How to grow Apple in Australia
Apples grow best where winters are cold enough to give them their chill, which makes Tasmania, Canberra, the tablelands and the hills around the southern cities ideal. Warmer gardens can still grow them with low chill varieties. Plan for pollination, an open shape, fruit thinning and codling moth.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Apple in Australia
At a glance
When to plant by region
| Region | When to plant | Regional note |
|---|---|---|
| South East Queensland | June to August | |
| Northern Rivers NSW | June to August | Low chill varieties only: Anna, Dorsett Golden and Tropic Sweet, planted together for pollination. Pink Lady, Fuji and other southern apples will not crop here. |
| Sydney & Coastal NSW | June to August | Plant bare root Jun to Aug. On the coast choose low chill types (Anna, Dorsett Golden, Tropic Sweet); western Sydney has enough chill for Granny Smith, Gala and Pink Lady. |
| Melbourne & Victoria | June to August | |
| Adelaide & SA | June to August | |
| Perth & WA | June to August | Plant bare root trees Jun to Aug. The Hills orchards grow most varieties; on the coastal plain choose low chill apples and a second variety for pollination. |
| Tasmania | June to August | Plant bare-root Jun to Aug. The Apple Isle earned its name: full chill, clean fruit, and every variety thrives. |
| Canberra & ACT | June to August | Outstanding in Canberra. Full chill means any variety works; no need for low chill types. Plant bare root Jun to Aug. |
| North Queensland | Not suited | Not viable. No winter chill on the tropical coast; even low chill varieties need more cold than NQ provides. |
| Darwin & Top End | Not suited | Not viable. Needs hundreds of winter chill hours. Darwin has none. |
Where to plant
Plant apples in full sun in deep, well-drained soil. They need winter cold to break dormancy and flower evenly: most varieties need about 500 to 650 hours below 7°C, and each variety has its own chilling requirement. Without enough chill, flowering is patchy and crops are poor.
Choose varieties that suit your chill. Low chill apples such as Anna, Dorsett Golden and Tropic Sweet crop in warm coastal gardens where Pink Lady and Fuji will not.
- Hobart and Canberra: full chill, so any variety works.
- Melbourne, Adelaide and the hills around Perth: most varieties do well.
- Western Sydney: enough chill for Granny Smith, Gala and Pink Lady. Coastal Sydney and the Perth coastal plain need low chill varieties.
- Northern Rivers: low chill varieties only, planted together for pollination.
- North Queensland and Darwin: not viable, as there is no winter chill.
Choosing a variety
- Most apples are not self-fertile: flowers pollinated with pollen of the same variety usually fall off. Plant a second variety that flowers at the same time. Granny Smith, for example, pollinates Pink Lady.
- Pink Lady (Cripps Pink), Granny Smith, Gala and Fuji are well-known varieties for cool and temperate gardens. Pink Lady is very susceptible to apple scab (black spot).
- For warm areas, choose low chill varieties such as Anna, Dorsett Golden and Tropic Sweet, and plant two together.
- Dwarfing rootstocks give small trees that suit small gardens, espaliers and pots. A multi-grafted tree carries several varieties that can pollinate each other.
How to plant
- Plant bare root trees in winter while they are dormant.
- Dig a hole wider than the roots, spread them over a small mound and backfill, keeping the graft union above the soil.
- Water in well and mulch, keeping the mulch away from the trunk.
- Stake or wire dwarf trees, which can collapse under the weight of fruit in windy spots.
- Prune lightly at planting to start the shape you want.
Watering and feeding
Water deeply through dry spells, especially from flowering while the fruit is swelling. Mulch helps keep soil moisture even.
Feed in late winter as the buds swell, with a balanced fertiliser or a shovelful of blood and bone per small tree. Apples take up calcium poorly; a dressing of dolomite or lime helps where the soil is acid.
Pruning and care through the year
- Prune each year to an open shape. Remove inward-growing branches to let light in, so fruit ripens evenly and air moves through the tree, which cuts down disease.
- Thin out crowded fruiting spurs on older trees, which look like knobbly clusters of short shoots.
- Thin heavy fruit clusters in late spring so the remaining apples size up. Crowded clusters also trap humidity and shelter pests.
- For dwarf and espalier trees, summer pruning from late January, once the season's growth stops, gives less regrowth than winter pruning.
- In winter, scrub flaky bark at the base of the trunk with a stiff brush to remove codling moth grubs sheltering there.
Harvesting
Apples ripen from late summer into autumn, depending on the variety. A ripe apple lifts and twists off the spur easily, its seeds have turned brown and it tastes sweet. Planting several varieties spreads the harvest over months.
Store only perfect fruit, wrapped or not touching, in a cool, dark place or the fridge. Late varieties keep the longest.
Growing in pots
Choose a tree on a dwarfing rootstock and a pot at least 50 cm wide and deep, with a quality potting mix. Water often in summer, feed in spring, and remember that a single potted tree still needs a second variety nearby unless it is multi-grafted.
Companion planting
Under apple trees, the aim is flowers that bring in bees for pollination and helpful insects such as tiny parasitic wasps that attack codling moth eggs.
Good companions
- Nasturtium A groundcover that shades the soil and feeds bees and hoverflies.
- Chives A small herb that grows under the canopy, with flowers bees like.
- Garlic Fits around the base of the tree and takes little room.
- Comfrey Its leaves can be cut for mulch around the tree, and bees visit its flowers.
- Marigold Bright flowers that draw hoverflies and other helpful insects.
Keep apart
Avoid planting these close to apple.
- Walnut A large tree that shades and competes with apples, and is said to release a compound from its roots and leaves that harms some plants.
Pests and diseases
Codling moth is the main apple pest in eastern and southern Australia. It is not known to occur in Western Australia, where it is a declared pest and any suspected find must be reported to DPIRD. Fruit fly is a problem in Queensland, New South Wales and around Perth.
Pests to watch for
- Codling moth A small hole in the fruit with brown droppings, and a grub tunnelling to the core.
- Woolly aphid White, woolly clusters on bark and pruning cuts, often at the graft in winter. Dab colonies with methylated spirits.
- Light brown apple moth Leaves webbed together, and shallow grazing on the fruit skin where it touches a leaf.
- Fruit fly Sting marks on the skin and soft, rotting flesh with maggots inside.
- Scale Small, crusty bumps on stems and fruit.
Diseases to watch for
- Apple scab Olive green to black, velvety spots on leaves and scabby black spots on fruit, worst in wet springs. Also called black spot.
- Powdery mildew White, powdery coating on new leaves and shoots, which become stunted.
Common questions
Do I need two apple trees to get fruit?
Usually, yes. Most apples are not self-fertile and need pollen from a different variety that flowers at the same time. Granny Smith pollinates Pink Lady, for example. In small gardens, a multi-grafted tree or a neighbour's apple tree can do the job.
Can apples grow in Brisbane, Sydney or warm coastal areas?
Yes, if you choose low chill varieties such as Anna, Dorsett Golden and Tropic Sweet, and plant two together for pollination. Standard varieties such as Pink Lady and Fuji need more winter cold than warm coastal areas provide. Apples are not viable in the tropics.
What are chill hours?
Chill hours are the hours of winter temperature below about 7°C. Apples need them to break dormancy and flower evenly. Most varieties need about 500 to 650 hours, and low chill varieties far fewer.
How do I stop codling moth?
Pick up and destroy fallen fruit, scrub away flaky bark at the base of the trunk in winter where grubs shelter, and encourage tiny parasitic wasps by avoiding broad-spectrum sprays and growing nectar-rich flowers. Codling moth is not known to occur in Western Australia; report any suspected find there to DPIRD.
When should I prune my apple tree?
Most pruning is done in winter while the tree is dormant, opening up the centre and thinning crowded spurs. Dwarf and espaliered trees are often pruned in summer, from late January, because summer pruning causes less regrowth.
Why does my apple tree drop small fruit?
Some drop is natural, as trees shed fruit they cannot carry. Poor pollination, lack of a suitable second variety, or dry soil while the fruit is setting can make it worse. Thinning clusters by hand gives bigger apples.
What causes black spots on apples?
Usually apple scab, also called black spot, a fungal disease that spreads in wet spring weather. Pink Lady is very susceptible. Rake up and destroy fallen leaves in autumn, prune for air flow, and choose resistant varieties if it is a regular problem.
Sources we checked: Agriculture Victoria: Apple scab; Agriculture Victoria: Powdery mildew of apples; NSW DPI: Integrated pest management for Australian apples and pears; Gardening Australia: Pruning Fruit Trees; Gardening Australia: Dwarf Apples; Sustainable Gardening Australia: Codling moth control; WA DPIRD: Codling moth.