Hi Craig,
I would start to buy your plant in Spring. It will save you trying to keep
it safe over this Winter and will not take any growth time away from you.
Most apple trees need a polinator, so if you want apples, you will need two
trees which can pollinate eachother. Be sure and buy a miniature apple tree,
or it will quickly outgrow the pot and get too large for your deck. You can
leave it outside each Winter, if you protect it from strong winds and freezing
temperatures. When the tree gets close to maturity, it will probably be too
big to take inside. A heavy blanket of mulch at it's base will help protect it.

You can start with a small pot, but soon you will need a fairly large pot to
accomodate even a miniature tree, which can grow from four to six feet high.
You can check out my club's site (www.midfex.org) and check the section
on Gene Yale. He grows over 100 varieties in his small suburban lot, all of
course, of the miniature size. You can check the web for sources of these
miniatures, like Raintree in Washington State. You can also look at Gurney's
or Stark's for these trees.

Good Luck,

Sherwin Dubren

Craig wrote:

Hi everyone,

I am interested in growing a dwarf apple tree in a large pot or tub on my
deck. When should I buy try and put it outside? Should I bring it in for the
winter, wrap it or leave it alone? How big should the pot be? Any sites that
would be of help or recommend macintosh like varieties?

Craig
Staten Island, NY
Zone 6