I'm in western Wa, east slope of the Olympics. Our Honeycrisp fruited for the first time this fall (2013, planted in 2009) I think there were 5 apples. They were very large with outstanding flavor and crispness. This tree had either damage or disease to its central leader at year 2, so it got a radical pruning which it recovered from and now is an open vase tree. I have read, but can't find the link, that this tree needs extra/more calcium than other varieties. So I top-dressed the soil with fish bone meal (what I had on hand) at the start of the growing season. Maybe this made these outstanding apples do so well this year? Seriously thinking about top grafting honeycrisp onto some other trees that are not as good to eat.

OK, we're now on the third year of the honeycrisp and there are no apples. It got only a few blooms, but no fruit developed. Meanwhile, the snow apple, which was purchased as a polinator, has a number of apples. I haven't fertilized any of my fruit trees (a peach and two cherries in addition to the apples). Maybe this is the problem with the honeycrisp. The cherries aren't producing, either, but I didn't expect them to this soon. The sweet one was decimated by japanese beetles last year and the sour is a standard not a dwarf or semi-dwarf so I expect it's got more years of growing before it produces fruit. Please correct me if I'm wrong on that and should be doing something to encourage fruiting (besides spraying, which we are doing for the first time this year). This is an extremely helpful forum. Thanks to everyone for their input. Caryl

benchgraft: cost $10, little shipping cost through US mail. More fragile scion...easy to break from nearby activity and more sensitive to environmental extremes...but frankly grows into them better. 1-2 yr bareroot: $30 plus shipping. Optional pre-soak and optional rooting hormone. Two, benchgrafts "6 feet of growth first year!" [Though that certainly does vary, I think predominantly due to sunlight exposure; more = more.] Bareroot, generally slower growth 1st year in ground recovering from transplant shock. [though that also varies] Container: Form (pruning decisions) preset courtesy of nursery. Transport. Root bound potential---especially when looking at >3/4" caliper. Cost: $35 (5 gal, #5-#7) - $100+ for 15 gal or larger. Bigger = handling pain in the ass. Transplant shock. Few OPs are commercial growers, and those that are are already considering a lot more newer methods to up profits per area per reduced time that would have been poo-pooed just a few years ago. Benchgrafted fruit trees may or may not fall into that category. But for most OPs that is not a consideration. I have planted all three and frankly would prefer trying benchgrafts on everything...though I plant in a 5 gal. (late Jan-early March) and let grow out in the summer under the east side of a shade tree canopy for Oct. transplant. That negates some of my points above to a degree.

You will want at least 2 trees of different varieties for cross pollination purposes, however keep in mind that bees don't stop at the property line. If there are other apple trees within a quarter mile of you, or even a half mile, particularly flowering crabs, you should have no pollination problems even with a single apple tree or variety if that is all you want. In this case, I think you probably want to plant more, having compatible pollen may make for a bigger fruit set (which will then be thinned later), but you really don't have to make compatibility a serious concern. Plant what you want if there are other apples in the area.