You don't have to plant a small orchard to have fresh McIntosh, Lodi, Red Spy or Red and Yellow Delicious apples. In fact, all you need is a single tree. We're not talking weird science here. In addition to apple trees, grafting is commonly done on pear, peach, apricot, plum and pecan trees, and on a wide array of rose bushes. Don't get too creative, though, or the graft won't take.
Apples have to be grafted onto other apples, pears to pears.
If grafting sounds too complicated to attempt yourself, you can simply buy a tree that has already been grafted. The tree, a semi-dwarf, will grow to maturity in about five years and will reach 10 to 15 feet in height. The trees are also winter hearty up to 7,500-feet elevation and can withstand temperatures as low 10 degrees above zero. A multi-variety tree is also a good way to ensure pollination without having a second apple tree as a pollinator. This includes any grafts attached to the tree.