Recommending Apple Variety by score for Wildlife

[bwoods11]

How will the Franklin do in states like Iowa or Missouri with the high temps, in an area without constant watering?

 

[rocksnstumps]

How will the Franklin do in states like Iowa or Missouri with the high temps, in an area without constant watering?

No feedback on warmer areas but I'm curious hearing how Franklin's do across multiple states and sites in the next few years. Lots of hype early and often about them at first so worth trying a few I guess. Had a couple apples on 1 of 4 trees on 4th leaf this yr on b118 but they disappeared before mid Nov so need more seasons to assess production and hang time of fruit. Trees stayed fairly clean looking. Growth nothing special on my site, but yes better than plums. If I say it grows like a plum on my land that is not a compliment.

 

[yoderjac]

I'm probably going to be a guinea pig for warmer climates. I'm in zone 7A and I decided to try a couple. Too early to tell as they have only had one growing season since planting them. I've seen no problems so far but it was not a particularly hot/dry year.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

In our mountains of NC Pa., our 2 Franklins have been growing like weeds with no signs of problems. B-118 roots. They've grown quickly for us. Our soils are clayish-loam and pretty well drained in most places. Camp sees a couple 90 degree days each summer, but most summer days are in the 80 to 85 degree range. We get regular breeze there too, since we're on a flatter ridgetop.

 

[chummer]

Heads up, they do get fire blight. I had two blossom last year and were hamered by FB. I had high hopes but now I have 4 more useless trees.

 

[homerj1]

Applemen... as Franklin Cider is new, what cross pollinators do you recommend to go with it?

I understand it is a mid season bloom. I would like to see cold hardy (zone 4) trees that would be suitable for deer (late hanging) could also be other cider apple trees & crab apples.

I considered Honeycrisp as Bill Mayo had lots of that when he discovered FC, but have learned that HC is very high maintenance and can be unreliable.

Appreciate any input you can provide.

Not sure if you know or not, but Appleman is Bill Mayo

 

[Native Hunter]

They can get fireblight, and I've seen enough fireblight on mine so far to be concerned. Not ready to write them off completely quite yet, but the "score" has fallen sharply for me. Some cultivars can gain more fireblight resistance with age. I've seen that happen before. Time will tell how serious the problem is with this cultivar, but for now I won't be planting any more of them.

 

[Tree Spud]

Not sure if you know or not, but Appleman is Bill Mayo

Did not know that, thank you. Hopefully he can provide some feedback to my question on pollinator partners.

 

[H20fwler]

My best “wildlife” growing and DR trees so far have been;

Liberty
Enterprise
Arkansas Black
Droptine
30-06
Gray Ghost
They are still pretty young sixth and seventh leaf.

Have five or six 2nd leaf Franklins on M111 that so far are looking really good.
I’ve got a lot of other varieties that aren’t as DR that I put in because I had the room and they are doing fine. Also I don’t spray so my apples have to be tough or they are out.

Biggest disappointment so far has been Cortland it seems to catch any disease that blows through.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Biggest disappointment so far has been Cortland it seems to catch any disease that blows through.

H20 -
Cortland is a cross between Macintosh and Ben Davis apples. I read somewhere a while back that any Mac varieties are VERY disease-prone. They need lots of care / spraying. Cortland is a GREAT eater though!! The more Mac genes ...... the more problems. Just the news you wanted, huh?? Sorry to be the bearer of it. I steered away from apples with much Mac genetics in them for our camp trees. We don't spray for diseases - just bugs.

Are your Droptine and 30-06 fruiting yet?? If so- how big is the fruit??

 

[H20fwler]

H20 -
Cortland is a cross between Macintosh and Ben Davis apples. I read somewhere a while back that any Mac varieties are VERY disease-prone. They need lots of care / spraying. Cortland is a GREAT eater though!! The more Mac genes ...... the more problems. Just the news you wanted, huh?? Sorry to be the bearer of it. I steered away from apples with much Mac genetics in them for our camp trees. We don't spray for diseases - just bugs.

Are your Droptine and 30-06 fruiting yet?? If so- how big is the fruit??

Yes they started fruiting a few years ago, Droptine is a little smaller than a quarter goes from green to yellow and hangs into February. The 30-06 is size of a quarter maybe a little bigger looks like miniature honey crisp very showy hangs into early January, both are heavy producers.

Yah, it sucks about the Cortlands they are the only ones that continually seem to struggle to survive, I’m still hoping they toughen up some as they age.

 

[PoorSand]

I have one Cortland. It is on M111. I planted it as a six foot tall pot-grown tree around 2001. It has never turned into much. Last year it had its first crop in years - a single apple, which fell off sometime during the summer.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

H20 -
Thanks for the info on the NWC crabs. I've looked at them, but haven't pulled the trigger ............ yet.

 

[Native Hunter]

Yes they started fruiting a few years ago, Droptine is a little smaller than a quarter goes from green to yellow and hangs into February. The 30-06 is size of a quarter maybe a little bigger looks like miniature honey crisp very showy hangs into early January, both are heavy producers.

Yah, it sucks about the Cortlands they are the only ones that continually seem to struggle to survive, I’m still hoping they toughen up some as they age.

H2O, do you have any fruit falling in November from those crabs?

 

[H20fwler]

H2O, do you have any fruit falling in November from those crabs?

Some do especially with any wind, the low stuff gets picked off.
The Droptine almost hang as vigorously as Golden Hornet the 30-06 is clean by late January.