The average apple tree takes 3 to 4 years to bloom and produce apples. Of course, how long it will take your apple tree to bear fruit depends on very many factors. With over 7,000 varieties of apples in North America and dozens of possible rootstocks, it is impossible to say that every apple tree will fall within the average range. With proper placement and handling, your apple tree can eventually produce up to 130 pounds of fruit a year; it just may take 15 years to get there.
Almost all apple trees (Malus domesticus) are grafted in order to be kept true to type. It is important to know exactly which rootstock your tree has because it can vary the time it takes to fruit by as much as 7 years. Large growing rootstock will take much longer to fruit than dwarf varieties. This is because the apple tree is putting its energy into growing large rather than into blossoming. Rootstocks M27 and G65 are small trees, but will often fruit within only a single season of planting. MM111 and Bud.118 are much larger trees but can add as much as a decade to your waiting time. M25 is a large tree that is an exception to that, producing in about 5 years.
The choice of cultivar will also effect the time it takes for an apple tree to reach maturity. There are some American varieties, like "Northern Spy" and "Wolf River," that can take up to 15 years to bear fruit. "Macintosh," "Gravenstein" and "Yellow Transparent" take 3 to 5 years. "Granny Smith" and "Braeburn" are the quickest to blossom and fruit, sometimes as soon as a year after planting. Pairing a fast cultivar with a dwarf rootstock will provide the quickest crop.
Encourage Early Fruiting
It is possible to encourage your apple tree to blossom faster than the rootstock or cultivar would normally allow. Pruning causes the tree to expend energy on healing rather than on fruiting. Prune less to keep the tree focused on fruit. Another option is to tie the branches down. Use a soft twine and pull branches down toward and tie them to the trunk. This simulates the weight of apples on the branch and confuses the tree into thinking it has already fruited, making it more likely to continue that process. Once the tree blossoms, the first season's apples are usually small and unappealing. Pick little apples off during the first 1 to 2 years to encourage more vigorous growth the following year.
Although it is possible to encourage early fruiting, there are sacrifices that are made in this process. The biggest one is that the shape of the tree will not be as desirable as it would be with the recommended pruning levels. The first few years of an apple tree's life are usually spent being shaped into a healthy tree with a single leader. If pruning is put off, the tree will develop without the optimal shape. Branches may be unbalanced making the tree less stable and prone to breakage. The end result may be a tree that produces early fruit, but not the best quality fruit and without the strong structure needed for a long life.
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