Everything about this tree is miniature – except the size of the crop! Apple ‘Appletini’ is a compact new variety reaching just 2m tall with maturity, making it perfect for a large pot on the patio! It’s pretty pink blossom makes an attractive feature in spring, followed by a plentiful crop of tiny, golf-ball sized apples. The fruits have purple skins that ripen to glossy, rosy red with a lovely sweet flavour. These bite sized fruits have plenty of appeal for kid’s lunch boxes and make excellent toffee apples too. Fruits can be harvested from August to November.Plant apple trees in any well-drained soil in a sheltered sunny position. Prior to planting, incorporate plenty of well-rotted manure or garden compost into the planting hole and drive the stake into the ground to support the tree. Staking after planting may result in damage to the root ball. Plant fruit trees at their original soil level and firm into the ground. Fasten the tree to the stake using a tree tie, and water.Fruit trees do not suffer weed competition well. Keep weeds and grass clear from within a 30cm radius of the base of the tree. In spring, while the ground is moist, apply a mulch of well-rotted manure or garden compost around the base of the tree, taking care not to mound up against the stem. This will help to retain moisture throughout the summer. Feed and water apple trees during particularly dry periods.Pruning apple trees begins immediately after planting. Remove central stem to just above the highest side branch. For the following 3 years, prune only the tips of remaining main branches by one third in winter. Aim for about six main branches which form the frame of your tree, with fruiting sub branches growing off them. From the fourth year, some sub branches can be pruned out at the union where they join the main branch, to allow new sub branches to take their place.To produce the best quality, largest apples, the fruits should be thinned in July leaving two apples per cluster.