Topic: Late Apples

[winecap]

There is an apple tree growing on rough ground, not too far from my home which held its apples well past New Year. In fact there were around 40 still on the tree on March 1st, and that despite all the strong winds we have had. I went along with my fruit picker and took an apple to taste, which was not unlike a golden delicious. I managed to take a small branch for grafting, but I've been wondering what other varieties are good for standing right through winter. I had another look this week, and there were only a couple left. Any suggestions on very late apples?
Thanks. Jon.

[galina]

Our Crispin aka Mutsu is still storing well.  The variety is a bit like 'Granny Smith meets Golden Delicious', very good flavour.  But it does have slightly peculiar 'sooty' looking spots, ie not the prettiest apple to look at.  These spots are not a disease, just what this apple looks like, some years more others less.  Other than looks, it is a superb eating apple and can be eaten from late September to early May (if stored reasonably cool).

This winter was very good for apple survival.  Not enough frost to hurt them and plenty of other food around for the birds, who would have otherwise finished them off much sooner.   

The apple you saw is probably a seedling of Golden Delicious.  These are quite common alongside roads and railways, probably something to do with all the thrown out apple cores