Am I Taking Good Care Of My Flowering Crabapple Tree?

Did you planted your crabapple in full sun?

Did you planted your crabapple in well-drained soil, rich in organic matter?

Do you water your tree frequently?

Do you feed your tree frequently?

Do you prune your tree regularly?

Do you keep your tree free of pests and diseases?

Crabapple trees need plenty of sunlight. If you have other trees on your property, make sure the crabapple will continue to get sunlight as other trees grow, as it needs ample sunlight for blossoming and fruiting.

When planting, be sure to add plenty of organic soil amendments to give your tree roots a good start. Crabapples are fairly drought tolerant but rich soil with good drainage is ideal. They prefer a slightly acidic soil pH between 6.0 and 7.0.

Your crabapple tree should not need extra watering unless there is a particularly dry season. They tend to be drought-tolerant but if the rainfall for your area is particularly low, give your tree a deep watering at the base of the tree, in the morning or evening once a week, to keep it healthy.

Most apple trees don't need fertilizer. But even healthy soil can lose some nutrients due to erosion. A good rule of thumb is to put a small amount of compost around the tree's roots in the spring, and a light application of composted manure in the late fall. Using natural mulch (wood chips or pine bark) can help keep nutrient-rich soil intact.

All apple trees benefit from regular pruning. Trim water sprouts and smaller new growth at any time, but you may want to wait until after the blossom season. If you want to prune branches larger than an inch in diameter, it's best to wait until late autumn, and use a pruning saw.

Good job! You are taking good care of your flowering crabapple tree.

Crabapples are susceptible to small sucking insects like aphids and mites but are hosts to some larger leaf-eating pests like Japanese beetles and caterpillars. Deal with small insects with insecticidal soap or neem oil, Japanese beetles can be handpicked and destroyed and caterpillars are kept in check with BTK spray. To prevent fungal diseases, maintain good watering and pruning practices.