For apple lovers, fall is the best time of the year. That’s when markets are filled with Honeycrisp apples. If these are your favorite and you are thinking of growing Honeycrisp apples, we have some tips for optimal success. These sweet, crunchy fruits are consistently rated as one of the highest quality apples with a long storage life. Plant a tree and in just a few years you will have a bumper Honeycrisp apple harvest.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Honeycrisp apples are noted for their creamy, juicy flesh and versatility. Whether you want a pie fruit, sauce apple or fresh crispy specimen, honey crisp apples are winners. The trees are widely available and Honeycrisp apple information touts their cold hardiness, making trees suitable into United States Department of Agriculture zone 4 and possibly 3 in protected locations. Learn how to grow a Honeycrisp apple tree and enjoy years of mid-season fruits with unparalleled flavor. Honeycrisp trees are available on dwarf or regular rootstock. They are reliable bearers and produce fruit very early in maturity. The tree originated in Excelsior, Minnesota in 1974 and has become one of the more popular modern varieties.
Fruits are rosy red, medium sized and have thin skins. Fruits do not ripen uniformly on the tree and flavor doesn’t develop once harvested, so multiple harvests are required on this apple. However, this means fresh apples for weeks and they store wonderfully for up to 7 months in a cool, dark location. In Europe, the fruit is known as the Honeycrunch apple and performs well in cooler regions.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
Apple ‘Honeycrisp’ thrives in full sun conditions, requiring a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight daily to optimally develop and yield high-quality fruit. While apple ‘Honeycrisp’ can tolerate partial sun, where it receives somewhat less direct sunlight, such suboptimal conditions generally lead to reduced fruit size and potentially a lower yield. Ensuring adequate sunlight is crucial as it enhances the plant’s photosynthesis efficiency, overall vigor, and fruit sweetness. Apple ‘Honeycrisp’ lacks specific adaptive traits for varying light levels; thus consistent exposure to full sunlight is recommended. Predominantly an outdoor plant, apple ‘Honeycrisp’ should be positioned in open areas away from taller structures or trees that might cast shade.
Temperature
Apple ‘Honeycrisp’ is quite resilient to temperature variations, enduring cold as low as -30℃ (-22℉) and heat up to 35℃ (95℉). However, this tolerance impacts its care requirements, necessitating protective measures during extreme weather. In cold conditions, apple ‘Honeycrisp’ may exhibit leaf frost damage, and in heat, wilting or scorched leaves. To counter overcooling, use frost blankets or mulch, and for overheating, provide shade and ensure adequate watering. Its broad temperature tolerance makes apple ‘Honeycrisp’ suitable for diverse climates, but careful monitoring is essential to maintain plant health.
Watering
Watering is important and required within two days after transplanting. The soil should be completely saturated so that the roots can get sufficient water supply. If apple ‘Honeycrisp’ is planted in a courtyard, water it until water accumulates on the soil surface without seepage for an extended time. If it is planted in a flower pot, fill the tray under the flower pot with water to let the water slowly penetrate into the soil. About ten days after transplanting, water apple ‘Honeycrisp’ again to promote growth. Watering thereafter should be based on external climate and soil conditions; there is no need to water when the soil is still moist. Water should be provided when the soil is relatively dry, but don’t water so much that it accumulates around the tree.
Watering once every 3-5 days in winter is generally advised. With sufficient sunlight in summer, apple ‘Honeycrisp’ should be watered once every 1-2 days. Be careful not to provide too much water each time. The best irrigation time is in the morning or on sunny days. This timing can promote water absorption and root respiration in the case of transpiration during the day. Avoid watering on rainy days, as this can easily cause root rot.
Soil
Apple ‘Honeycrisp’ can adapt to various soils. The most suitable soil for growth is slightly acidic or neutral, humus-rich, loose, well-drained, and sandy. The best pH range for the soil is 6-8. During cultivation, the soil can be mixed with garden soil, peat soil, and organic fertilizer in a proportion of 6:3:1.
Fertilizing
Apple ‘Honeycrisp’ prefers fertilizer, and soil fertility will affect its growth and reproduction. It is best to apply sufficient base fertilizer composed mostly of organic fertilizer as well as some quick-acting fertilizer. Fertilizer application in fall produces the best results; it promotes rooting and accumulation of more nutrients for the following year’s growth. Additionally, there are two other recommended fertilization times: before spring buds and when the fruit begins to grow. Dig out a small soil ditch 30 cm around the trunk, and then add the fertilizer evenly, water thoroughly, and loosen the soil properly after drying.
Planting Instructions
It is generally easiest to plant apple ‘Honeycrisp’ by buying seedlings rather than sowing seeds. The recommended planting time is before budding in early spring or after leaves fall in early winter. Before planting, thoroughly check whether the roots of the tree are healthy. If rotten roots are found, they need to be quickly cut and disinfected with carbendazim.
When planted in a garden, the pit depth should be about 40 cm and the diameter about 60 cm. If the root is large, the size of the pit needs to be twice as big as the root ball. Before transplanting, apply some rotten organic fertilizer as the base fertilizer. In severe cold zones, pay attention to keeping apple ‘Honeycrisp’ warm while transplanting. Add a cover such as wood chips or mulch at the base of the plant to ensure it overwinters safely.
Pruning
Apple ‘Honeycrisp’ is renowned for its crisp texture and optimal sweetness. Prune in early spring before bud break to enhance airflow and sun exposure, which helps prevent disease and promote healthy fruiting. Focus on removing dead or diseased wood, thinning out crowded branches, and maintaining an open canopy. Consistent annual pruning encourages better fruit size and yields. Always use clean, sharp tools to minimize damage and promote quick healing.
Propagation
If there is a seedling growing at the root, you can cut the seedling from the plant before budding in spring or after leaves fall in autumn and winter. It is best to cut off the roots of the seedling and transplant them into new pots or dug pits.
Transplanting
Apple ‘Honeycrisp’ thrives when transplanted in the fullness of early to mid-spring, ensuring optimal root establishment. Choose a sunny, well-drained spot with rich soil for its new home. Remember, these conditions are vital for a healthy, flourishing plant.
Pests and Diseases
‘Honeycrisp’ would probably be every bit as popular if it wasn’t such a sturdy tree, but it is – it’s resistant to bitter pit, fire blight, and soft scald.
It’s susceptible to powdery mildew, sooty blotch, and flyspeck, but no more than most other varieties.
It’s also not immune to apple maggots, but no tree is, so you can’t be too disappointed.
The first step to avoid disease is to ensure that you’re planting in the right area and that you’re practicing good garden hygiene.
Always use clean tools when pruning, don’t spray water on the foliage and only apply it at the soil level, and don’t crowd your trees.
If you suspect your tree is suffering from some problem, whether that shows up as fungal growth, leaf spots, falling fruits, yellowing leaves, or something else, visit our guides to apple pests and diseases to see if you can pinpoint the problem.
Fortunately, ‘Honeycrisp’ trees tend to be pretty darn healthy.
III. Harvesting and Storage
- Harvesting
‘Honeycrisp’ trees mature in about six years, but they’ll start to produce well before that. The medium to large fruits will be ready to harvest sometime in late September or early October, depending on where you live.
Don’t be too eager. If you harvest early, you’ll sacrifice flavor. Fruits harvested too early will be mild.
Wait for the fruits to be fully shaped and colored. They should come away from the tree easily. If you have to pull and pull, it’s too soon.
Once the fruit comes away easily, take a bite. Does it have that characteristic crisp, sharp crunch, and balanced sweet and tart flavor? Excellent. Start harvesting.
Fruits should be removed from the tree within two weeks. Check out our comprehensive guide for tips on harvesting apples.
- Storage and Preserving
As if its cold tolerance, disease resistance, and stunning flavor and texture weren’t enough to recommend ‘Honeycrisp,’ the fruits are also stellar for storing.
If you place them in a cold storage between 34 and 40°F, the fruits can last for up to seven months.
Don’t crowd them and keep humidity to a minimum, and you can be enjoying fresh ‘Honeycrisp’ apples almost until your next harvest.
You’re probably going to have more fruit than you’ll know what to do with. You can slice and dry them, make applesauce or cider, or whip up some fruit leather to use up your excess.
