Sundance (Co-op 29)
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Native Hunter
5 year old buck +
Don't own it yet, but its the next apple I plan to add - primarily due to the late drop and published DR (including CAR). Let's trade notes in a few years...........
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
I planted 2 Sundance last spring - 2015 - and they are doing really well so far. Too young for fruit, but no sign of disease. MM-111 rootstocks and they grew from a whip to about 5 to 6 ft. tall and multi-branched in one year. I have another Sundance ordered for next spring too, and another Goldrush and a second Crimson Topaz.
NY_Terrence
5 year old buck +
Sundance is my favorite variety of the 100+ trees I've planted. I have three I bought from Cummings and they are doing great. So, I'd like to plant more. However, even though I have 50 one- and two-year old trees I grafted growing in my nursery, none are Sundance because of the patent that restricts grafting.
The thing I don't understand is... who sells them? I can't find any Sundance on B-118 online, so why bother having a patent that prevents people from buying them?
Does anyone know where I can get some for next spring?
The thing I don't understand is... who sells them? I can't find any Sundance on B-118 online, so why bother having a patent that prevents people from buying them?
Does anyone know where I can get some for next spring?
Native Hunter
5 year old buck +
I don't know where you could get them on B118, but Henry Fields has them on M111.
I planted my first one this spring. It has grown like a weed so far.
Question: Do the apples fall off the tree easily when ripe or do they hang on?
chickenlittle
5 year old buck +
I bought a Sundance on B118 from Cummins this past spring. I think they will have more for next spring but you could e-mail or call to ask. I would bet they just haven't added them to the online inventory yet. Other nurseries may not have their inventory posted yet either.
As for the patent, those are filed before the apple is released so they don't really know how successful an apple will be. They may never get enough royalties back to justify some patents. The apple breeding business has changed and now a good new apple is generally patented under one name, grown by a select group of commercial orchards that fund marketing and quality standards to get a premium price, and sell the apples under a trademarked 2nd name. The home grower won't get a shot until after the patent expires or maybe after the club is a commercial failure. Even outside the club apples, having a trademarked name means they can continue charging royaties even after the patent expires. So while Cripps Pink and Pink Lady are the same apple, Pink Lady is the trademarked name and you can't sell those without paying royalties.
As for the patent, those are filed before the apple is released so they don't really know how successful an apple will be. They may never get enough royalties back to justify some patents. The apple breeding business has changed and now a good new apple is generally patented under one name, grown by a select group of commercial orchards that fund marketing and quality standards to get a premium price, and sell the apples under a trademarked 2nd name. The home grower won't get a shot until after the patent expires or maybe after the club is a commercial failure. Even outside the club apples, having a trademarked name means they can continue charging royaties even after the patent expires. So while Cripps Pink and Pink Lady are the same apple, Pink Lady is the trademarked name and you can't sell those without paying royalties.
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NY_Terrence
5 year old buck +
Thanks for the heads up on Henry Fields. M111 would be fine. I'll watch the inventories for Cummins and elsewhere after September.
It's is a really nicely shaped and vigorous growing tree. Drop time is supposed to be late. This is first year with apples, so we'll see if bears don't get them first!
Native Hunter
5 year old buck +
Henry Fields calls it "Std" size. But when I asked them they told me Std. was M111.
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
I think MM-111 and B-118 are both classified as " semi-standard " by most apple authorities. " Semi-dwarf is the next size grade smaller. I'm no expert - just sharing what I've read in many sites / books / nursery catalogs. FWIW.
Native Hunter
5 year old buck +
Yes, that's why I mentioned it. If you buy what they are calling standard, you will be getting what we all call semi standard.
chickenlittle
5 year old buck +
I've seen B118 called semi-dwarf, semi-standard, and standard. And called more than one of those by the same nursery.
Native Hunter
5 year old buck +
It won't matter to me because I put my graft 16 inches below grade. I'm going to eventually end up with the little known "Sundance" rootstock. I'm tired of playing around with junior varsity sized apple trees. I want trees like I grew up with, and I'm getting enough fruit now from the JV trees that I'm willing to wait longer for the full sized ones.
I've done this on a bunch of apple trees the last couple of years with absolutely no ill effects on any of them. In fact, most of them seem to be growing better than the others. The Sundance put out this spring looks awesome.
I've done this on a bunch of apple trees the last couple of years with absolutely no ill effects on any of them. In fact, most of them seem to be growing better than the others. The Sundance put out this spring looks awesome.
I've got one Sundance tree (Gurneys Standard 2010). It is a producer for sure. A lack of thinning lead to broken branches last year and ZERO crop this year. My fault and I will thin it hard next year - hoping for another bumper crop. It's a relatively large apple and it does have a nice taste. I think I will press most and sauce a bunch just because it comes ripe with a lot of other "winners" and when compared with these it does not win or stand out but when I'm out for a walk about and a "grab and snack" scenario it is fantastic.
