What one apple type?

[gunfun13]

What one apple type would you plant specifically by your tree stand for primarily the rut?

I'm fairly new to the fruit tree game, planted 17 trees last year, 10 trees on order this year plus 20 rootstocks and scions from GRIN. Everything is planted bordering destination food, but I have room for one tree in a staging area by a stand. Liberty, Arkansas Black, Enterprise, and Galarina top my list right now. Have 5 crabs planted 50 yards from this spot so don't think pollination would be an issue.

 

[yoderjac]

None. Apple trees need light. For the rut I want to be in cover 70-100 yards down wind of feeding areas.

 

[Apple Junkie]

The varieties you have listed are all good choices. All are great apple varieties, but they do have different ripening dates, so you want them dropping apples during your hunting season. So, if you bow hunt, you might want something ripening from early October on, like the Galarina or Liberty. The Arkansas Black ripens Mid October so it’s a little later, but drops right through November. Enterprise ripens last of the ones you mention, so if you’re hunting gun season this one will probably be dropping all the way through. Of course, ripening dates are an imprecise science, and the reality is that trees drop apples well before, and well after, ripening periods. If I was a bow hunter, I might pick one ripening earlier than the Enterprise. If gun hunting in November, all are good choices.

I have all of these varieties planted myself, so I like your list. That said, my Arkansas Black starts dropping apples from late September and goes through November. The deer seem to hit this tree harder than some others. But my personal favorite variety is the Ida Red. Mine produces a bumper crops every year and drops a steady stream of apples from mid-September until mid-January. If I had to pick one tree, the Ida Red would be the one for me. They are kinda hard to fine on a decent rootstock like B.118 or M.111. Any one of the varieties you listed will do fine - under the right conditions of course, as Jack points out. Just my 2 cents… Good luck.

 

[gunfun13]

Exactly the info I was looking for Apple Junkie, thank you! I do have Ida Red scions coming this year, sounds like a great fit. Like the idea of an extended drop period. Although my biggest concern is that late Oct-mid Nov timeframe, I do hunt muzzleloader in December and once every few years hunt our Oct 1 bow opener.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

As Apple Junkie said, it may depend on the area you come from, and imprecise dropping schedules. My camp also has all the varieties you listed. Enterprise and Goldrush are our latest ripening apples, with Galarina & Arkansas Black late hangers too. We don't have an Ida Red, but A.J. posted pix of his Ida Red (on another thread) and it's still holding apples !! Can't go wrong there either.

 

[H20fwler]

Completely agree with the Enterprise, Arkansas Black and Galerina for good late hangers.

Another apple that holds late into season here is Northern Spy, drawbacks on it would be it takes about ten years before it starts fruiting but when it does it’s very consistent and loaded. It isn’t as DR as the other three but I’ve had no issues here giving it the same tough love I give my other apple trees.

 

[sandbur]

Columbia


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[Ben.MN/WI]

Columbia


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Is Columbia a crabapple or a standard apple? Where do you order them? I don't think I've heard of Columbia before, so I might have to pick a couple up.

 

[sandbur]

It’s a rootstock crab and I think I have the ID correct. See if TC has any of the Big Dog. That I sent him. I also sent him a wild apple I called Guard Dog ( dropped about Veterans Day).


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