Your Best Apple!

[Maya]

Hmmm, interesting, normally something that early is not as good. The 25th is still early for a high quality eating apple. Sounds good if it is. OK, I got ya now on the drop/ ripeness, I misread. ReTain and NAA are used quite extensively out here in upics just to delay blocks so you can better pic an unsprayed block. Then pick the sprayed block the following week and sell more of a given variety. Are they short stemmed? Did they say anything about the apples staying ripe on the vine for a while, or is it a short duration like HC's? Sorry for all the questions, I could really do well with that apple, I think! Anyone got a link to it?

 

[2ndHand]

Hmmm, interesting, normally something that early is not as good. The 25th is still early for a high quality eating apple. Sounds good if it is. OK, I got ya now on the drop/ ripeness, I misread. ReTain and NAA are used quite extensively out here in upics just to delay blocks so you can better pic an unsprayed block. Then pick the sprayed block the following week and sell more of a given variety. Are they short stemmed? Did they say anything about the apples staying ripe on the vine for a while, or is it a short duration like HC's? Sorry for all the questions, I could really do well with that apple, I think! Anyone got a link to it?

Maya, Here's some additional info: http://www.startribune.com/280183772.html

 

[Maya]

Thanks for the info Woodchuck! Thanks for the link 2nd!

I'm always short on early apples (August thru Sept 10th). Zestar!'s do well though and I have 15 Pristine, but I have another 1/4 acre to plant and would like more early apples.

 

[sandbur]

Maya- a local apple grower told me that Norland survived our last winter and produced well. It is an early apple.

I have nod idea what it tastes like or how well it sold.

 

[Maya]

Never heard of it Bur. I just looked it up on OP, and they didn't have much to say about it. That says it all, lol, but thanks!

http://www.orangepippin.com/apples/norland

 

[Maya]

When does William's Pride ripen in your area Maya?

Not sure, I think Appleman might grow them, I'll have to ask him. Good eating though, right? Do you/have you grown them?

 

[Maya]

Well I'm in the middle of switching a bunch of Gala's over to Zestar!'s, but would like something else. That's a possibility. Zestar!'s are great though for an early apple. Pristine which I also have for early, are great eating, but they are very biennial, drop quick and don't last long in storage. Not very commercial friendly, but a great backyard apple imo. I could of used a hundred bushel of Zestar! last year. This past year we sold 30 something bu. of them, this year we should have 70-80, but we could use something else in August.

These Zestar should be putting out almost bushel a piece this year.

 

[Maya]

I believe Ben Hooper grew some William's Pride, I've tried contacting him a few times but haven't had any luck.

Ya, I wonder what happened to him? He was a wealth of knowledge. Hope he's well.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

Ben posted on his facebook account as of December 15th and the orchard is still open so he must be busy. Hoopers Orchard in Monroe ME

 

[Freeborn]

Question for you growers. I have seen varities that rippen in late October and November; can they be grown in zone 3b/4a? My first frost date is basically October 1st but wasnt certain if an apple that rippens in mid October or later can be grown in my zone?

I was thinking if they rippen late they would hold later into the winter.

 

[chummer]

Question for you growers. I have seen varities that rippen in late October and November; can they be grown in zone 3b/4a? My first frost date is basically October 1st but wasnt certain if an apple that rippens in mid October or later can be grown in my zone?

I was thinking if they rippen late they would hold later into the winter.

Not sure if this helps but I asked cummins about Arkansas Black for my area. They told me they might not ripen but would hold late in the year and would make a good deer apple. They just wouldn't be a good eating apple most years.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

Arkansas Black is good to go in zone 5

 

[sandbur]

Never heard of it Bur. I just looked it up on OP, and they didn't have much to say about it. That says it all, lol, but thanks!

http://www.orangepippin.com/apples/norland

I think the Land varieties came out of the Canadian Prairie apple programs. You can grow so many better apples out east. Land varieties were Parkland, Goodland, Norland.

 

[Maya]

Ben posted on his facebook account as of December 15th and the orchard is still open so he must be busy. Hoopers Orchard in Monroe ME

I've liked his orchard page too, but I haven't seen word one from him, just a general post. Have you seen something specifically from him?

 

[Maya]

Question for you growers. I have seen varities that rippen in late October and November; can they be grown in zone 3b/4a? My first frost date is basically October 1st but wasnt certain if an apple that rippens in mid October or later can be grown in my zone?

I was thinking if they ripen late they would hold later into the winter.

Good question Freeborn. You may be able to grow some varieties, but they may not mature. I grew a Granny Smith 20 years ago, it never ripened but grew well and had apples. Apples tend to sweeten up on a frost, so that is not necessarily a bad thing if they ripen later. I typically get a frost mid Sept. and I have several varieties that don't ripen til after October 1. Just a guess, if you want them to ripen, I wouldn't go later then anything that ripens later than mid and maybe late October for your area.

 

[Freeborn]

Good Advice Maya, thank you!

I'm going to try my luck at grafting again this year. I purchased 25 B118 from Cummins and am now figuring out what scions to use.

Thanks again!

 

[sandbur]

Good Advice Maya, thank you!

I'm going to try my luck at grafting again this year. I purchased 25 B118 from Cummins and am now figuring out what scions to use.

Thanks again!

Jerry-Let me know if you want a bit of my garden crab. Not edible, but a good, late hanging deer apple. This is the main reason I ordered dolgo rootstock. I would like about a dozen of those trees and I think it would be hardy enough for zone 3.

I have seen a similar rootstock with the same crab apples on it by Pequot Lakes. It was the rootstock for a red splendor that was along the bike trail.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

I've liked his orchard page too, but I haven't seen word one from him, just a general post. Have you seen something specifically from him?

No I havent. I just assumed he was the one posting

 

[Maya]

They were growing them down at UMASS in Amherst Ma. The director of the hort farm down there loves them too. I believe it is a seedling of Red Delicious. They were found out west I think, probably Washington state. I'll see if I can find you some info on them Mo.

 

[Maya]

http://www.orangepippin.com/apples/cameo

OP's description of it. They don't say to much. Pretty susceptible to rust.