Apple
Malus domestica
A fruit, planted at any time of year.
In September: pick the apples and summer-prune a trained apple. It can be planted now.
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Apple, month by month
Bar: the usual months. Sprout: this month.
| Sowing, planting or job | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | 2027Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plant a pot-grown apple. | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual |
| Plant a bare-root apple. | none | none | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none |
| Thin the spurs on the apple. | none | none | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none |
| Winter-prune the apple (free-standing plants only). | none | none | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none |
| Thin the fruit on the apple. | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | none |
| Summer-prune the apple (trained plants only). | usual | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual |
| Pick the apples. | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual |
| Prune the roots of the apple (only for a tree that grows strongly and fruits poorly). | none | none | none | usual | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none |
| Cut a notch above or below the buds on the apple (only to fill a bare stretch of stem on a trained tree). | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none |
What to do, and when
The usual months for a UK garden. Your own plan gives the week.
Planting
Plant a pot-grown apple at any time of year, 1.2 to 6m apart depending on the rootstock, rows 1.8 to 6m apart. Strong source: RHS.
Plant a bare-root apple November to March, 1.2 to 6m apart depending on the rootstock, rows 1.8 to 6m apart. Strong source: RHS.
Thin the spurs on the apple
On older trees, thin crowded spurs (short stubby fruiting shoots) to 10 to 15cm apart.
Usually November to March. Moderate source: RHS.
Winter-prune the apple
Gardeners call this winter pruning of free-standing apples and pears.
For free-standing plants only.
Take out about 10 to 20 per cent of the canopy; pruning harder brings a mass of upright shoots.
Usually November to March. Strong source: RHS.
Thin the fruit on the apple
One fruit per cluster: cookers one every 15 to 23cm, eating apples one or two every 10 to 15cm.
Usually June to July. Strong source: RHS.
Summer-prune the apple
Gardeners call this summer pruning of restricted-form apples and pears.
For trained plants only.
Cut new shoots over 20cm long back to three leaves above the cluster of leaves at their base.
Usually July to September. Strong source: RHS.
Pick the apples
Usually August to October. Moderate source: Gardeners’ World.
Prune the roots of the apple
Only for a tree that grows strongly and fruits poorly.
Dig a trench about 90cm across around the tree, then cut through about half the thick roots.
Usually December to March. Thin source: Pomona Fruits.
Cut a notch above or below the buds on the apple
Gardeners call this bud notching and nicking.
Only to fill a bare stretch of stem on a trained tree.
Usually February to March. Thin source: RHS.
What the source words mean
Strong: the RHS page for this plant is among them.Moderate: another trusted UK source, or the RHS on its group.Thin: only a page that lists it.
Every line above names the page it comes from. Where we found no good source for a job, we left it out. Where the name “Apple” comes from.