I wonder if king David is another name for king of Tompkins County I think I have read that it is and it’s so amazing Apple but mine always get fire blight in the trunk pretty quickly.
KoTC is a Baldwin type that is bigger, ripens earlier and sweeter, often to the point of developing water- core. It’s a nice apple but I prefer a quality Baldwin. Sweet lovers would likely prefer KTC.
King David is a Winesap type even smaller than Winesap with sweeter taste. but plenty of acid to go with that sugar… One of my top 6 or 7 favs.
4 Likes
Oh wow, that’s good information. Yes, almost 50% of my king of Tompkins County apples had water core especially as younger trees, and although you read, the water core portion is sweeter, actually in my opinion it ruins the Apple because the water core portion is really a weird texture and not particularly good to eat. Also, you will know that the outside becomes very waxy!
I think this would make a great Apple grafted onto a healthy trunk from a disease resistant tree.
The Japanese tend to prize water core in their Fuji apples and growers charge a premium for them. Here, I don’t find the texture or taste of water core offensive at all and not a problem for the texture. I’m told that it can affect storage because they break down quicker but it isn’t just young trees that get it. Most of the TK’s I manage are older than I am… I mean old!
Almost all the TK’s I eat are grown in Westchester. I’ve grafted my own tree to something else… it never bore consistently for me and is a squirrel super magnet.
1 Like