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All about apples, pears, plums, and cherries - and orchards where they are grown

Cortland Apple tree

Owner: David

Location:  Two Rivers, WI, United States

Age:Planted in about 2010
Age of this tree:15 years
Soil:sandy with a little clay 
Climate at this location:Zone 5a - cool, within 1 mile of Lake Michigan
Pruning:yes - being trained and pruned
Tree form:Central leader (widest at bottom)
Height:Between 6ft / 2m and 15ft / 4m
Cropping:Heavy crops
Growth:This tree grows fairly well here
Herbicides:Manual treatment (hoeing and weeding)
Pesticides:Not sure
Local pests:my dog, aphids

Owner's comments

Planted as a whip in April 2010. Successfully grafted Foxwhelp onto one branch May 2011, one branch of Dolgo Crab in April 2012, and two branches of Hudson's Golden Gem in May 2013. Heavy cropper, needs diligent thinning; if you want good size fruit, remove about 80-90% of fruitlets. As of fall 2017, this tree is essentially dead after severe fireblight killed almost all the leaves. Ripped out of the ground spring 2018. Root system was nil and had orange ooze, signs of fireblight. Replaced with Elberta peach.

Season records for this tree

  • 2017

    Spring blossom: 30 May
    Fireblight: Severe attack
    Woolly aphid: Mild attack
    Whole tree dying of fireblight. Only a handful of leaves on the tree.
  • 2016

    Spring blossom: 29 May
    Harvest: 2nd week October  1kg / 2lbs
    Dog tore half the branches off. Lucky to get 2 apples this season.
  • 2015

    Spring blossom: 30 May
    Harvest: 2nd week October  6kg / 13lbs
    Size: 2.0m / 6.7ft high   1.5m / 5.0ft wide
    Canker: Not present
    Fireblight: Not present
    Cedar-apple rust: Not present
    Woolly aphid: Not present
    HUGE fruit set of ~200 apples. 40 remain after pruning.
  • 2014

    Spring blossom: 4 June
    Harvest: 3rd week October  2kg / 4lbs
    Size: 2.5m / 8.3ft high   1.5m / 5.0ft wide
    Fireblight: Not present
    Woolly aphid: Not present
    Lots of blossom, no disease, ~15 dropped in July to 11 of nice size and color.
  • 2013

    Spring blossom: 1 June
    Harvest: 3rd week October  1kg / 2lbs
    Size: 2.5m / 8.3ft high   1.5m / 5.0ft wide
    Tons of fruit set. Thinned ~40 fruitlets to 9. Severe rosy aphids.
  • 2012

    Spring blossom: 16 May
    Harvest: 4th week September  1kg / 2lbs
    Size: 2.0m / 6.7ft high   
    Discovered it is a tip bearer. 4 of 8 blossoms w/ 1st apples! 6.5 feet high.