Author Topic: Apple Trees  (Read 7091 times)

PurpleHeather

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Re: Apple Trees
« Reply #20 on: October 03, 2010, 00:35:07 »
Decide first if you want your apple trees to be

Standard
 That means a big tree you will need a ladder to collect the fruit from and you need to have have loads of space for it

Cordon

That means it will climb along a wall or a substantial fence

Miniature

That means they will grow in a big tub or wont grow too tall.

Ballerina

They grow on a single branch and do not spread like normal trees.

Next think of the type of apple you like. Is it for cooking eating (for taste) or keeping for both cooking and keeping.

The size of the area you have available can dictate the type and variety of apple tree suitable for you.

Forget the apples available in shops. (often imported) You can, with your own tree enjoy apples that are not grown commercially and there are loads of them with wonderful flavours.

I will say one thing at this point. Watch out for being tempted to buy an apple tree which has beautiful red apples. As yet. I have not found a red apple brilliant to eat, nor have I found any one who has tasted a beautiful looking red apple who will tell me that they are scrumptious.

An apple tree is for life. So make sure that you get a variety you will enjoy especially if you only have the space to grow one variety.

If need be wait a year to decide after tasting a few.

Three Examples are:-

Coxes Orange Pippin Lovely taste and they keep fairly well

Russets, outstanding flavour but they do not keep well

Bramley
Are a superb cooking apple, very sour but most British people adore them cooked with loads of sugar. They need five other varieties of apples nearby to pollenate them properly BUT that could be within two miles so don't be put off if you want cooking apples.

An apple tree sounds like a wonderful idea but my personal advice is:- WAIT until you have tasted a locally grown apple you love then buy the tree. Taste is personal and with so many varieties available, why go by what other people tell you or look at a pretty picture in a catalogue?

I have all the above and a Worcester too. If I had to chose I would keep the Bramley then the Russet. My dear departed father would have kept the Coxes Orange Pippin  My husband would prefer to Russet. to all the others Yet my daughter thinks the Worcester is the best.

My grand daughter likes Golden Delicious best and buys hers rather than eat what we grow for free.

Ard Werk Innit?



realfood

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Re: Apple Trees
« Reply #21 on: October 03, 2010, 19:07:32 »
Sawfish, have you visited the children's garden yet at the Glasgow Botanics? I went yesterday and you can see how about 12 varieties are doing. Very well actually, with surprisingly little canker. Still no word as to when their apple day is due.
For a quick guide for the Growing, Storing and Cooking of your own Fruit and Vegetables, go to www.growyourown.info

Robert_Brenchley

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Re: Apple Trees
« Reply #22 on: October 03, 2010, 19:11:16 »
Cox's is OK if you live in Kent, but it's got a reputation for being unreliable in British summers. There are plenty of Cox relatives which are comparable and probably better; Sunset is supposed to be  good one.

sawfish

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Re: Apple Trees
« Reply #23 on: October 03, 2010, 22:25:32 »
Yes I avoided Cox's Pippin because it doesn't grow well here but mainly because I don't like the taste. I love Discovery apples though. I think the three choices I made seem pretty darned good.

I'll keep an eye out for the botanics apple day Realfood :)
« Last Edit: October 03, 2010, 22:27:42 by sawfish »

triffid

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Re: Apple Trees
« Reply #24 on: October 07, 2010, 02:52:00 »
....
If an apple was susceptible to frost would it help if you were to cover it in fleece, even a double layer? Just leave it on till May?

The problem with covering apple trees in fleece once they're in blossom is that pollinating insects can't reach the flowers, so no apples would subsequently grow.  Same applies to all other insect-pollinated fruit trees.

 

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