How do I grow an apple tree from an apple?
Apples grown from an apple seed will carry all the genes from the male pollinator and the female parent. Because of this, they are not “true to seed”. This means that the apple tree you get from growing the seed will not be a ‘Granny Smith’, or a ‘Red Delicious’. It will carry some, (and sometimes few) of the characteristics of the apple that the seed came from. Apples grown for the nursery industry are budded or grafted onto a rootstalk. This is similar to propagation by cuttings (or cloning). Grafting, or budding, the scion or budwood onto a rootstalk insures that the upper part of the tree has the same genetic makeup of the parent plant. Unless you have ample space, and want to have a project with the kids, buy a bare-root tree via mial order. Better yet, visit your local independent garden center and buy a container grown 2-3 year old tree. It’ll cost you less than $40.
