The Blushing Delight™ Columnar Apple Tree offers a practical solution for home gardeners seeking to grow fresh fruit, even in limited spaces. This unique apple variety is well-suited for smaller landscapes, urban gardens, and container planting on patios or balconies. Its compact growth habit allows for a rewarding harvest without extensive acreage.
Unique Characteristics
The Blushing Delight™ is distinguished by its columnar growth, meaning it grows vertically with minimal side branching, creating a narrow, upright form. It reaches a mature height of approximately 8 to 10 feet with a slender spread of only 2 to 3 feet. Its fruit develops directly on short spurs along the main stem, contributing to its compact profile.
The apples are round, featuring a chartreuse (green-yellow) base color that develops an attractive red blush as they ripen. These apples possess a sweet taste and a juicy, crisp texture, often described as having a hint of tartness. Blushing Delight™ is a cold-hardy variety, thriving across USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 4 through 9.
Planting and Establishment
This tree requires full sunlight, ideally receiving at least six to eight hours of direct sun exposure daily. Well-drained soil is necessary, with a slightly acidic pH between 6.0 and 6.8 being optimal.
When planting in the ground, dig a hole two to three times wider than the tree’s root ball, but only as deep as the root ball itself. Incorporate aged compost or manure into the excavated soil. Position the tree so the graft union, a slightly swollen area at the base of the trunk, remains just above the soil line. After backfilling, water thoroughly to settle the soil. If planting multiple trees, space them approximately 2 to 3 feet apart.
For container planting, choose a pot at least 16 to 20 inches in diameter and depth, ensuring adequate drainage holes. Fill the container with a quality potting mix. Blushing Delight™ is not self-fertile, so another compatible apple variety or a flowering crabapple must be planted nearby, ideally within 50 feet, for cross-pollination.
Ongoing Care
Consistent watering is important for the health and productivity of your Blushing Delight™ apple tree. The soil should remain consistently moist but never waterlogged. Provide 1 to 2 inches of water per week, increasing frequency during hot, dry periods or active growth. For container-grown trees, monitor soil moisture more frequently as pots tend to dry out faster.
Fertilization should commence after the tree has established, not at planting. For in-ground trees, a high-nitrogen fertilizer can be applied in early spring, or a balanced 5-10-10 fertilizer monthly from April through August. Container-grown trees often require more frequent fertilization due to nutrient leaching. A soil test is beneficial to understand specific nutrient needs.
Pruning for columnar apple trees is minimal compared to traditional apple varieties. The primary goal is to maintain the central leader and remove any dead, diseased, or damaged wood, best done in late winter or early spring while dormant. Thinning out overly congested branches improves air circulation. Water sprouts, vertical shoots from the main trunk or branches, can be removed in June or July. Thin young apples to about 6 inches apart in mid-June for larger, better-quality fruit. In colder climates, provide winter protection for container plants by moving them to a sheltered, unheated area once leaves drop.
Pest and Disease Management
The Blushing Delight™ Columnar Apple Tree generally exhibits good resistance to many common apple diseases, including powdery mildew, leaf spot, root rot, fire blight, and apple scab. However, it can still encounter certain pests and diseases. One potential susceptibility is cedar-apple rust, which manifests as orange or yellow spots on leaves and fruit. Organic treatments like lime sulfur spray can help manage this fungal issue.
Common insect pests include aphids, codling moths, and apple maggot flies. Aphids can be managed with insecticidal soaps, neem oil, or a strong spray of water. Encouraging beneficial insects, such as ladybugs and lacewings, also helps control aphid populations. Codling moths and apple maggot flies, which tunnel into fruit, can be deterred using physical barriers like netting, pheromone traps, or sticky bands around the tree trunk. Regular monitoring, good air circulation through proper pruning, and sanitation by removing fallen leaves and fruit are preventative measures.
Harvesting and Enjoying
Blushing Delight™ apples typically ripen from late summer to early fall, often around September. Indicators of ripeness include the development of the characteristic red blush over the green-yellow skin, a firm texture, and the ease with which the fruit separates from the branch with a gentle twist.
Once harvested, these apples can be enjoyed immediately. They are also well-suited for various culinary applications, including cooking, baking into pies and cobblers, juicing, or adding to salads. While best enjoyed fresh, Blushing Delight™ apples can typically be stored for one to two months under proper conditions.