Apple Spartan is an unusual deep red/purple skinned apple with white flesh. The fruit is juicy and crisp and eats like a green apple with a satisfying crunch. The flavour is sweet and a note of honeyed wine is often apparent. As well as being a tasty eating apple, Spartan makes a good juice.
Adorned with pretty pale pink to white spring flowers followed by burgundy fruits, Spartan is a particularly attractive apple tree. From Canada in 1926, Apple Spartan is a tough tree for Northern and less favourable areas. It will produce heavy, reliable crops of medium sized apples in early October. Pollination is required by another apple in group A, B or C situated within a half mile radius.
*Indication of the un-pruned height of this variety of apple tree on different rootstocks in 10 years. Variations will occur due to geography, pruning etc.
Spartan is a group B apple tree and requires a suitable pollinator within a 1/2 mile radius. Apple trees should be spaced according to their rootstock, for example an MM106 (semi-vigorous) rootstock will require approx. 4.5 metres between trees, whereas an M27 (very dwarf) rootstock will require approx. 1.5 metres between trees.
Our pot grown apple trees can be planted at any time of the year but bare root ones need to be planted between November and March. Remove weeds and grass within a metre of your desired planting hole then dig a hole slightly deeper than your root mass and approximately 3x as wide. To help your tree establish more effectively, apply root grow. Gently loosen the roots and place into the planting hole. Using 50% of the original soil and 50% compost, fill in the hole and firm around gently. Make sure not to bank the soil up around the collar of the tree. We recommend planting fruit trees using a stake and tie and a rabbit guard.
The Apple Tree Planting, Pruning & Care guide has more detailed information on planting apple trees, as well as videos on planting trees and using stakes and ties.
If you’re planting in spring or summer, water well and regularly for the first few months. If you’re planting in autumn, you may only need to water your tree a little. It is important to keep an eye on young fruit trees and increase watering if there are extended periods of hot or dry weather. Keep the area free of competing weeds and grass for the first couple of growing seasons. The Apple Tree guide linked to above provides further advice.
Pruning young apple trees for the first few years after planting ensures a healthy, goblet-like shape. Your tree should have one central leader and several side shoots. Straight after planting, you can remove the lowest laterals. Prune back other branches by between a third and half their length.
In the following years, remove any shoots growing out of the trunk to maintain a clear stem. Also remove any crossing, diseased or damaged branches. If your tree is looking overcrowded, remove some of the larger branches to open up the canopy. This type of pruning should be carried out between November and March. The Apple Tree guide linked to above provides detailed pruning advice.
Most deliveries are made within a week of placing the order. All trees are carefully packed by our experienced team, with many despatched to our tried and tested couriers within 24 hours (please allow up to 10 days). There's no need to be in to receive your trees and you can request where they are left via the checkout.
There is a slightly longer timescale on pleached and mature trees (trees over 2.5m in height) because we group orders together by geographic area for specialist delivery - we will contact these customers to notify them of the delivery date and whether the delivery driver needs assistance.
Gift trees and those required by a specific date can be accommodated with pleasure, although we accept no legal responsibility for late deliveries.
Our nursery is a busy despatch centre, so please make an appointment to collect or view trees. For collections, despatch charges will be refunded.
1 small tree (most trees with a height under 1.5 metres) : £7.95 + vat
1 medium tree (most trees 1.5-2 metres in height) or 2-4 small trees: £9.95 + vat
2+ medium trees or 5+ small trees: £12.95 + vat
1-4 large trees (trees too large to fit in a box): £19.95 + vat
Mature, pleached or 5+ large trees: Cost is calculated in the checkout process and varies by postcode. You can buy additional trees with no increase in delivery cost.
The above prices exclude the Scottish Highlands, where delivery starts from £24.95 + vat and is calculated in the checkout process.
Our courier charges are not viable for just one or two trees, but if you have a larger requirement then please do speak to us to see if we can find a solution.
The rootstock of a tree defines the height that it will eventually reach. All fruit trees can be pruned to control their height but it is advisable to choose a rootstock most suited to your needs in the first instance.
MM106 (semi-vigorous)
4-5 metres (13-16 feet) in 10 years - ideal for smaller orchards, individual specimen trees and espalier training. Our most popular rootstock for all but the very small garden.
M26 (semi-dwarf)
2.5-3 metres (8-9 feet) in 10 years - Ideal for smaller gardens as specimen trees and suited to cordon training.
M9 (dwarf)
2-2.5 metres (6-8 feet) in 10 years - Perfect for tight spots and patio growing in containers, also well suited to training as a cordon.
M27 (very dwarf)
2 metres (6 feet) in 10 years - The smallest of the dwarf apple trees, M27 is ideal for growing in a pot and the smallest of gardens.
Below are definitions of various forms, which refer to the shape of the tree defined by the pruning it has received. For more advice, please contact us.
Single Stem / Pruned and shaped: Classic shaped tree with a single stem that has had pruning to help create a beautiful, natural shape.
Top grafted: A height noted next to this form refers to the length of clear stem, which will not grow taller. Only the head of branches will develop. Top grafted trees do not require complicated pruning and are ideal for small spaces.
Multi Stem: A multi stem tree is has two or more stems arising from or near ground level, growing from one root system. Take care to buy a true multi-stem like all ours and not those that are 3 saplings in a pot to cheaply imitate them.
Feathered: A feathered tree has branches from the bottom of the trunk all the way up. These branches can be removed if a clear stem is required.
Bush: A plant with many stems low down, rather than one clear stem.
Climber: A plant that is a natural climber and will be delivered usually running up a bamboo cane, ready to position in the garden.
Standard Tree: A more mature tree with an upright clear stem of approximately 1.8m-2.0m (measured from the soil to the lowest branch), which supports a branched crown. Standards are available in different forms relating to their girth size (circumference of the stem measured 1m above soil level), not height.
Standard either 6-10cm or 8-10cm girth, approximately 2.5-3.0m in height
Premium Standard 10-12cm girth, approximately 3.0-3.5m in height
Heavy Standard 12-14cm girth, approximately 3.5-4.5m in height
Extra Heavy Standard 14-16cm girth approximately 4.0-6m in height
The table below gives sizes and forms available for this variety, along with photos you can enlarge (these are only a guideline as all plants are unique so vary).
| Plant Specification | rootstock | Root type | type | Price | Quantity Qty | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M26 (semi-dwarf) | 12L pot | 2 year old / 120-150cm | £39.99£39.99 (VAT Free) (VAT Free) (VAT Free) (VAT Free) (VAT Free) (VAT Free) | 1
| |||
| MM106 (semi-vigorous) | 12L pot | 2 year old / 150-180cm | £39.99£39.99 (VAT Free) (VAT Free) (VAT Free) (VAT Free) (VAT Free) (VAT Free) | 1
|
