How far apart to plant apple trees
The rootstock, not the apple variety, sets how far apart apple trees go. Penn State Extension's home orchard table spaces semi-dwarf trees on M.7 12 ft apart in rows 20 ft apart, up to 18 by 26 ft on the more vigorous MM.111. Dwarf trees on M.26, B.10 or G.935 need 7 to 8 ft in the row and 12 to 16 ft between rows, and fully dwarfing M.9, B.9 or G.41 trees on a trellis only 3 to 5 ft. Standard trees on seedling rootstock need 25 to 30 ft each way, according to Virginia Cooperative Extension and University of Maine Extension.
The calculator opens on semi-dwarf at 15 by 23 ft, the middle of Penn State's range. Pick your rootstock in the menu to switch.
Apple trees per acre by rootstock
| Rootstock | Spacing used | Trees per acre | Trees in a 100 ft row |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard (seedling) | 28 × 28 ft | 55 | 3 |
| Semi-dwarf (M.7, MM.111) | 15 × 23 ft | 126 | 6 |
| Dwarf (M.26, B.10, G.935) | 7.5 × 14 ft | 414 | 13 |
| Fully dwarfing, trellised (M.9, B.9, G.41) | 4 × 12 ft | 907 | 25 |
Trees per acre is 43,560 square feet divided by the ground each tree takes:
trees per acre = 43,560 ÷ (spacing in the row × spacing between rows)
For semi-dwarf trees that is 43,560 ÷ (15 × 23) = 126. The row counts keep half a spacing clear at each end; plant on both ends and each row takes one tree more. In the calculator, choose Area and enter 1 acre, or Row or windbreak for a single line of trees.
Tree size and years to fruit
The extension apple community's size guide gives each rootstock class its own height and time to first crop:
- Standard: about 30 ft tall and 30 ft wide unpruned, bearing after 6 to 10 years. Virginia Tech uses the low end, 25 ft, in cold, short-season regions and more room where winters are warm.
- Semi-dwarf: about 14 to 22 ft tall, bearing after 4 to 6 years.
- Dwarf: about 6 to 12 ft tall, bearing after 2 to 3 years.
- Fully dwarfing: needs a trellis or post for support, as Clemson Extension notes, which is why these trees can stand so close.
For a small yard, dwarf trees give the most varieties in the least space. Standard trees suit a large lot where you can wait for the first crop.
When and how deep to plant
Virginia Tech plants apple trees about a month after the first killing frost in fall, or about a month before bloom in spring. Set each tree at its nursery depth with the graft union about 2 inches above the soil line. Buried below the soil, the grafted variety roots on its own and the rootstock no longer keeps the tree small.
Other fruit trees
For peaches, pears, cherries and plums, use the fruit tree spacing calculator. The tree spacing calculator handles any tree by the acre or hectare, and the mulch calculator sizes the mulch ring around new trees.