What makes an apple tree happy?

A fall dormant spray, a late winter re-spray, cleaning up all litter, getting rusts and other fungi early and not letting them go. Paying close attention and actively monitoring for aphids, scale, and many other such critters across their life cycles. Regular proper pruning.

Organic is a hard way to go, but can be done. Apply fert and you attract even more critters.

Dan

Get some of that corrugated flexible drain pipe about a foot long for each tree, slice it up one side, open it up and place it around the base of the tree until hubby has learned not to get too close with the weed wacker.

Agree with cnetter and it keeps the wabbits a bay. During the winter they love to chew the bark.

Hmm, when I was considering an apple tree I did a little research and it CAN be done as Dan says. You have to spray following a schedule but you can spray and still follow an organic method.

I was trying to nurse a neglected Lilac of the neighbor's but the dogs kept breaking it off. I put a tomato cage around it and it just keeps doubling in size! You've got to put something around the base as stated above or it will wind up broken.

Good luck!

J.