Starting a new thread for misc. apple issues and discussions
The leaves are discolored, sometimes deformed due to a burnt off look on the ends. Very unsightly and uglier than Honeycrisp foliage.
I may try another scion from another source. I plan to graft the RLT, BMLT, OFLT and a Levering all in close proximity to observe.
FYI, the Levering is reportedly a sport of the Limbertwig which is also known as the OFLT that produces larger apples than the OFLT. Both are reportedly tetraploid.
Although the Brushy is almost identical in appearance, but just smaller than the OFLT, it’s reportedly not a tetraploid which means that it’s unlikely the two are closely related unless the BMLT is a sport of the OFLT, or the OFLT is a sport of the BMLT. The BMLT is reportedly diploid
I reached out to an ag expert who works in the field of apples at U of Kentucky and that person reached out to a geneticist concerning ploidy changes during the sport mutation process. It would be nearly impossible for a triploid to produce a diploid sport. I have no idea if a tetraploid tree can produce a diploid sport.
It’s much easier, biologically speaking, to double ploidy than it is to halve it, so I doubt it’s likely to happen. I would really love to be wrong though
It would not surprise me a bit if the Red Limbertwig and Winesap were sibling seeds from the same tree. WSU shows no Ark Black parentage and only one parent for the Black Twig. NAFEX is showing Red Limbertwig/Winesap parentage for both. I’m no Red Limbertwig expert, but the ones I remember eating a couple decades ago were semi-conical just like Winesaps.
I recently read many Limbertwigs were piss poor pollinators. It’s interesting the Winesap has sterile pollen but isn’t triploid. For years, the Ark Black was thought to be triploid until it was discovered it wasn’t since the pollen was reportedly not viable. This quirkiness may be manifesting in some Limbertwigs as well. It seems someone or people in general were very enthusiastic about the Winesap and went crazy planting seeds. I would have as well. The Winesap is one of my favorites.
Here in the Arizona high country Red Limbertwig is one of my best apples. It takes our crazy weather in stride. Makes a really good tasting juicy apple. I had low expectations of it because of all the reviews I’ve read but it’s definitely top 10. Brushy Mountain and Smoky Mountain are also top notch. Unfortunately OFLT has yet to make a decent apple here.
As much as I would like OFLT to be a great dessert apple; it is not. However it is fantastic for cooking. Cider/Brandy as well. Like Royal Limvbertwig it is a passable eater with some storing.
I’m having some concerns regarding my Williams Pride. It seems to rot wherever the fruit makes contact with anything. Is this a condition due to heat or is this a feature of this variety?This is a problem for dwarf trees that fruit on vertical wood. Are others having the same issue? It seems this tree may fruit better on a normal semi dwarf.
Sorting through emails and DM’s. NCHC says Jim Kell Thinskin/Fort’s Prize is “Milam. SSE Orchard’s testing says Fort’s Prize and “Pink Sugar” are identical.
Wow! Those are tall and thin for two year old Bud 9s! Fertilizer?
I have about 35-40 trees on Bud 9. Most of them took 4 years to obtain any size and are hanging out at about 8’ with little pruning from me. There are 5 I continually need to head back because they want to be 12-15 feet tall. 1 is Pink Pearl, 1 is Thompkins King, and the other 3 are missing tags.
I have Milam, Red Winter Pearmain, and Jim Kell Thin Skin and they are all exactly the same apple. I wonder if Milam and Red Winter Pearmain are actually the same apple or if the confusion from the past is still following this apple. Frustrating sometimes, I really want to get the real deal of Milam and Jim Kell if they are out there.
Red Winter Pearmain I sourced from Trees of Antiquity and Derek at Hocking Hills, they are correct, Milam and Jim Kell I got as trees from Century Farm Orchards.
