Urban Apples® Golden Treat™ Columnar Apple

Outstanding Urban Apples® Golden Treat™ Columnar Apple (Malus x 'UEB 3358-3')trees are a delightful addition to any landscape. These skinny trees produce a harvest of full-sized apples in only two feet of space!

The golden fruit is produced on fruit spurs that hug the main leader closely. First developed in Czech Republic, Urban Apples have been a revolution in at-home fruit growing.

Planting and Application:

Boost your family's food security with a pair of our Urban Apples. You can also cross-pollinate with Dolgo Crabapple, or another white-flowering Crabapple tree.

• Golden Treat apples are full-sized, green-gold, firm and tasty. They have a hint of tartness which sweetens up as the fruit ripens.
• You can grow these in deep containers. Just make sure the roots have plenty of room to develop and there are plenty of drainage holes.
• Enliven your patio or porch with their showy springtime blooms. You'll be enthralled watching your harvest develop!
• Golden Treat Columnar Apple doesn't need much time to start impressing you. These apples are precocious and start producing after one or two years.
• Plant them as a backdrop for your Victory Garden. Alternate between the whole Urban Apples series for a beautiful hedgerow!

#ProPlantTips for Care: 

Choose a planting site in full sun with well-drained soil. Add Nature Hills Root Booster in the planting hole for support that never "wears out".

• Columnar Apple trees should be grown with the lower branches left intact. In fact, you likely won't have to prune these special trees very much at all!
• For ongoing maintenance, watering should be done on a consistent basis for best results. Add a three inch layer of mulch around the tree trunk, taking care to pull it back away from touching the trunk directly.
• Early in the season, you will need to thin the young crop to a single piece of fruit spaced every six inches. This allows the mature fruit to reach its full size.

Urban Apples® Golden Treat™ Columnar Apple Tree Frequently Asked Questions

When to Plant Urban Apples® Golden Treat™ Columnar Apple Trees

Planting Bareroot trees as soon as you can dig a hole in spring and until hot weather, the earlier the better. Plant container Apple trees throughout the growing season with complete success - that is the benefit of container plants - to extend the planting season. Your County Agricultural Extension Office is a great resource for first and last frost dates in your area.

How to Plant Urban Apples® Golden Treat™ Columnar Apple Trees

Dig a large hole only as deep as needed to accommodate the bareroot or container root ball, and twice as wide. Add Nature Hills Root Booster to speed root establishment. Remove the pot or bag and situate it into the hole so the top of the soil (soil line if bareroot), is level with the new location's soil being careful not to plant too deep. Water in again very well and backfill with the same soil you dug up, tamping down gently to ensure there are no air pockets.

Top off with a 3-4 inch thick layer of Arborist mulch. Consider staking your tree to keep its trunk growing straight for the first year to ensure it stands tall against strong winds and drifting snow.

When to Prune Urban Apples® Golden Treat™ Columnar Apple Trees

Trim off any broken branches from delivery as soon as you take them out of the box. Prune and trim apple trees while dormant, in late winter or early spring, before you see new growth.

How to Prune Urban Apples® Golden Treat™ Columnar Apple Trees

Dormant prune to:

• Remove any double leaders or narrow crotch angles
• Eliminate any crossing branches
• Thin interior branching and leave the fruiting spurs and strong branches in place opening up the canopy
• Branching at least 24-36 inches above the ground

Prune Apple trees in the summer to:

• Control size and shape by reducing the length of longer new growth on vigorous trees
• Remove water sprouts on the main trunk or older branches in the crown
• Remove suckers at the base of the trunk
• Thin fruit during heavy years on established trees

How to Care for Urban Apples® Golden Treat™ Columnar Apple Trees

Growing an apple tree is easy when proper soil, good drainage, attention to moisture, and regular fertility are maintained. Once you've chosen an apple tree that works for your climate, in the size you need for your landscape, and its pollinator (if needed), then you've accomplished half the battle!

• Apple trees do best in full sun and well-drained soil
• Water your apple trees when it gets dry - especially during the fruit production stage, and drought periods to keep it stress-free
• Use arborists' wood chips to mulch over the roots of your apples and have your soil tested to see what your soil may be lacking before adding fertilizers
• Maintenance pruning and shaping

Apple trees will tolerate a wide range of soils, so long as water and nutrients are not limited and the pH level is adequate.

How to Fertilize Urban Apples® Golden Treat™ Columnar Apple Trees

For the first year, water alone is most important. It is always best to get a soil test to see what your soil is lacking before adding more fertilizers. Once established, a fertilizer routine may be beneficial. We do offer some excellent slow-release organic options, applied according to the package directions.

Fruit trees need more phosphate and it's possible to apply too much nitrogen which affects the soil's pH. Test soil acidity or alkalinity using a pH Tester.

Fertilize in spring when you first see new growth emerging.

• Don't overdo it
• Phosphates are your friends
• Pay attention to pH in areas with extremely high or low soil pH
• Follow the directions

Urban Apples® Golden Treat™ Columnar Apple Tree Pollinating Info

Urban Apples® Golden Treat™ Columnar is not self-fruiting and needs a pollinating partner. Pair with one of these varieties:

• Urban Apples® Blushing Delight™ Columnar Apple

Harvest Times for Urban Apples® Golden Treat™ Columnar Apple Trees

Urban Apples® Golden Treat™ Columnar’s are typically ready to harvest in September.

Early-Season? Mid-Season? Late-Season? The terminology can be confusing for new apple tree growers. Weather, climate and your tree determine when it's ripe.

For Apples:

• Early-season is usually June-July
• Mid-season can be August-September
• Late-season can be from late September-November

The growing season consists of spring, summer, and fall, and varies with climate and weather. Areas with longer growing seasons in the warmer hardiness zones can greatly affect the harvest times for each particular apple variety grown in your area. Learn which growing zone you are in.

What Shipping Options Do You Offer?

NatureHills.com works closely with our growers and nursery professionals to ensure we ship when it is most appropriate for your area. Our goal is to deliver the hardiest plants by avoiding extreme high and low temperatures. Check out our shipping schedule for more information and to learn our wills and won'ts when it comes to shipping plants. Find your Urban Apples® Golden Treat™ Columnar Apple Tree for sale here at NatureHills.com!