Caring for Heritage Trees

By Katrina Mendrey

Introduction

An old apple tree tugs at the heart strings of many and is often cared for better in the later years of its life than ever before. While there is no fountain of youth for your apple tree, there are some simple measures you can take to make sure it is cared for properly in these later years. The management decisions you make based on the information in this guide will depend primarily on your own personal goals for restoring or preserving your tree. 

Use the links below to navigate through the sections of this heritage orchard care guide:

Irrigation

Fertility

Pruning

Protection from Wildlife and Livestock

Harvesting Quality Fruit (Thinning fruit, common apple pests, knowing when to harvest fruit)

Re-establishing a Heritage Orchard (Propagation, grafting, and planting new trees)

A colorful assortment of the fantastic heritage apple varieties that thrive in Montana!