Your apple recommendations please

[SMP1704]

I have 2 x 8 ft runs where I want to grow some cordon fruit trees.  I have looked at and read loads of web pages about different apple varieties and am now just confused.

Can you kind people let me have some recommendations for small, juicy dessert apples that are spur bearers.

Ta ever so.

(These sheds ads are just taunting me now............. ::)

[SMP1704]

[manicscousers]

we have a discovery apple, I think it's hard to beat as an early..doesn't store, that's the only problem..not sure about spur bearing ??? :)

[flossy]

  Not sure about spur bearing either, but we have a ' massive 20yr old Brambly Seedling,

  that has given us some fantastic fruit, left till ' late ',  they can be a dessert, sure you can

  grow any apple to suit your garden in the Esplanade ? fashion.

   floss xxx

[Digeroo]

Discovery is like marmite you either love it or hate it.  Lots of people don't like it. 

I like golden delicious myself.  Tastes totally different from the supermarket fruit.  sometime does not ripen, and you have to pick green, then not so good on taste.

There are apple tastings sometimes, so you can have a taste of different varietes,

What is the advantage of the spur bearing bit. 

[SMP1704]

I went on a pruning course at Capel Manor 2 years ago - 6 months after I had planted two Lidl apples as espaliers.  There I learnt the difference between spur and tip bearers - spurs are the knobbly bits on apple trees that occur along the branch (on mature trees) these spurs then flower and eventually fruit.  Tip bearers only produce flowers and fruit on the ends of the branches - so not much good for pruned forms.

I want cordons this time as I can get two to three trees in the 8ft run as opposed to one espalier in that space.

I was thinking discovery but I can't 'discover' if it is tip or spur bearing.

Keep the suggestions coming :D :D

[manicscousers]

just been to have a look, I'm sure it's on spurs as I cut the branch down to the fruit ater a while  :)

[saddad]

It's a spur, most are... if you don't like it Fiesta is a good alternative. I have both as the fiesta follows on. PS The Discovery are almost ready...  :)

[manicscousers]

PS The Discovery are almost ready...  :)

so are ours, just took off some wierd ones and cooked them  ;D

[Robert_Brenchley]

Bramley's is a partial tip bearer. It's difficult to know what to suggest when there are so many apples available, and so much depends on individual taste. James Grieve is a good early apple, and Egremont Russet is good for mid-season.

[tim]

A keeper is essential for our low consumption & I'm delighted with the BRAEBURNS we put in last year.

[tomatoada]

Is Braeburn a tip or spur one?   I have limited space.  Thanks.

[tim]

One source says tends toward tip bearing.

Check with Marshalls.

Big thing is self -pollinating.

[Barnowl]

Winter Gem has done well for us but needs a pollination partner (we have Red Falstaff but it produces large apples which probably wouldn't suit you.)

[GodfreyRob]

We have a Spartan - medium size fruit, dark red skin with lovely crisp tasty white flesh (often tinged with pink). We have never tried to keep it as we eat them all - so no idea how long you could store it for.
Out tree is a bit battered but we always get a reasonable crop - in Wharfedale so I guess we are in the 'North'.

Info here:

http://www.orangepippin.com/apples/spartan.aspx
http://www.victoriananursery.co.uk/fruit_and_nut_trees/apple_tree_spartan/
http://www.englishapplesandpears.co.uk/english_apple_variety_spartan.htm

[Melbourne12]

Blackmore Nurseries near Liss host an apple tasting day with lots of different heritage and modern apples and pears.  They are very knowledgeable and can supply most of the ones you can taste as well as advising you on others.  Well worth a visit (in October)  We have bought apples and plums from them and they have been brilliant.

[SMP1704]

Thanks Melbourne - just had a look at their website, the apple fair is the 11th October and it's in my diary.

The short-list so far is Braeburn, Discovery and Gala and maybe Fiesta - you see my dilemma....I just can't decide :-[

[tonybloke]

I went on a pruning course at Capel Manor 2 years ago - 6 months after I had planted two Lidl apples as espaliers.  There I learnt the difference between spur and tip bearers - spurs are the knobbly bits on apple trees that occur along the branch (on mature trees) these spurs then flower and eventually fruit.  Tip bearers only produce flowers and fruit on the ends of the branches - so not much good for pruned forms.

I want cordons this time as I can get two to three trees in the 8ft run as opposed to one espalier in that space.

I was thinking discovery but I can't 'discover' if it is tip or spur bearing.

Keep the suggestions coming :D :D

'discovey' are both a 'tip' bearer, and a 'spur' bearer!

[daileg]

this is a site that suggest the tree companions from one to another with the fruiting companions http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/fruit_veg_diary/fruit_veg_mini_project_september_2b2_apple.asp 
If you page on there is more infomtion regards prunning the likes

[Digeroo]

Just ate my first discovery today bit tart but quite tasty.   My discovery produces loads of fruit but it is not very keen on being pruned.  Getting rather large now!!!! 

[saddad]

They sweeten up fairly quickly...  :)