buckvelvet
5 year old buck +
What are you guys reading to learn about them or acquire scion wood for them? Just curious as to ramp up my selections for next year would love to learn more about all of this.
Heritage Apples/Lesser Known Varieties
- Thread starter buckvelvet
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greyphase
5 year old buck +
Big Horse Creek Farm www.bighorsecreekfarm.com has a ton of heritage apples with descriptions and sells scion in the spring. I've always gotten very nice wood from them. Apples of North America by Tom Burford is a good book with lots of info on old apple varieties and rates their disease resistance.
Native Hunter
5 year old buck +
I totally agree with what greyphase said.
The thing about heritage apples that you have to remember is that there are many of them that have been propagated for a purpose, and that purpose may not suit your needs. I have good ones and bad ones, and after seeing how devastating fireblight is in my area, resistance to it is more important to me than anything else.
For instance, I have one tree (American Summer Pearmain) that has been in the ground 9 years now, and I'm yet to eat the first apple off of the tree. In this time there has been one year when FB didn't appear, and the tree had a fairly decent crop of apples. When they were about a week from being ready to pick, I sprayed them one Friday to keep the pests away until I harvested them. The next day (Saturday) a big bunch of Jap Beetles came to the tree and ruined ever single apple. The spray the day before didn't phase them. The variety had nothing to do with the apples getting destroyed, but it had everything to do with one crop in 9 years.
I had another variety that was worse than it. I ate one apple off the tree in 8 years, and last year I just got rid of it. However, other heritage varieties planted at the same time as those two have given me great crops for several years. The best I can tell from my research, that apple I got rid of was propagated because it was big and red and showy. But, if you don't get to eat any of them, that isn't much consolation...LOL. I love buying from Big Horse, but honestly they have some varieties I wouldn't plant (now) if they gave them to me.... But, they have some great varieties as well.
So for me, I look at disease resistance first and foremost now. I might be willing to do a little spraying (very little) at home, but on my apples 20 minutes away at the farm, I won't be spraying much if any. I will do some spring maintenance, but otherwise they need to be able to make it on their own. It looks like I have a bumper crop on several this year (first cropping) so we will soon see what makes the grade.
However, this may be another of those unusual years without FB. It hasn't shown up yet, and I think its time. So I may have to wait another year to see which ones really make the cut.
The thing about heritage apples that you have to remember is that there are many of them that have been propagated for a purpose, and that purpose may not suit your needs. I have good ones and bad ones, and after seeing how devastating fireblight is in my area, resistance to it is more important to me than anything else.
For instance, I have one tree (American Summer Pearmain) that has been in the ground 9 years now, and I'm yet to eat the first apple off of the tree. In this time there has been one year when FB didn't appear, and the tree had a fairly decent crop of apples. When they were about a week from being ready to pick, I sprayed them one Friday to keep the pests away until I harvested them. The next day (Saturday) a big bunch of Jap Beetles came to the tree and ruined ever single apple. The spray the day before didn't phase them. The variety had nothing to do with the apples getting destroyed, but it had everything to do with one crop in 9 years.
I had another variety that was worse than it. I ate one apple off the tree in 8 years, and last year I just got rid of it. However, other heritage varieties planted at the same time as those two have given me great crops for several years. The best I can tell from my research, that apple I got rid of was propagated because it was big and red and showy. But, if you don't get to eat any of them, that isn't much consolation...LOL. I love buying from Big Horse, but honestly they have some varieties I wouldn't plant (now) if they gave them to me.... But, they have some great varieties as well.
So for me, I look at disease resistance first and foremost now. I might be willing to do a little spraying (very little) at home, but on my apples 20 minutes away at the farm, I won't be spraying much if any. I will do some spring maintenance, but otherwise they need to be able to make it on their own. It looks like I have a bumper crop on several this year (first cropping) so we will soon see what makes the grade.
However, this may be another of those unusual years without FB. It hasn't shown up yet, and I think its time. So I may have to wait another year to see which ones really make the cut.
Lot2Learn
5 year old buck +
I'd also give a nod to Dave at Century Farm Orchards: http://www.centuryfarmorchards.com. He's a really nice guy, excellent communication, and the apples I purchased from him are doing great.
Both Big Horse Creek and Century Farm are in NC, quite a bit south of you so as you're thinking about varieties, keep that in mind.
Both Big Horse Creek and Century Farm are in NC, quite a bit south of you so as you're thinking about varieties, keep that in mind.
chickenlittle
5 year old buck +
I think the USDA GRIN is a decent source of information but not so easy to use. There have been a number of threads about the GRIN. It has various amounts of information on each apple variety in their collection. Some have comments, histories, and their recorded data from one or more years. I was not specifically looking for heirlooms but many are there. I started by searching for fireblight resistance and then adding other things to my searches like ripening time, bloom time, Apple size, etc.
Lot2Learn
5 year old buck +
Another place to consider for less talked about varieties that will work in a colder climate, is Fedco of Maine: http://www.fedcoseeds.com/trees/?cat=Apples
I vaguely remember that someone in this group (NHMountains?) spoke highly of Fedco, but I might be mistaken.
In any event, they have a number of varieties that will work in colder climates.
Also, I wonder if Sandbur is monitoring this thread? I thought of you when I looked at their list of less often discussed cold hardy crabapples also on that link I posted above.
I vaguely remember that someone in this group (NHMountains?) spoke highly of Fedco, but I might be mistaken.
In any event, they have a number of varieties that will work in colder climates.
Also, I wonder if Sandbur is monitoring this thread? I thought of you when I looked at their list of less often discussed cold hardy crabapples also on that link I posted above.
Dan Wombles
5 year old buck +
Here's another vintage apple orchard, Vintage Virginia Apples: https://www.albemarleciderworks.com/orchard/apple-varieties
I'm a fan of propagating the vintage varieties to hhelp keep them going. There are already enough orchards planting the modern varieties. Plus, I find the vintage varieties have more interesting and intense flavors than the modern hybridized apples. I have 20 varieites producing a lot of apples this year, and anticipate 35-40 varieties producing next year.
I'm a fan of propagating the vintage varieties to hhelp keep them going. There are already enough orchards planting the modern varieties. Plus, I find the vintage varieties have more interesting and intense flavors than the modern hybridized apples. I have 20 varieites producing a lot of apples this year, and anticipate 35-40 varieties producing next year.
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
Another source for heritage crabapples is greenmantlenursery.com if you want some crab varieties bred by Albert Etter years ago. Descriptions on the site.
sandbur
5 year old buck +
I see chestnut crab made the list!
This is my list of apples to try that I don't see talked about and suppose to have some dr how much idk that's why I plan to try them.
Gideon Sweet
Aunt Rachel
Brownlees Russet
Charden
Dula Beauty
Gragg
Honey Sweet
King David
Laxtonsw Fortune
Lord Lambourne
Ozark Gold
Virginia Beauty
Williams Favorite
Gideon Sweet
Aunt Rachel
Brownlees Russet
Charden
Dula Beauty
Gragg
Honey Sweet
King David
Laxtonsw Fortune
Lord Lambourne
Ozark Gold
Virginia Beauty
Williams Favorite
