How to Take Care of Mature Apple Trees

Overview

Mature apple tree care is not as difficult as it sounds, even if the tree in question has been neglected for many years. If you want to care for mature apple trees, it will take a little bit of work, but the effort is well worth the reward. In the fall, a mature apple tree can produce quite a lot of apples and, lucky for you, apples grow in almost every USDA zone across the U.S.

Step 1

Test the soil's pH around the mature apple trees. If it is over 7.0, add lime to the soil as apple trees grow best in neutral to slightly alkaline soil.

Step 2

Water your apple trees deeply. In the spring and summer, they should be watered at least twice a week for 10 minutes each watering. In the fall and winter they can be watered once a month for 10 minutes each watering, as long as the ground is not frozen.

Step 3

Pull any weeds or remove any grass around the base of the mature apple trees. No other plants should compete with the tree for nutrients. Do not use herbicides if you can help it. Place mulch around the trees to prevent weeds from growing back.

Step 4

Add one pound of water soluble 10-10-10 fertilizer in the spring. Compost or manure may be added as well.

Step 5

Prune the mature apple trees in the spring while the tree is still dormant. Remove any dead, damaged, crossing or vertical branches at the base of the tree. Remove branches that make narrow angles like that of a "Y" at the base of the tree. Reduce the spread of the overhead branches to increase the amount of light that reaches the lower branches.