Honey Gold Apple Trees - Wildlife option?

[silver_yummies]

So does anyone have experience with Honey Gold Apple trees for deer? Sure seems like an excellent choice based on what I just saw. It’s a UofMN variety and very cold hardy. Late September ripe time BUT it’s a late hanger! Just saw a honey gold tree absolutely loaded with apples yet today.
This is a variety I haven’t seen or heard much on here on the forum and am curious about it - so what are it’s drawbacks?

 

[CrazyEd]

Not sure if I have recent pics but I have (2) on b118 planted in 2012. Excellent trees, that produce nice crops consistently year to year. It is also a favorite eater of my fathers and sisters, they love it. I’ll look for some pics when I have time but I recommend it.



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[sandbur]

My HG grafts on dolgo from last year grew well.


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[Catscratch]

I have one. It's still small but producing. Holding fruit this late is a drawback so far. It's uneaten, and I'm not sure it is going to fall. Right now they are little dehydrated chunks stuck to the tree.

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[PoorSand]

I have several of them. They are a good component in my orchards. Mine get sooty blotch/flyspeck really bad and are biennial bearers, but that comes with the territory here.

 

[rocksnstumps]

I have a couple of young ones on I think M7. They have grown the best outta my regular apples planted and have almost kept up with the crabs for growth and giving some small amounts of apples after several years. Can't say much about how long they might hang as been picking fruit off as soon as I see the wandering bear(s) show up in late Sep/Oct to tear branches off some of my oaks, wild apples, and planted crab apples.

I like em but the bear curse makes me gonna have to protect them a long time before I will see how long the fruit will actually hang.

 

[silver_yummies]

Might have to give these a shot then. Good info - thanks

 

[Farmsteader]

For what it's worth the deer in my area seem to prefer the HG over the other red apples I have. I've dumped various apples in a pile and the HG are always the first to go.

 

[Chainsaw]

Honey Gold sounds like a great tree but maybe not ok for here in NY. Link to fire blight susceptibility. Was hard to find any disease resistance Info on it.

https://mnhardy.umn.edu/varieties/fruit/apples/late-season-apple-varieties

 

[Native Hunter]

Honey Gold sounds like a great tree but maybe not ok for here in NY. Link to fire blight susceptibility. Was hard to find any disease resistance Info on it.

https://mnhardy.umn.edu/varieties/fruit/apples/late-season-apple-varieties

Yep, that would be a death sentence in my part of the country. Also, according to Purdue it is prone to Juniper Rusts. Those are the two worst issues where I live, so chances of it working here would be slim to none. Purdue link below:

https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/BP/BP-132-W.pdf

 

[Bowsnbucks]

FB is a tough thing to deal with anywhere.

PoorSand mentioned fly speck and sooty blotch on his apples. We have that a lot too, but deer don't seem to mind how they look - only the taste. I've never heard or read of apples with DR for either of those cosmetic shortcomings.

 

[homerj]

The only reason to choose Honey Gold over Golden Delicious or other G.D. offspring is if you need the winter hardiness.

 

[chickenlittle]

Honey Gold is also scab resistant which is a plus over GD. But there are other DR off spring of GD to choose from.

 

[AtomApple]

on my notes, I have it as moderately resistant to SCAB. Probably depends on who or what your source is. I’ve been researching all kinds of sites for info. I am currently working on a spreadsheet, and if others have experience different from my notes I will update it.

 

[AtomApple]

Have you checked out Golden russet?
i have it as Zone 4, mid oct ripe, late hanger.
moderate resistance to the big 4, (CAR, SCAB, FB, PM)

 

[silver_yummies]

Have you checked out Golden russet?
i have it as Zone 4, mid oct ripe, late hanger.
moderate resistance to the big 4, (CAR, SCAB, FB, PM)

Yep, I planted a couple golden russet 2 years ago - still early.

 

[KickapooKid#1]

My Honeygold on b.118 planted 2016. This tree has been producing apples for 2 years. Puts out a lot of blossoms every spring. Some CAR. I would say just above average vigor at my out place. I recommend it.