Hi Heruga, growing a Fuji Apple tree in a pot is probably not going to work out well. Yes, there are many dwarf apples that do great in a container, but you won't get the same delicious Fuji taste from them. Here's a list of some popular dwarf Apple trees-

Columnar

Dwarf Honey Crisp

Red Falstaff

Egremont Russet

Pixie Crunch

Improved Ashmead's Kernel

Ellison's Orange

Fiesta

(Keep in mind most of these varieties need to cross-pollinate with one another)

Keeping apples indoor also will not work. I understand concern about deer; you can wrap netting around the plant itself loosely and wrap the trunk. Keep the apples outside at least for spring, summer, and fall. That way they can get pollinators like bees to pollinate correctly. I hope this helps! :)

Yes, you can grow an apple long term in a container. You just need to select one on a suitably dwarfing rootstock. For the Fuji, I'd look for one grafted to a Geneva rootstock, like G935, which should keep the tree to a 6-8' height with the usual necessary pruning. But you cannot keep it indoors :-) Apples are not an indoor plant and will not survive long inside. And it will need a second apple variety in the immediate vicinity for cross pollination.

Hmm I didn't think about that... :) Agreed

Soo the tree won't produce any apples if there isn't a second one nearby? Or do you mean the tree seeding

And can you still bring them indoors for the winter?

There are very few self-fertile apples and even those will fruit better with a second, different variety for cross pollination. And in your zone, there is no need to bring them indoors for the winter - apples are extremely cold tolerant and even when grown in a container, will easily tolerate winter cold in z7.

Ok so do I absolutely need a second apple tree? Can I just have one fuji apple tree and expect it to fruit regularly?

Ditto to gardengal48's comment... Is there a specific reason other than deer that you wish to bring your plant inside? If not, there are tons of humane ways to get deer out of your garden and protect plants.

As for pollination, if you live in an urban area and you have neighbors that have Apple trees, then they should pollinate each other just fine. Another annoying thing is that (for example) Fuji Apple trees won't pollinate with each other very well... So I'd recommend getting 2 different types of apple trees, they should pollinate each other well... But hey, more delicious apples, right? Also, crabapples will pollinate another type of Apple. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask :)

Sorry, Fuji apples are not self fertile.

To produce apples they need a pollination partner. If they don't, they'll just flower and stay alive. You won't need the other Apple tree until your Fuji is old enough to produce fruit.

But a good pollination partner for Fuji's is called a Black Oxford, they are very cold hardy and are available in dwarf sizes

The list of suitable pollination partners for a Fuji is just about endless :-) Pretty much any apple cultivar other than the triploids will work, provided the bloom times coincide. But before purchasing a second apple variety unnecessarily, I'd investigate if there are other apple trees - or crabapples - in the neighborhood that can do the job for you.

btw, since I know you have an ulterior motive for growing a Fuji, this is not really a Japanese apple. It is a cross between two American cultivars, Red Delicious and Virginia Ralls Genet. It was just hybridized in Japan. All modern apples are complex hybrids but are believed to have originated in Central Asia (Kazakhstan), from Malus sieversii. It's a bit of a stretch to consider this a Japanese plant :-))

Hmm then idk if I really want an apple tree anymore then if you really need 2 trees for it to fruit :/ I also don't really mind having them outside, I just thought there'd be more protection from deer if its indoors

And I actually kinda knew it wasn't really of Japanese origin but I love apples and I thought I'd love to grow my own rather than buying unfresh, chemicalized supermarket apples and fuji is the closest to Japanese and I love their unique distinct taste! But now idk since I need 2 apple trees to produce fruit...

The primary reason apples need to be outdoors in winter is for chilling. Without chilling, growth will be poor at best. For best growth Fuji and many other apples need about 1,200 hrs below 45F. Many will grow and fruit with less but they don't do as well.

The pollination issue is easily solved by grafting a second variety onto the primary tree.

That said you'll get much more and larger fruit growing the tree outdoors in the ground. Several T posts and some woven fencing will solve the deer issue.

I can't tell you what to do, but apple trees are some of the only fruits I can say I truly love growing. They are very rewarding and so, so delicious. I know getting two trees is annoying, but the huge harvest of apples you'll get should be entirely worth it! Fuji apples are my favorite type of apples in general, they're just crisp and sweet and perfect for straight up eating. Your area, New Jersey, is good for apples (so I hear). I think it's at least worth looking into. Sorry if I sound pushy, your choice is your choice. Hopefully the info gardengirl48 and I provided is helpful, just in case :)

Only reason why I want them in pots instead of being grown outdoors is because you have more control over it as in protecting it from pests and fruit trees have such short lifespans and I don't want to have to go through the hassle of cutting it down in 15 years or so when it dies. And unless you hire an arborist to remove all the root system, then you lose some space in your garden because of the cut down apple tree roots still being there.

So wait, I want this clear. Fuji apples definitely CANNOT bear fruit if there isn't another apple tree nearby?

Heruga, your initial premise that container growing will be easier is misguided. Growing anything in a pot is much more work than growing in the ground. And growing it indoors is a complete non starter. I think you are seeing trouble which might never arise. And I wouldn't worry about removing roots in a couple of decades time. I have an 8 inch diameter apple stump in one of my flower beds and it is no problem at all. Plants grow around and over it as it gently returns to the soil all by itself.

Apples are not that expensive. If you want one just go ahead and get one. You can find pollination charts online but chances are there will be apples in neighbouring gardens. Bees can fly.

Pollinators for Fuji

"So wait, I want this clear. Fuji apples definitely CANNOT bear fruit if there isn't another apple tree nearby?"

That is correct - Fuji apples, along with most other apple varieties, CANNOT bear fruit unless cross pollinated by another, different cultivar.

Is that clear enough ? :-)

And I would also concur with floral's assessment that growing trees, shrubs and even perennials long term in containers is far more complicated and requires far more hands-on attention than growing the same plants in the ground. And this is from a professional gardener with decades of gardening experience who now gardens primarily in containers!!

You could get a multi grafted tree that would bear different apples on each graft. It would be fun to play with but it would be much easier to grow in the ground. It can be done however. You don't need 2 trees but two different varieties of blooms that bloom at the same time. You would need at least a 15 gallon pot to make it easier to grow. Anything smaller would need almost daily watering.

That's a great idea. The only problem would be if they bloom at the same time, as the purpose generally is to provide apples all throughout summer and fall.

Yea no apples for me then as ground is not an option for me. Looks like I'll stick to unfresh supermarket apples :/

Heruga, just because it is easier in the ground doesn't mean apples can't be container grown if you choose the right cultivars on the right rootstocks and care for them appropriately. But what you can't do is grow them in pots indoors. Apples in pots info. (Ignore the mention of pebble drainage.)

BTW, just to clarify, 'columnar' listed in the first reply isn't an apple cultivar. It is a growth form. Several cultivars are available as columnar trees.

The information that the other folks have given is correct. That being said.... I'm always up for a challenge. You could get a grafted tree with two different apples on the same root. That would get you around the pollination issue. Then get a dwarf rootstock, gets you around the little pot problem. You're still gonna have to let it be outside to get chilling requirements in.

Give it a shot and let us know how it goes!!! :)

Sorry Gary, I missed your post. You already said that.

http://www.starkbros.com/products/fruit-trees/apple-trees/stark-double-delicious-apple