variety of impressive ornamental and practical value.
A Victorian cooking apple of outstanding keeping quality — stores in perfect condition into April. Pale yellow skin with a slight pink flush. Holds its shape when cooked, making it excellent for tarts. A dual-purpose apple: sharp when freshly picked but becomes sweet enough to eat raw by February. Heritage gem.
One of the oldest named English apples (1688) and a parent of Cox. Exceptional, complex flavour — arguably finer than Cox on a good year. Triploid. Needs two group 3/4 pollinators. Susceptible to scab. For enthusiasts who want to grow living history.
The classic West Country bittersweet cider apple. Not palatable fresh — tannic and sharp — but produces a superb cider with excellent body and colour. Very heavy-cropping. Best grown as a half-standard or standard in a garden with space. Essential for serious home cider-making.
First recorded 1700, Gloucester. Considered by many apple experts the finest flavoured of all English dessert apples — sharper than Cox with an extraordinary aromatic, pear-drop intensity. Stores until February. Not pretty but one of the greatest flavour experiences in fruit growing.
Apple trees are sold everywhere from garden centres to specialist fruit nurseries, as container-grown (plantable year-round) or bare-root (Nov–Mar, better value and far wider variety choice) stock. Classic varieties like Discovery and Egremont Russet are stocked almost universally; for less common or local heritage varieties, specialist fruit nurseries and an online plant-finder directory are the best starting points. Always check the rootstock is clearly labelled, since this determines the eventual tree size.
Plant bare-root trees November to March when dormant. Dig a wide, shallow hole, keep the graft union above soil level, stake at 45 degrees, firm well and mulch. Formative pruning at planting builds the framework for years ahead.
Decide on rootstock first (M26 is the best all-round choice for most UK gardens), then choose variety based on use (dessert/cooking/dual), harvest season (early/mid/late), and pollination group. Ensure you have a compatible pollinator within 50m.
Dig a hole twice the width of the root system and the same depth. Incorporate well-rotted compost but avoid fresh manure touching the roots. Do not add fertiliser to the hole — wait until the tree is established.
Bare-root trees have a clear soil mark on the stem showing their original planting depth. Plant at exactly this depth — the graft union (the knobbly join above the roots) must remain 10–15cm above soil level. Burying the union causes scion rooting and loss of dwarfing effect.
Drive the stake in at an angle (45 degrees) away from the prevailing wind before replacing soil — this avoids driving through the roots. The stake should reach two-thirds up the tree trunk. Use a rubber tree tie to avoid bark damage.
Replace soil in stages, firming with your heel at each layer to eliminate air pockets. Water thoroughly — a full 10–15 litres. Apply a mulch 5cm deep in a 1m circle around the base but keep it clear of the trunk to avoid collar rot.
For bush and spindle forms, cut back the central leader by one third at planting to encourage branching. For cordons and espaliers, tie in and do not prune the leader. Remove any damaged or overcrowded branches.
Container-grown trees can be planted September to May, with autumn and early spring being ideal. Water well after planting and keep consistently moist through the first summer — this is critical for establishment.
Container-grown apple trees can be planted September to May. Autumn and early spring are still ideal — autumn allows roots to establish in warm soil before winter; spring plantings need more careful watering through their first summer. Avoid planting June–August when trees are in active growth.
Dig the hole the same depth as the container and twice as wide. Break up compacted subsoil with a fork. If drainage is poor, consider a raised planting mound — apples will not tolerate waterlogged roots.
Remove the container and gently tease out any circling roots. Circling roots left unreleased will eventually strangle the tree as the trunk expands. Make 3–4 vertical cuts with a knife around the outside of the root ball if very pot-bound.
Position in the hole at the correct depth (graft union 10–15cm above soil). Backfill in stages, firming well. Install stake as per bare-root method. Water in thoroughly with 15 litres.
A 5cm deep mulch of composted bark or garden compost in a 1m circle suppresses weeds, retains moisture, and regulates soil temperature. Essential for first-season establishment. Renew annually.
Patio apples on M27 or M9 rootstock thrive in large containers of loam-based compost. Use a pot at least 60cm wide and deep, ensure good drainage, and water consistently — container trees dry out faster than those in open ground.
M27 or M9 only for container growing. M27 stays very compact (1.5m) and is ideal for a patio pot. M9 grows to around 2.5m in a large container. Choose a self-fertile variety such as Scrumptious to avoid needing a second tree, or plant two varieties from compatible pollination groups.
Minimum 60cm diameter and depth. Half-barrels, large terracotta urns, or purpose-built wooden planters all work well. Ensure multiple large drainage holes — waterlogged roots are fatal. Fill with John Innes No. 3 (not multi-purpose compost — it breaks down too fast).
Container apple trees must be fed with a balanced fertiliser in spring and a high-potash feed from flowering onwards. Water daily in summer — a container tree cannot access groundwater. Neglecting water during June–August causes premature fruit drop and poor development.
Every 3 years in late winter, lift the tree from its pot, trim the root ball by 20% with a sharp saw or knife, and replant in fresh John Innes No. 3. This prevents the tree becoming pot-bound and maintains vigour.
Planted at the base of apple trees, chives are thought to help deter aphids and improve scab resistance.
Marigolds are thought to deter harmful nematodes in the soil around apple tree roots.
Acts as a trap crop for aphids, drawing them away from the tree canopy.
Comfrey leaves make an excellent mulch and liquid feed, and its flowers attract pollinators for blossom time.
Order bare-root apple trees from specialist fruit nurseries in September–October for delivery from November. The best varieties and rootstocks sell out. Buying from a specialist gives access to hundreds of varieties unavailable in garden centres — choose varieties suited to your specific needs.
Bare-root trees must be planted promptly. If soil is frozen or waterlogged on arrival, heel the tree into a bucket or large pot of compost to keep the roots moist until conditions improve. Never let bare roots dry out or sit in standing water.
The graft union — the knobby joint between rootstock and scion — must end up 10–15cm above soil level. This is crucial. If the union is buried, the scion (upper tree) roots into the soil and the dwarfing effect of the rootstock is lost.
Keep well watered through the first growing season — the first summer is critical. Remove any fruit that sets in the first year to direct energy into root establishment. Apply a balanced fertiliser in spring (April) of the first year.
| Region | Sow / plant | Harvest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland & Far North | Nov–Mar | Sep–Nov | |
| Northern England | Nov–Mar | Sep–Nov | |
| Midlands & Wales | Nov–Mar | Aug–Nov | |
| Ireland & Isle of Man | Nov–Mar | Aug–Nov | |
| South & SE England | Nov–Mar | Aug–Nov | |
| South Coast & SW | Nov–Mar | Aug–Nov |
Apple trees are not grown from seed (seedlings revert to wild, unpalatable types) and are not propagated in a propagator. They are grafted onto specific rootstocks at the nursery — a specialist process. Home gardeners buy grafted trees ready for planting. A propagator plays no part in apple growing.
Not Applicable — Apple trees are grafted by specialist nurseries onto named rootstocks. This is not a home propagation task. Buy grafted trees from a reputable specialist fruit nursery. Avoid unnamed varieties from general garden centres where rootstock is often unknown.
Order from a specialist fruit nursery — they can advise on the best variety and rootstock combination for your soil, space, and needs. They stock varieties unavailable in garden centres and can confirm rootstock. Order in early autumn for best selection.
Before ordering, confirm your pollination group situation. If planting a single tree, choose a self-fertile variety or confirm a compatible variety within 50m. If planting two trees, ensure they are in the same or adjacent pollination groups.
Winter pruning (December–February) shapes the tree and encourages fruiting. In years 1–3 (formative pruning), remove crossing, rubbing, and inward-growing branches to build an open, balanced framework. Once established, annual pruning maintains size and stimulates new fruiting spurs. The key rule: apples fruit on two-year-old and older wood — do not remove all young wood. For cordons and espaliers, summer pruning (July–August) is essential: cut side-shoots back to 3 leaves from the base to form fruiting spurs.
Apply a balanced general-purpose granular fertiliser in late February–March at 70g per square metre under the canopy. Follow with a mulch of well-rotted compost or bark 5–8cm deep in a 1m circle, keeping it clear of the trunk. Do not overfeed with nitrogen — this produces excessive leafy growth at the expense of fruit. Established trees in good soil may need no additional feeding beyond the mulch. Yellowing leaves between the veins indicate iron or magnesium deficiency — treat with a sequestered iron product or magnesium sulphate foliar feed.
After the natural June drop (when the tree sheds excess fruitlets), thin remaining fruits to one per cluster and one fruit every 10–15cm along the branch. Thinning feels counterintuitive but dramatically improves fruit size, quality, and flavour — and prevents biennial bearing (heavy and light years alternating). Use scissors or thumb-and-forefinger to remove the central fruitlet (the king fruit) from each cluster first — it is often misshapen. The remaining side fruitlets will develop into uniform, large fruits.
Apple scab (dark scabby patches on fruit and leaves) is the most common problem — it thrives in wet springs. Choose resistant varieties and clear fallen leaves in autumn. Apple canker (sunken, flaking bark) requires cutting out infected wood to healthy tissue and sealing cuts with wound paint. Codling moth larvae tunnel into developing fruit — use pheromone traps from May to monitor and disrupt mating. Woolly aphid (white cottony masses on bark) requires firm brushing with a stiff brush and a systemic insecticide if severe.
Fireblight (Erwinia amylovora) is a bacterial disease causing shoots to wilt and blacken as if scorched. Infected wood must be pruned out to 60cm below visible symptoms and all tools sterilised between cuts with methylated spirit. Do not compost infected material — burn it or bin it.
Full identification and treatment advice is in the Pests and Diseases sections.
Late-season varieties (October pick) store for 2–5 months in the right conditions: cool (1–4°C), dark, slightly humid, and frost-free. A traditional apple store, unheated outhouse, or garage works well. Store each apple individually — wrap in newspaper or place in single layers in slatted trays. Never store damaged or bruised fruit. Check monthly and remove any showing rot immediately — one rotten apple truly does spoil the whole store. Early varieties (August–September) do not store and must be eaten within days of picking.
Apple juice from a mix of varieties is exceptional — far superior to shop-bought. Use a community apple press or hire a small press for larger quantities. Fresh juice keeps for only 3–4 days in the fridge; to keep it longer, freeze it in portions. Even a single tree typically produces enough surplus for several litres of juice. Mix cooking and dessert varieties for a balanced juice — pure cooking apple juice is too sharp.
Cooking apples (Bramley, Grenadier) freeze well: peel, core, slice, and blanch for 2 minutes before freezing in portions. Dessert apples are better stored whole than frozen. Dried apple rings (core and slice thinly, dry in an oven at 60°C for 6–8 hours) keep for months and make an excellent snack.
A cordon — a single-stemmed tree trained at 45 degrees against a fence or wire — is the most space-efficient way to grow apples in a small garden. Four to six cordons in 2m of fence width gives you four to six different varieties with a succession of harvest from August to November.
Plant a self-fertile variety (Scrumptious, Sunset) as your first tree if you are unsure about nearby pollinators — it will crop alone and also pollinate other varieties planted later.
The best apple for cooking is almost always Bramley — it collapses to a light, fluffy purée when cooked. But for eating fresh, the finest flavour from a UK garden is Cox’s Orange Pippin — demanding to grow but incomparable when fresh off your own tree.