Fruit trees

[plongson]

OK... I'm 51 and still learning "bout the birds and the bees"!! :-laf QUESTION: Can (will) two fruit trees of the same varity polinate each other ie. two Arkansas Black apple, or does one varity need a different varity ie. Arkansas Black and a Winesap.



I just bought two Arkansas Blacks for planting this next year and got to thinking about the polination issue.



Thanks, Paul...

 

[Jumbo Jet]

You need another variety for true cross-pollination. Most likely, you will still have plenty fruit - bees travel far and wide.



Another consideration, make sure the different varieties bloom very close to the same date.

 

[TowPro]

What about Grafting? Do apple trees need to be grafted?

 

[tugboatphil]

They don't have to be grafted, but most certainly can be. They do quite well.

 

[RGardner]

Stark Brothers catalog is a very good source for information on fruit trees. Most apples are not self pollinating so you will need another tree.

 

[plongson]

I have another tree, it is just the same varity...

 

[jkalchik]

It's really going to depend on the variety. Horticultural catalogs can probably help with this, another good resource would be your County Extension agent.



F'r instance, Montmorency tart cherries are self pollinating. Many sweet cherry varieties are not. My Dad has 20 acres of sweets (mostly lights for maraschinos) that get planted in a specific pattern (every 3rd tree, every other row is the pollinating variety, IIRC. ) You don't do this with tarts.

 

[RGardner]

You will a red delicious, granny smith or jon a red apple tree also for the best pollination.

 

[JApol]

In the orchards where I grew up the Red delicious orchards would have a green apple tree spaced at a certain interval for pollination. Man i wish I could go across the road and snag a BIG Red Delicious off the tree right now