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Jonafree Apple
Jonafree Apple

Jonafree Apple

12 ReviewsAsk Questions

Available Spring 2018

Supplies are limited so make sure you don't miss out next time by having us automatically notify you when it becomes available again.

Description

A carefree Jonathan apple tree. This vigorous variety is disease-resistant to apple scab and less susceptible to diseases like mildew, rust, and blight than other Jonathans. Bears heavy crops of fruit with low-acid Jonathan flavor. Originates from Urbana, Illinois in 1972. Ripens in mid-September. Best pollinators: GoldRush or Enterprise.

Characteristics

Bloom Color White
Fruit Color Red
Fruit Size Medium
Ripens/Harvest Mid September
Shade/Sun Full Sun
Soil Composition Loamy
Soil Moisture Well Drained
Soil pH Level 6.0 - 7.0
Taste Sweet/tart
Texture Firm/crisp
Years to Bear 2 - 5
Zone Range 5 - 8

Zone Compatibility

This Variety's Zone Range 5 - 8
My Hardiness Zone ?
The USDA hardiness zones offer a guide to varieties that will grow well in certain climates. Each zone corresponds to the minimum winter temperatures experienced in a given area. Make sure that your hardiness zone lies within the zone compatability range of this variety before ordering.

Tools & Supplies

Having the proper tools and supplies when growing your own can make the difference between a good harvest and a great harvest! Here's a list that our experts recommend for this variety.

Tags

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Questions & Answers

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Browse 8 questions Browse 8 questions and 33 answers
Why did you choose this?
Stark Bro's Store
My neighbor only buys his trees from stark bros and he has over 50 trees, he likes these for the disease resistant capabilities. I'm just starting my orchard and these will be great to cross pollinate with his. Hoping to have lots of apples for me and my family and learn some great information from my neighbor. He's won blue ribbons in the past at all the fairs around here with his apples.
Michael M on Jun 14, 2017
An early bearing, disease-resistant variety to add to my wildlife orchard.
Carson S on May 10, 2017
My neighbor only buys his trees from stark bros and he has over 50 trees, he likes these for the disease resistant capabilities. I'm just starting my orchard and these will be great to cross pollinate with his. Hoping to have lots of apples for me and my family and learn some great information from my neighbor. He's won blue ribbons in the past at all the fairs around here with his apples.
Michael M on Jun 14, 2017
we have cedar apple rust and fire blight problems with our existing trees so we picked this and Enterprise for disease resistance and as a pollinator
Robert P on May 14, 2017
An early bearing, disease-resistant variety to add to my wildlife orchard.
Carson S on May 10, 2017
This tree grows very well and is very productive. We made a lot of apple pies! We had allot of apples from one tree so I had to give some away. Also this tree produced some of the biggest apples I have seen.
John C on Apr 30, 2017
I'm trying this apple because it's disease resistant and sounds like a great fruit.
Daniel L on Apr 5, 2017
Love Jonathans. Thought I would give it a try.
Steve on Feb 28, 2017
disease resistant and my favorite eating apple since I was a kid - have never been able to get jonathan trees to survive here in Upper East TN and am hoping this one will
Marianne F on Jan 21, 2017
Disease Resistance and Ripening Date
Chris M on Nov 1, 2016
Cedar-rust resistance
Bryce E on Oct 31, 2016
Have had Jonathan since 1975 & still like it, but it suffered serious neglect a few years ago & has about given up.
ANN C on Oct 5, 2016
Disease resistance & easy to grow
Linda G on Sep 17, 2016
disease resistant
ERIC H on Aug 23, 2016
Have had some before
Silveraggie on Jun 20, 2016
A good choice for the home gardener.some what resistant to apple scab, cedar apple rust, fire blight and mildew
RYAN S on Jun 4, 2016
Fire blight resistant variety
Daniel M on Mar 29, 2016
we have cedar apple rust and fire blight problems with our existing trees so we picked this and Enterprise for disease resistance and as a pollinator
Robert P on May 14, 2017
This tree grows very well and is very productive. We made a lot of apple pies! We had allot of apples from one tree so I had to give some away. Also this tree produced some of the biggest apples I have seen.
John C on Apr 30, 2017
How long does Jonafree keep?
JohnS on Jun 14, 2017
BEST ANSWER: Jonafree keeps 2-3 months under humid refrigeration.
can horse manure be used on fig and apple trees?
jaycu on May 15, 2017
BEST ANSWER: Absolutely. Just make sure it is well composted or the excess nitrogen will burn the tree roots.
Will this pollinate a Red Astrachan Apple?
Jess D on May 3, 2017
BEST ANSWER: Yes, it should - they have a similar bloom time.
Will this pollinate a Mutsu (some Jonathan supposedly do)?
WolfE on Apr 25, 2017
BEST ANSWER: Sorry, it will not. The bloom times don't have enough overlap.
Is Jon-a-red a cross? What is Jonafree 'free' of? What is the disease resistance for each of them?
Nina M on Mar 5, 2017
BEST ANSWER: Yes, Jonafree is a variety released from an apple breeding program (Purdue-Rutgers-Illinois co-op) that specializes in developing scab-free apple varieties. As the description states, this variety is resistant to apple scab and it is also less susceptible to mildew, rust, and blight than other Jonathans.

Customer Reviews

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4.5 / 5.0
12 Reviews
5 Stars
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3 Stars
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1 Star
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Healthy, Beautiful!
When my tree first arrived looked pretty much like a Big Stick LOL! But it soon turned into a Beautiful Little Tree. This is our 2nd spring and it has fruit on it :) Love this Tree!
May 19, 2016
Two standards doing great
I bought these as food plot apples for deer. They are both doing great, and well on their way to becoming large fruit trees. They were the first I bought from Starks, and although still not old enough to fruit, are looking very healthy.

Watch out Bambi...I'll be sitting nearby!
May 2, 2017
Purchased
 over 2 years ago
Second year in the ground and full of blossoms
It is early to tell what fruit production will be, but so far it is doing wonderfully in zone 6b. In only the second spring this tree has been in the ground it is full of blossoms and the leaves are green and healthy.
May 14, 2016
Purchased
 over 2 years ago
Best
I have long liked Jonathan apples. The disease resistant Jonafree apples are crisp and sweet/tart flavored, a delightful treat.
May 3, 2017
Purchased
 1 year ago
Year 1
This tree is doing very well, but it's only the first year. I'm looking forward to apples!
May 20, 2016
Purchased
 over 2 years ago
Jonafree Apple
This tree replaces one I had about 20 years that I bought from Miller Nurseries before they were bought by Stark. It was a great tree, abundant, disease resistant, very tasty semi-tart apples. However, the last few years it developed a brown spot type of fungus disease. Also, when I planted it as a novice, I allowed the graft to be buried, so it sent out a root and was becoming a full size tree. I think the severe pruning I ended up doing the last few years weakened it. Assuming my new tree is the same variety, I'm hoping for the best. However, I only planted it last spring. It survived and is growing again this spring. That's all I can say.
May 7, 2017
Growing well
No apples yet but tree is healthy and straight. I expect fruit next year.
May 15, 2016
Purchased
 over 2 years ago
warranty works
I planted this tree in spring 2016 and oddly enough it was the only one that never grew. It was replaced this spring for free and it is growing well.
May 22, 2017
Purchased
 1 year ago
Jonafree apple
Apple tree has leafed out - quite small but growing
May 4, 2016
Purchased
 over 3 years ago
The tree came well packaged and grew right away.I will get another one of these in the future.
June 19, 2017
Purchased
 1 year ago

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