Short answer
You need the Orchardry technology and 1 Apple Tree Seedling; the Apple Tree is then built in the Garden from that seedling. The Vegetable Stand sells seedlings from the start, while Herm only stocks them from trader level 3, which is why his shop can show them greyed out. Each harvest gives 4 to 8 Apples for juice, cider, baking and smoothies.

Home and garden
View full-size image ↗Official promotional screenshot · © Lazy Bear Games / tinyBuild · Official media kit · Material credits
Unlock: Orchardry
The Apple Tree is unlocked by Orchardry, which also unlocks the Orchard. One community guide puts the tech at 20 green points; check the cost in your own tech tree.
Orchardry does not replace the Garden Bed from Gardening. The tree is a separate building with its own unlock.
Where to buy the Apple Tree Seedling
Vegetable Stand: sold from the start, with more stock at trader levels 2, 4 and 8.
Herm: sold from trader level 3. Below that level the seedling can appear greyed out in his shop. One guide links his progress to finishing his quests, not to trading random items.
Base price is 1 silver. Seedlings stack to 20 and fit in the Farmer's bag and the universal bags.
Studying a seedling gives 10 red and 50 green tech points for 10 Science, and you keep the seedling.
Planting and harvest
Build cost: 1 Apple Tree Seedling. The tree is placed in the Garden area, not anywhere on your land.
A harvest yields 4 to 8 Apples. Apples are also sold at the Vegetable Stand if you need a few before the tree produces.
One guide reports about 25 minutes to the first harvest, then about 20 minutes between harvests, and says fertilizers do not speed trees up. Treat those times as player reports rather than confirmed values.
What to do with the apples
Vine Press: Apples become Apple Juice. A Fermentation Barrel (from Cider Brewery) then turns 1 Apple Juice into Apple Cider without fuel.
Kitchen Oven: Baked apple uses 5 Apple at mastery 2. Kitchen Table: Berry smoothie uses 4 Berry and 2 Apple.
Restoring Tavern II takes 20 Apple Cider, so a tree is worth planting before that request. Values were checked against the linked sources on October 17, 2026.
Sources
Related pages
Official screenshot · © Lazy Bear Games / tinyBuildCraftingGraveyard Keeper 2 Brewery
Official screenshot · © Lazy Bear Games / tinyBuildCraftingGraveyard Keeper 2 Cooking Recipes
Official screenshot · © Lazy Bear Games / tinyBuildCraftingGraveyard Keeper 2 Farmer's Bag
Official screenshot · © Lazy Bear Games / tinyBuildAutomationGraveyard Keeper 2 Zombie Gardening & Gardener Stand
Official screenshot · © Lazy Bear Games / tinyBuildAutomationGraveyard Keeper 2 Fertilizer
Official screenshot · © Lazy Bear Games / tinyBuildProgressionGraveyard Keeper 2 Tech Tree