Anyone got one of these trees? Do is fruit well? Do the apples store? Any info is good info, Pleeease
I suspect you mean Bolero which is a Ballerina columnar type dessert apple with a September season. Never grown Ballerinas as the missus is only 5' - 1" and whinges if she can't reach them.......... ;D
A Ballerina variety raised at East Malling Research Station, Kent UK in 1976 from a Wijcik McIntosh x Greensleeves. Medium sized, round conical fruit. Smooth green skin turning yellow where exposed to the sun. Crisp and juicy with a flavour similar to James Grieve. The tree natrually grows in a columnar form. Side branches are not normally produced and the fruit is borne on the main stem.
Not sure about keeping qualities
More info but nothing about storage.
BOLERO®-Early season. A remarkable naturally columnar shaped apple tree with short spurs and no major branches. These trees were bred in England to fit the modern small space garden. They require no pruning, can be planted just 2 feet/60cms apart, grow only about 3 metres high, can be grown in pots, are partially self fertile, and crop very well. Bolero is green blushed yellow, crisp and rather acidic. UK, NZ.
Quote from: ktlawson on November 14, 2006, 22:44:49
exactly wot i meant, does it gic good crop and does it store well ???
As Grant says, it is partially fertile which means a heavy crop is not guaranteed consistently unless there is another apple tree nearby acting as a compatible pollinator. This can even be an ornamental crab apple. They don't give a massive crop as apple trees go because of their size and shape but the stem should be well covered with fruit. As for keeping, when I said their season is September, I meant that is when they are at their best for eating and to keep them longer depends on how well they are stored and at what stage you deem them unfit. Not having experience of this particular variety, with one of it's parents being James Grieve I would guess they should keep until the beginning of December. G'luck.