That could be a fun topic.
Apples, If you were to pick just 3
- Thread starter Teeder
- Start date
bigboreblr
5 year old buck +
I picked some early ones. It's nice to have some fruit before hunting season. Besides, you don't want to be under your fruit trees then, you want to be 20 -30 yards from them.
Some folks say sundance holds onto the tree too long. At my home, I want most of my trees to be good for 2 legged buggers too. Still keeping a few good deer crabs too, so I have cion for more trees up north and alongside the cornfields.
Trying to keep with disease free stuff. Not a fan of spraying, but there's no good way really around it with insects. I also have numerous orchards in my town. Every cedar has orange blobs in them too.
Some folks say sundance holds onto the tree too long. At my home, I want most of my trees to be good for 2 legged buggers too. Still keeping a few good deer crabs too, so I have cion for more trees up north and alongside the cornfields.
Trying to keep with disease free stuff. Not a fan of spraying, but there's no good way really around it with insects. I also have numerous orchards in my town. Every cedar has orange blobs in them too.
Apple Junkie
5 year old buck +
I’ll pick my top three, conceding there lots of other varieties I am also very happy with. So, starting at number three and working up to my top “go to” tree, they are:
Number 3 – Chestnut Crab
The Chestnut crab is a large vigorous tree, which when grown on a larger rootstock like M.111 or P.18 makes for a sturdy, well anchored tree that can withstand bears and wind. In spring, it is known to be a good pollinator for other trees in the area. In the fall, the apples are nice size and ripen over several weeks making for an extended drop. For me (5a), most apples have dropped by mid-October. One last comment, one of my chestnut crabs was planted in an area so rocky I had to use a front-end loader to get a whole in the ground to plant it. The P.18 rootstock is producing a fine healthy tree even in less-than-ideal soil. If it were more readily available, I’d buy more trees on this rootstock.
Number 2 – Wickson crab
Like the Chestnut, the Wickson crab tends to be a larger tree, so it can withstand assaults by weather and critters - within reason. The fruit tends to be a bit smaller than some other crabs, but it bears a lot of it. The drop time is longer than the Chestnut crab. My experience is it drops from October, well into January. I don’t do any thinning, so I do notice there will be a bumper crop one year, followed by a more modest yield the following year.
Number 1 – Ida Red
Simply put, this tree reliably produces a high volume of delicious apples which drop steadily from October through December. The tree is moderately vigorous on M.111 rootstock, and has proven to withstand, bear, wind, and floods. Reportedly, this variety is highly, to moderately, susceptible to fireblight and CAR, which would justifiably raise red flags. However, I planted this tree over 20 years ago and I have seen no evidence of either (5a). I would not plant a whole orchard of this variety, but I where I need a dependable source of apples from October to December, I plant an Idared.
There are many other varieties that could make this list, but today these are my top three. Ask me next year, this list might change.
Number 3 – Chestnut Crab
The Chestnut crab is a large vigorous tree, which when grown on a larger rootstock like M.111 or P.18 makes for a sturdy, well anchored tree that can withstand bears and wind. In spring, it is known to be a good pollinator for other trees in the area. In the fall, the apples are nice size and ripen over several weeks making for an extended drop. For me (5a), most apples have dropped by mid-October. One last comment, one of my chestnut crabs was planted in an area so rocky I had to use a front-end loader to get a whole in the ground to plant it. The P.18 rootstock is producing a fine healthy tree even in less-than-ideal soil. If it were more readily available, I’d buy more trees on this rootstock.
Number 2 – Wickson crab
Like the Chestnut, the Wickson crab tends to be a larger tree, so it can withstand assaults by weather and critters - within reason. The fruit tends to be a bit smaller than some other crabs, but it bears a lot of it. The drop time is longer than the Chestnut crab. My experience is it drops from October, well into January. I don’t do any thinning, so I do notice there will be a bumper crop one year, followed by a more modest yield the following year.
Number 1 – Ida Red
Simply put, this tree reliably produces a high volume of delicious apples which drop steadily from October through December. The tree is moderately vigorous on M.111 rootstock, and has proven to withstand, bear, wind, and floods. Reportedly, this variety is highly, to moderately, susceptible to fireblight and CAR, which would justifiably raise red flags. However, I planted this tree over 20 years ago and I have seen no evidence of either (5a). I would not plant a whole orchard of this variety, but I where I need a dependable source of apples from October to December, I plant an Idared.
There are many other varieties that could make this list, but today these are my top three. Ask me next year, this list might change.
bigboreblr
5 year old buck +
I'd like to try P18 too, hard to find and quick to sell out.... Wanted to try G890 or M7, but have heavy clay and hardpan too. I'm kind running out of reasonable room at home. Smaller trees means more of them....
Hows Wickson to eat? I've heard a few mixed reviews. Besides a tree of each scion material for up north in zone 3, my at home trees must all be good for 2 legged critters too.
Hows Wickson to eat? I've heard a few mixed reviews. Besides a tree of each scion material for up north in zone 3, my at home trees must all be good for 2 legged critters too.
Telemark
5 year old buck +
It's historically a cider apple.
Honeygold is one of my favorites, but it can be accused of holding it's apples too long. They ripen right around the first of October, but there are still some hanging on today. However, if I were to shake the tree a bit every time I walk past it once they're ripe, a dozen or so will fall to the ground for the deer.
That won't work if you aren't walking past it every few days, but it works for me.
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
AJ -
Thanks for posting these varieties. I remember you said you liked Ida Red in a post about 2 or 3 years ago. Wife and I like I.R. for adding to home-made applesauce. (bought from local orchard) Ida's ripen here about October 18th.
Was it you that posted pics of Galarina trees holding apples a couple years ago?
bigboreblr
5 year old buck +
I'd like to see a pic of them too. Any comments on taste would be great. Got 3 of them coming in for a pruning experiment.
Apple Junkie
5 year old buck +
Bigboreblr, the Wickson is edible, but I would not make even make a snack out of it. Better choices abound. Just sayin’… Idared is good to zone 3 and still available at Waflers Nursery (M.111, M.106, and B.118). I see Cummins will be offering them in 1025. Delicious to boot in my view.
Bows, probably yes. For me, Galarina holds pretty good through November with some stragglers holding on until the end of December.
Bows, probably yes. For me, Galarina holds pretty good through November with some stragglers holding on until the end of December.
R.E. Gould
5 year old buck +
Good to hear Galarina actually drop in a good timeframe. I planted one from Blue Hill this year. Some sources make it sound like they don't drop at all - https://www.cyberfruit.info/apple/galarinadescription.asp
When do they start dropping for you?
In the first year it grew well, and showed very good disease resistance - no evidence of CAR despite very heavy pressure.
bigboreblr
5 year old buck +
R.E. Gould,
Your camp isn't far from mine, What would be your 3 up there? I'm leaning on crossbow, droptine, and kerr on anty rootstock. Got those in the ground there already with some 30-06 as well. Besides more of those 3, I am grafting Signal fire, AWHO, winter wildlife, and maybe ugrafted dolgo is on the list for my little nursery this season. Looking for a special september dropping tree for right at camp, in the parking lot, somethig with particuarly good looking fruit. Might be another dolgo, crossbow, or kerr maybe. Trailman is a good possiblity too. Something more of a conversation piece, or maybe some folks can have a few to take home with them.
Apple Junkie,
I have alot of geneva and PRI varieties as well as some minnesota station ones too. IT would be hard to have a good number of apples trees without having something of Etter's in the orchard. Wickson was one of his more popular ones. Just have a rule at my home, they are are 2 legged eating variety.
Your camp isn't far from mine, What would be your 3 up there? I'm leaning on crossbow, droptine, and kerr on anty rootstock. Got those in the ground there already with some 30-06 as well. Besides more of those 3, I am grafting Signal fire, AWHO, winter wildlife, and maybe ugrafted dolgo is on the list for my little nursery this season. Looking for a special september dropping tree for right at camp, in the parking lot, somethig with particuarly good looking fruit. Might be another dolgo, crossbow, or kerr maybe. Trailman is a good possiblity too. Something more of a conversation piece, or maybe some folks can have a few to take home with them.
Apple Junkie,
I have alot of geneva and PRI varieties as well as some minnesota station ones too. IT would be hard to have a good number of apples trees without having something of Etter's in the orchard. Wickson was one of his more popular ones. Just have a rule at my home, they are are 2 legged eating variety.
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R.E. Gould
5 year old buck +
I haven't done much planting up there at all - I did plant an NY-35 (aka Bonkers), which grew great over the summer, then got killed back to the graft union over the winter. Alas! Kerr seems like be a great bet for up there. There's a wild one that does quite nicely and holds until the end of the season. Unfortunately the bears made a mess of it this fall.
paleopoint
5 year old buck +
I envy the ability to have trees "hanging late".
It is a trait I have selected for....by recommended varietal, and from observed heirlooms.
My mature ones are on 7's & 118's.
They are annual producers. Volume is strong.
So far so good.
But......
But, my farm lies at the junction of a river ....6ft deep/50+yds wide.
And, a substantial creek.....3 to 4ft/25yds wide.
In short, lotsa water, lotsa big trees.
And, lotsa racoons, possums, and fox squirrels.
There goes the 'late hanging'.
Until enough of my trees produce full crops....and my supply side overwhelms the demand side.....well, I struggle.
Some years all is pretty good....fruits hang till late January. Like in 2022.
2023? Meh!
All fruits.....all! .....were gone by first week of December.
Btw....this year I trapped 49 racoons/possums/woodchucks. They all went to heaven.
Last year --without checking my journal --- it was like 38 or 39. Plus fox squirrels in the 30's, if memory serves. Rifle with those.
I've got GREAT habitat for racoons and possums and squirrels.
So, I deal with it and try not to whine too much.
But I watch these 'apple - pear - crab' threads closely.
Looking for a better way.
All good.
It is a trait I have selected for....by recommended varietal, and from observed heirlooms.
My mature ones are on 7's & 118's.
They are annual producers. Volume is strong.
So far so good.
But......
But, my farm lies at the junction of a river ....6ft deep/50+yds wide.
And, a substantial creek.....3 to 4ft/25yds wide.
In short, lotsa water, lotsa big trees.
And, lotsa racoons, possums, and fox squirrels.
There goes the 'late hanging'.
Until enough of my trees produce full crops....and my supply side overwhelms the demand side.....well, I struggle.
Some years all is pretty good....fruits hang till late January. Like in 2022.
2023? Meh!
All fruits.....all! .....were gone by first week of December.
Btw....this year I trapped 49 racoons/possums/woodchucks. They all went to heaven.
Last year --without checking my journal --- it was like 38 or 39. Plus fox squirrels in the 30's, if memory serves. Rifle with those.
I've got GREAT habitat for racoons and possums and squirrels.
So, I deal with it and try not to whine too much.
But I watch these 'apple - pear - crab' threads closely.
Looking for a better way.
All good.
