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[John McCuan <wawo@yahoo.com>]

I planted a Detroit Red apple tree from Lawson's Nursery (Ball Ground, GA) about 7 years ago.  It grew to about 4 feet the first year and had a few apples the next year.  Almost every year since then it has produced a few apples, but it hasn't grown anymore.

This tree does not look especially healthy - some of its bark is cracked. 

I don't have unlimited space in my yard, and would like the Detroit Red to develop into a productive tree, but I'm afraid it's permanently stunted, and even if I started taking the apples off in the spring won't help.

Any suggestions?  Is there any hope?  On the up side, the Detroit Red is not susceptible to Cedar Apple Rust, which is a big problem here and severely damaged some of my other heirloom apple trees I planted at the same time, which I replaced with disease resistant varieties.  But it's just not worth devoting a prime location to a tree that produces half a dozen apples a year, with no prospects for more.

Thanks,

Melinda McCuan