Question
QUESTION: I live in Vancouver and as a goof decided to try and grow an apple tree from
an apple I had just finished eating. I popped the seeds in a pot and much to
my surprise I now have a Fuji tree that's a couple of months old. My question
is this, the little guy is tiny and I love him. The winters here can be harsh and
I'm afraid he won't survive the winter, I have a large deck were he has been
living and I always have the bombay doors to it open during the summer. Can
I bring him inside if he's just inside the doors? As the temperature drops I'll
be closing my doors to the cold but we get snow here and sometimes a lot of
it. I don't want to shock it's system soooooo? And if I can't bring him inside
how do I protect him outside during the winter?

ANSWER: Hi Miles,
Thanx for your question.  Fuji apples are grown in upstate New York which has a rather harsh climate so I would imagine the Fuji apple will survive in your climate even though you get snow.  Fuji apples are also grown in Washington State which has snowy winters in the apple growing regions.  You apple tree will need a cold period in order to bloom and set fruit.  Otherwise, it will eventually wear itself out.  Deciduous trees (those that lose their leaves in the autumn) need a dormant period to rest and recuperate for next season's growth.  What you have isn't really a Fuji because Fujis are a result of breeding Red Delicious apple with Old Virginia Ralls Genet apple.  The seeds you planted will result in something resembling past generations of breeding and most likely the resulting fruit 5-7 years from now, will be inferior to the original Fuji.  It is fun to experiment and see what happens because once in a blue moon the result may actually be superior to the fruit.  I would plant the tree in the ground in a nice sunny place and mulch him well with some cypress mulch or lots and lots of leaf mould and grass clippings.  Apples are very hardy and he'll be ok.  Good luck and I hope this helps.
Tom

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Cool. Thanks Tom. My tree is about 3 inches high though and toothpick thin.... also he's in a large pot so I'm not looking to replant him as I don't have a yard. If everything is still cool then awesome but winter here is about eight to ten month out of the year, with tons of rain some snow and perpetual gray skies. The tooth pick thin thing worries me. I don't care about it making fruit (don't I need two tree's for that? I just want him to live or at least get big enough to survive.

Answer
Hi Miles,
Thanx for the additional information.  I don't think the tree will make it as a houseplant.  Leave the tree on the deck because it will get bigger as time goes by.  If you don't let it rest for the winter, it will wear itself out and die.  You can protect it on your deck by shielding it from the north wind or if you have a garage that is unheated, put the tree in there for the winter but keep it watered.  It will go dormant while it is cold and it won't matter if there is light or not.  You would be surprised how durable these little plants can be.  I understand your not wanting to leave it outside but did you know that snow actually insulates and helps plants?  I hope this helps.
Tom