Home Forums Miscellaneous Topics Rural Living How hard are apple trees to raise? Zone 7

I've about given up on peaches. No matter what I do, they live for a few years, get just big enough to start putting out decent fruit, then die of a disease(X-disease got my last one), or get full of borers and stunt portions of the tree.

How are apples? Easier to get to maturity without nature wiping them out?

You can get apples that will grow in Z7, peaches not so much

Rabbits are the apple trees worst enemy.

I've grown exactly one apple tree in my life so take it for whats it's worth, but it seemed to be a pretty easy tree to grow.

The one thing I did notice though was to get a good crop of nice looking apples, spraying was mandatory and don't skip any applications or you will have wormy apples. Check around for what variety you want and buy a good one.

A buddy of mine is landscape guy and he said peaches are a pain and steered me to an apple tree. But it sounds like you already found that out.

You might look into dwarf varieties. My dad planted a dearf pear, dwarf cherry teees, blueberry bushes, and several types of strawberries and white seedless grapes.
It made for healthy snacking, and easy for kids to access.
Cherries and blueberries had to be netted for the birds, and braces for the dwarf pear tree, or the weight of the fruit could split the limbs.
I tried apples a couple times, before someone told me store bought apples will not sprout. (Been treated)
I found Red Oaks to be rether challenging.

I'm 2 zones north of you, but I don't thing they're that hard to grow. They're not a plant it and forget it, however.

Peaches...not so easy IMO.

They won't grow here. Too hot