SKU: 00840369417459 Red Delicious Apple Trees Pre- Bagged Bareroot 6-12" Tall-Mild, Sweet Fruit in Just 3 Years!!

Key Features

• Growth Habit: Upright, moderately vigorous deciduous fruit tree with a rounded to broadly spreading canopy and sturdy branching.
• Bloom Color: Fragrant white blossoms with soft pink buds appearing in mid-spring.
• Fragrance: Sweetly fragrant flowers that attract bees and other beneficial pollinators.
• Fruit Flavor: Crisp, juicy, and mildly sweet with very low acidity and subtle honey-like notes. Best enjoyed fresh.
• Culinary Uses: Excellent for fresh eating, lunchboxes, fruit salads, garnishes, juicing, and drying. While it can be used for applesauce and baking, its softer texture after cooking makes it better suited for fresh consumption.
• Medicinal Uses: Apples are naturally rich in dietary fiber, vitamin C, antioxidants, and beneficial plant compounds that support digestive and heart health as part of a balanced diet. They are cultivated primarily as a nutritious fruit rather than for medicinal purposes.
• Possible Toxicity: The fruit flesh is safe and edible. Apple seeds contain amygdalin, which can release cyanide compounds if crushed and consumed in large quantities. Leaves, stems, and wood are generally considered non-toxic but are not edible.
• Wildlife & Pest Resistance: Spring flowers attract bees and other pollinators. Ripening fruit may attract birds, squirrels, deer, and other wildlife if left unprotected. Susceptible to common apple diseases such as apple scab, fire blight, cedar apple rust, and powdery mildew, along with pests including codling moths, aphids, and apple maggots. Proper pruning, sanitation, and monitoring help maintain healthy trees.
• Planting Zone: Hardy in USDA Zones 4–8.
• Sun Preferences: Full sun with at least 6–8 hours of direct sunlight each day for maximum flowering, fruit color, and production.
• Drought Tolerance: Moderate once established. Regular watering during prolonged dry periods promotes larger fruit and healthier growth.
• Mature Size: Typically grows 15–25 feet tall with a spread of 12–20 feet, depending on rootstock, growing conditions, and pruning.

When and How to Prune

• Prune annually during late winter while the tree is dormant, before buds begin to swell.
• Remove dead, damaged, diseased, or crossing branches first.
• Thin crowded interior branches to improve air circulation and sunlight penetration, helping reduce disease and improve fruit quality.
• Maintain a strong central leader with evenly spaced scaffold branches.
• Remove water sprouts and root suckers throughout the growing season.
• Thin young fruit after natural fruit drop, leaving one apple every 6–8 inches to encourage larger, healthier apples and reduce branch stress.

Planting Instructions (Bareroot into the Ground)

1. Plant bareroot trees in late winter or early spring while the tree is still dormant.
2. Soak the roots in clean water for 2–6 hours before planting to fully rehydrate them.
3. Choose a location with fertile, well-drained soil and full sun.
4. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root system and deep enough for the roots to spread naturally.
5. Form a small mound of soil in the center of the planting hole and spread the roots evenly over it.
6. Position the graft union 2–4 inches above the finished soil level.
7. Backfill with native soil, gently firming to eliminate air pockets around the roots.
8. Water thoroughly after planting and apply a 2–3 inch layer of mulch, keeping mulch several inches away from the trunk.
9. Stake the young tree if planted in a windy location during its first growing season.
10. Space trees 15–20 feet apart, depending on the rootstock and expected mature size.

Overwintering Steps

• Red Delicious Apple Trees are fully hardy in USDA Zones 4–8 and require minimal winter care once established.
• Continue watering during dry autumn weather until the ground freezes to reduce winter stress.
• Maintain a 2–4 inch layer of mulch around the root zone to insulate roots and conserve soil moisture, keeping mulch away from the trunk.
• Protect young trunks with tree guards or wraps to prevent sunscald, frost cracking, and rodent damage during winter.
• Remove fallen leaves and fruit in autumn to reduce overwintering insects and disease spores.
• Delay fertilizing until early spring when active growth resumes.
• Perform annual dormant pruning in late winter to maintain tree structure, encourage healthy new growth, and maximize fruit production.

With its showy spring blossoms, classic deep-red apples, and dependable harvests, Red Delicious Apple Tree remains a favorite for home orchards and family gardens. Easy to grow and rewarding year after year, this timeless variety offers beautiful ornamental appeal along with crisp, sweet fruit that has delighted generations of apple lovers.