The Beginner's Garden with Jill McSheehy · Jill McSheehy

423 - Grow Organic Apple Trees: what to do in years 1-3 with Susan Poizner

·55 min·5 clips

Susan compares planting a bare root apple tree to preparing for a child, highlighting the essential first cut.

This episode of The Beginner's Garden features host Jill McSheehy interviewing Susan Poizner, an arborist and founder of OrchardPeople.com. They discuss practical, organic strategies for cultivating apple trees, focusing on the critical first three years after planting. Poizner emphasizes that successful organic apple growing is entirely possible for home gardeners, who can often achieve better results than commercial growers by providing more attentive care. The conversation begins by addressing the importance of selecting the right tree cultivar for one's specific climate and disease pressures. Poizner outlines a multi-step selection process that considers plant hardiness zones, cross-pollination requirements, and disease resistance. She notes that common supermarket varieties like Honeycrisp or Gala are often more disease-prone and difficult to grow organically compared to resistant cultivars. A significant portion of the discussion is dedicated to the science and practice of pruning young trees. Poizner explains that the first pruning cut should be made at planting, removing the top third of a bare-root "whip" to direct the tree's energy. She describes how to shape trees into either a central leader or open-center "vase" structure over the first three formative years, which involves strategically removing healthy branches to improve strength and air circulation. Poizner asserts that proper pruning is the most powerful organic tool for preventing the fungal diseases that cause roughly 80% of fruit tree problems. She shares an anecdote about her own pruned trees surviving a severe ice storm in Toronto without a single broken branch, demonstrating the resilience created by correct structure. For older, neglected trees, she advises a gradual renovation over four years, removing up to 25% of the living canopy annually to open it up. The episode also covers practical solutions for common pest issues, such as using special nylon "orchard socks" or netting to protect fruit from squirrels and insects. A key insight is that pruning does more than shape the tree; it channels the plant's energy into producing higher-quality, better-ripened fruit rather than excessive, mediocre growth. Poizner clarifies that apple trees are grafted creations, not found in nature, and therefore require human partnership to thrive. She also mentions that in damper climates, an open-center structure with five initial scaffold branches may be preferable to a central leader for optimal air circulation. The tone is highly educational and encouraging, blending conversational interview segments with clear, step-by-step instructions. Poizner frequently draws on her own initial mistakes to empathize with listener challenges and demystify the process. Home gardeners who feel overwhelmed by complex extension guides or who have struggled with unproductive trees will find this episode empowering. Listeners specifically interested in starting a new apple tree or rehabilitating an established one will gain actionable confidence. Those seeking a highly technical, scientific deep dive into pomology or immediate solutions for severe pest infestations may need to look beyond this introductory overview.

As heard by us

A practical guide to pruning apple trees for stronger structure and less guesswork.

The episode treats organic apple growing as a practical backyard skill, with clear attention to choosing a disease-resistant tree and pruning young trees in those first critical years.

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Why you'd press play

You want to grow apple trees organically and get the first few years right.

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