It took about 10 years to flower my Redwell Apple.

Konrad

Did you see any graft marks on the 5-in-1 when you got it? There are some apples that never flower and they may have just sent you a whole tree of one of those - hard for people to complain about wrong variety if the tree never fruits! If you did see graft marks then I would say the tree is just late to bloom for some unknown reason.

There is no "too low" to stoop for some nurseries.

Scott

I agree with kenrod. It may take 10 years or longer

Is the tree in full sun?

My 4:1 (bareroot last year) bloomed this year and has about 8 apples on it currently on two of the four varieties total.

Boy you must be in an awful apple growing area if it takes 8-10 yrs to flower. And this isn't just one variety, it's supposed to be five. At least one variety should have bloomed by now.

I say it is either not as advertised or the top died and it is just a rootstock. If it were my tree I'd cut it down or regraft to another variety.

Don't think I've ever had an apple take longer than the third leaf to bloom. And when they bloom they set fruit.

The Fruitnut

If an apple tree does not experience enough cold units to cause it to lose its leaves and go dormant, it could fail to bloom. If this isn't the case in your climate, then it's possible that the tree is growing too rapidly and that it is so overly vegetative that it isn't interested in making blossoms. If that's the case then the tree needs to be shocked in order to settle it down. A good shot of Ethrel is often used in commercial apple orchards to induce blossoms the following season on vigorous trees. If that doesn't appeal to you, try correctly girdling or scoring the trunk of your tree with a sharp knife. On the other hand, if the tree has scion rooted because it was planted too deeply, then you can dig up around the trunk and expose the roots that have developed above the scion graft. Take a sharp hand saw or a sharp lopper and sever those roots. The tree may wilt for a short time, but it will recover and settle down and in all likelihood will blossom the following season.

Vieja:

What is the name of this mystery nursery that is selling you garden junk? It might be helpful to have this info in case someone is considering an order from the same source.

Having said that, there could be other reasons responsible for the poor performance of your apple tree. Have you ever tried pruning apple trees in late summer, after terminal buds have set? I started to do this about 10 years ago, and found that some shy bearing trees have done much better.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

I'm with Jellyman on letting us know which nursery sold this tree! before I found this site I ordered 8 fruit trees from Ty Ty and 7 from Autumn Ridge, plus a assortment of fruiting shrubs and grapes... and all I got to show for it is a big fat goose egg! only three plants survived out of the whole bunch and are now planted at my brothers place where he has set aside several acres for wild life. Why did I transplant those three plants to the refuge? because I know these were not true to name, I was a sucker and got taken, badly! for the rest of my life I will plead against anyone from even THINKING about buying ANYTHING from these RIP OFF OUTFITS!!!!!!!!

Scott: I can't find any place on the tree where the limbs are attached where there may have been a graft ... what should I look for ... a 'ring' or something?

Others:
No, the tree is growing from the initial tree sent (not from the root or bottom).. hasn't died back at all. As for soil, nutrients, etc. the younger dwarf Fuji next to it has bloomed fine & setting a good apple crop this year. And yes, I pruned the ends of the branches back quite a bit late last summer of the '5-in-1'.

I'm ashamed to admit I did order this from one of the nurseries people complain about, but not being available locally (a 5-in-1) & fairly cheap, I 'bit'! In the past I have occasionally gotten some decent things (bare root) from them but then again .. my 'fruit-less 5-in-1 and "Pole" apple trees!

The tag I have on it says I got it from Burgess Nursery. Of course they say it no longer is under warranty & I need to fertilize, more water, etc, etc. The tree is very healthy ... but then- it has not been stressed by an apple crop either !!!ha

A ?Haralson Pole apple from Guerney's in 1991 IS a pole apple but the ?McIntosh Pole apple from Guerney's is the one that is tall & very wide -NOT a pole apple for sure!

We have paid a lot for trees from Sandy Bar & Van Wel Nurseries & got great trees & they both were wonderful companies to deal with (wanted some of the dwarf varieties of Cameo apple, Weeping Santa Rosa plum that were hard to find)so I guess again: you get what you pay for!

Now to find the chain saw & cut some nice apple wood to dry for the fireplace next winter :(

fruitnut:

No this is a great apple growing area (except for late frosts some years!)& we get freezing winter temps. & my several other apple trees are doing good ... just this 5-in-1 & one of the ?pole apples. No, the original tree did not die back & the growth is not from the root stalk. Just a nice green lovely 'shade tree'!