Apple Trees
We are all blessed, in that apple trees are available in thousands of varieties, each with their own properties.
Humans have been enjoying apples since at least 6500 B.C. Today, 7,500 varieties are grown throughout the world. In the USA, there are 2,500 varieties, 100 of which are grown commercially.
The apple trees we have in our orchard are: Baldwin, CandyCrisp, Chestnut Crab, Enterprise, Honeycrisp, Liberty, Mac Free, Macoun, Pristine, and Williams Pride.
Liberty has been the most productive to date. It is delicious, ripens mid-September, and keeps very well in cold storage for 6 months. It is not a pie apple - just for fresh eating.
Pristine and Williams Pride are Summer apples that ripen in mid-August. They, too, should not be used for pies - they get mushy. However, fresh off the tree they are delicious, and a Summer delight. Unfortunately, they only store for a week or two.
In 2019, our CandyCrisp, planted in 2016, had its first two apples and they were absolutely delicious. This variety is not recommended for pies. They ripen in early-October and store for up to 4 months in cold storage. CandyCrisp is reported to be a heavy bearer; so, within a few years, production should increase dramatically.
Our Baldwin and Enterprise trees were planted in 2010. So far, we harvested one Baldwin apple and four Enterprise apples. Originally, these were planted when we were starting out and knew nothing about rootstocks. Rootstocks are available for these varieties that allow them to fruit much earlier...If we only knew then, what we know now.
Chestnut Crab, Honeycrisp, Mac Free, and Macoun are new additions planted during 2016-2019, and have not fruited as of yet.
In 2020, we are planting these bare-root apple trees: CrimsonCrisp, Galarina, Idared, another Liberty, and Novaspy.
Some apples are grown basically for fresh eating, directly off the tree, and have a very short shelf life. They are often the Summer apples; whereas, the Fall apples usually have a longer storage potential if keep in cold storage (refrigerator or root cellar).
Supermarkets concentrate on just a few varieties that will withstand the rigors of shipment throughout the country, survive sitting on market shelves without deteriorating, and have long storage lives. If you want varieties other than these, you need to grow your own or find an orchard that grows them.
Certain apples, while terrific for fresh eating, turn to mush if used in apple pies. Specific varieties, however, keep their shape and texture in apple pies. Some are good for apple juice or apple cider, while others make excellent applesauce. There are general purpose apples, as well, that can be used for all these products.
In the Northeast, apple diseases can ruin a crop or destroy an orchard. Those of primary concern are Apple Scab, several Rusts (Cedar-apple rust, hawthorn rust, and quince rust), Powdery Mildew, Black Rot, and Fireblight.
With rainy weather, Sooty Blotch and Fly Spec fungi are also prevalent, but are mostly a cosmetic issue on the apple skin and can be washed off with vigorous washing.
For organic growers, your best defense is to select disease-resistant variety/rootstock combinations, then, maintain good sanitation in the orchard by cleaning up fallen leaves, removing diseased branches, and enclosing each of your fruits in plastic bags.
Disease and insects will ruin most apple crops. However, there are simple organic steps you can perform to obtain beautiful apples, instead of mangled ones. To discourage the Plum Curculio from depositing eggs inside your young fruit, you need to spray fruit trees, right after petal drop, with the non-toxic clay Surround WP. Then, from mid-June through early-July, prune out infected fruit, and enclose each healthy young fruit in a plastic bag until harvest. The plastic bag protects the fruit from disease and insects, yielding perfect apples.
Another key decision you need to make, before purchasing a tree, is what rootstock the apple cutting will be grafted onto. For apples, I like the Geneva rootstocks (G.11, G.41, G.241, G.16, G.210, G.935, G.202, G.890) because they fruit early (1-3 years), they keep the trees small, and they protect against diseases like Fireblight. B.118 and V1 are also good, but not as disease resistant as Geneva. Avoid "M" rootstocks - they take 5 to 10 years to fruit and are not disease resistant.
However, shop early. The best selections sell out fast. Shop early Fall for delivery in the Spring.
Good sources of Apple trees with Geneva rootstock are:
Cummins Nursery
Orange Pippen
Humans have been enjoying apples since at least 6500 B.C. Today, 7,500 varieties are grown throughout the world. In the USA, there are 2,500 varieties, 100 of which are grown commercially.
The apple trees we have in our orchard are: Baldwin, CandyCrisp, Chestnut Crab, Enterprise, Honeycrisp, Liberty, Mac Free, Macoun, Pristine, and Williams Pride.
Liberty has been the most productive to date. It is delicious, ripens mid-September, and keeps very well in cold storage for 6 months. It is not a pie apple - just for fresh eating.
Pristine and Williams Pride are Summer apples that ripen in mid-August. They, too, should not be used for pies - they get mushy. However, fresh off the tree they are delicious, and a Summer delight. Unfortunately, they only store for a week or two.
In 2019, our CandyCrisp, planted in 2016, had its first two apples and they were absolutely delicious. This variety is not recommended for pies. They ripen in early-October and store for up to 4 months in cold storage. CandyCrisp is reported to be a heavy bearer; so, within a few years, production should increase dramatically.
Our Baldwin and Enterprise trees were planted in 2010. So far, we harvested one Baldwin apple and four Enterprise apples. Originally, these were planted when we were starting out and knew nothing about rootstocks. Rootstocks are available for these varieties that allow them to fruit much earlier...If we only knew then, what we know now.
Chestnut Crab, Honeycrisp, Mac Free, and Macoun are new additions planted during 2016-2019, and have not fruited as of yet.
In 2020, we are planting these bare-root apple trees: CrimsonCrisp, Galarina, Idared, another Liberty, and Novaspy.
Some apples are grown basically for fresh eating, directly off the tree, and have a very short shelf life. They are often the Summer apples; whereas, the Fall apples usually have a longer storage potential if keep in cold storage (refrigerator or root cellar).
Supermarkets concentrate on just a few varieties that will withstand the rigors of shipment throughout the country, survive sitting on market shelves without deteriorating, and have long storage lives. If you want varieties other than these, you need to grow your own or find an orchard that grows them.
Certain apples, while terrific for fresh eating, turn to mush if used in apple pies. Specific varieties, however, keep their shape and texture in apple pies. Some are good for apple juice or apple cider, while others make excellent applesauce. There are general purpose apples, as well, that can be used for all these products.
In the Northeast, apple diseases can ruin a crop or destroy an orchard. Those of primary concern are Apple Scab, several Rusts (Cedar-apple rust, hawthorn rust, and quince rust), Powdery Mildew, Black Rot, and Fireblight.
With rainy weather, Sooty Blotch and Fly Spec fungi are also prevalent, but are mostly a cosmetic issue on the apple skin and can be washed off with vigorous washing.
For organic growers, your best defense is to select disease-resistant variety/rootstock combinations, then, maintain good sanitation in the orchard by cleaning up fallen leaves, removing diseased branches, and enclosing each of your fruits in plastic bags.
Disease and insects will ruin most apple crops. However, there are simple organic steps you can perform to obtain beautiful apples, instead of mangled ones. To discourage the Plum Curculio from depositing eggs inside your young fruit, you need to spray fruit trees, right after petal drop, with the non-toxic clay Surround WP. Then, from mid-June through early-July, prune out infected fruit, and enclose each healthy young fruit in a plastic bag until harvest. The plastic bag protects the fruit from disease and insects, yielding perfect apples.
Another key decision you need to make, before purchasing a tree, is what rootstock the apple cutting will be grafted onto. For apples, I like the Geneva rootstocks (G.11, G.41, G.241, G.16, G.210, G.935, G.202, G.890) because they fruit early (1-3 years), they keep the trees small, and they protect against diseases like Fireblight. B.118 and V1 are also good, but not as disease resistant as Geneva. Avoid "M" rootstocks - they take 5 to 10 years to fruit and are not disease resistant.
However, shop early. The best selections sell out fast. Shop early Fall for delivery in the Spring.
Good sources of Apple trees with Geneva rootstock are:
Cummins Nursery
Orange Pippen
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