Basically, apple trees are self-sterile, so pollen from another apple variety is necessary to pollinate the apple blossoms. However, this feature can be circumvented with a clever trick.
Can apple trees be self-pollinating?
Apple trees are usually self-sterile and require another type of apple for pollination. However, you can make an apple tree self-pollinate by copulating a pollinator variety on a branch that is flowering at the same time.
The need for different apple varieties for cross-pollination
Even if self-fertilization between the flowers of a single apple tree is impossible, self-fertilization is sometimes spoken of when the pollen from a second apple tree of the same yield variety is sufficient to fertilize the apple tree.
Consider the surrounding area when planning your garden
In the case of fruit trees, the flora of the surrounding area is also important when planning the planting of a garden. In areas with few or no other apple trees, more than just a single apple tree should be planted. If you choose different types of apples, you can not only achieve better fertilization performance, but also harvest different types of apples at different times.
Clarify the fertilization ability of apple trees according to the table
The apple varieties available in specialist stores not only offer the advantage of a controllable growth habit, but also security when determining the respective apple variety. Using this table, gardening guides can be used to determine the optimal combination of apple varieties based on their ability to pollinate each other. For example, the following apple varieties are optimal pollinators for the “Elstar” apple variety:
- James Grieve
- Cox Orange
- Melrose
- Pinova
- Pilot
- Laxton's Superb
A trick for self-pollinating apple trees
With a little skill and luck, you can turn an existing apple tree in your garden into a self-pollinating tree by copulating the scion of a pollinator variety onto a branch of the tree. If the branch has been successfully grafted with the other variety, it can provide the pollen for pollination of the remaining apple blossoms on the tree in subsequent years. However, make sure that the pollinator variety blooms at the same time as the rest of the tree.
Tips & Tricks
If grafting the pollinator variety onto a part of the apple tree doesn't work straight away, you can also attach a flower vase or similar container to the tree trunk and place a cut two in it when it blooms.
