We dispatch our trees every Tuesday, for delivery to all states of Australia.

Last Dispatch before Christmas will be Tues 17th Dec.

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Fruit in Focus | Gala Apple

March 02, 2020

royal gala apple tree nsw fruit in focus

Royal Gala apples are a lunchbox favourite due to their sweet, soft, juicy flesh and smaller size. These apples are ideal for baking, salads, sauces and we've been told are a great apple for pressing into cider. The Royal part of the name came from it being one Queen Elizabeth II's preferred eating apples!

Fruit characteristics: Characterised by a blush of pink and yellow on the skin to almost orange stripes. A smaller sized juicy apple with a mild sweet flavour and crisp, creamy yellow flesh.  

Blossoms: Beautiful light pink blossoms in Spring.

Pollination Information: Requires another apple variety for pollinating - Our multi-grafted Fruit Salad trees are perfect as you get different varieties all in one tree!

Preferred Climate: 'COLD Climate' apple (High Chill) that is suitable for the cool temperate climates.

Chill Hours: >500hrs

Fruiting Season: February - May

Height: When planted in the ground our multi-grafted Apple Fruit Salad Trees will grow to approximately 2.5 metres (2 metres wide)

pH Range: 6.5-7.3 pH

Pro Tip: Potassium is a great nutrient to add to your apple Fruit Salad Tree to encourage growing vigour in Spring.

Did you know? Apple trees look great grown along a trellis (also known as espalier). They benefit from being positioned against a north or west facing wall.

Which apple should I choose?

When it comes to selecting apples, the most important factor is choosing an apple suitable for your winter conditions; Cold Climate Apples require long COLD winters to accumulate enough chill hours to produce fruit where as ALL climate apples are low chill and don't need as many hours over the cooler months. All our apple combinations have climate maps that you can utilise to find out what apples suit your region.

Can Apple trees grow in pots?

Yes; we recommend planting your Fruit Salad Tree in pots starting in size of around 40 cm in diameter (see our care instructions for more information).

How to Grow your multi-grafted Fruit Salad Tree

Location: At least 6 hours of full sun (morning sun is best), protected from the wind, and not too close to metal fencing that will generate heat (eg colorbond).

Soil: Well drained and slightly acidic; with a pH around 6.0 -7.0. Apples don't like alkaline soils - If your soil is too Alkaline (your pH is high) you can increase the acidity by adding powdered sulphur, manures or Iron chelates. Adding lime, dolomite or poultry manure to your soil will decrease the acidity in your garden soil.

Annual growing program:

  • Autumn - This time of year is perfect for pruning any weak or crossing branches. Remove any rootstock that is growing along the trunk or that is springing up from the soil. Clean your garden area and remove dead leaves, and twigs from underneath your Fruit Tree canopy.
  • Winter - Applying a copper spray at leaf fall will line your newly growing buds with a protective coating and also help keep the nasty coddling moth under control.
  • Spring - Applying a spray of Lime Sulphur at bud burst will help prevent fungal diseases like apple scab.
  • Summer - Keep up your balancing every few weeks to help keep the growing energy balanced between all of the varieties - it is especially important during the warmer months of the year.

Tip: When growing your Fruit Salad Trees in a pot you may need to fertilise more regularly. Always follow the directions on the product container.

Frost: As Spring temperatures often fluctuate it is always good to think about protecting your blossoms from frost.

Thinning Fruit: During the fruiting season it is a good idea to thin your fruit crop. If you have too much fruit or if they are rubbing together take out the smallest fruit to encourage the tree to put its energy into growing larger fruit.

Thinning is the process of removing a selection of fruit from your trees while the fruit is still small; by doing this you improve your fruit quality and size, helps keep yearly fruit production regular (avoid biennial bearing) and avoid damage to your frame work from excess weight.

HELP! If you notice anything unusual going on with your apple tree; check out our Pest + Disease guide to see what may be upsetting the balance in your garden.

 

Sign up for seasonal tree care tips and discounts

Our nursery team prepare current, in depth tree care guides each month, which give you the information you need to care for your Fruit Salad Tree as the seasons change. By signing up, you'll also receive our VIP specials. Sign up here, and unsubscribe at any time.

Fruit Salad Trees make perfectly different gifts!

Our gift cards are emailed instantly, so give the gift that keeps on giving! Let them choose the fruit to grow on their tree, and we'll deliver to their doorstep, Australia wide. If you'd like to surprise them with a Fruit Salad Tree, choosing the fruit can be difficult, so here's our guide to choosing the different fruit for your loved one to grow!

Fruit Salad Trees make great gifts for mothers day and fathers day

You can also check out our current specials here!

Shop all Apple Fruit Salad Trees here:

 




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