@NuttingBumpus Interesting to hear you mention codling moth on M26! Out of all my trees, the M26 was the only one that got absolutely swarmed with aphids (‘blackfly’ here in the UK), so I wonder if it’s just got lower resistance to pests all around… The rootstock I’ve ordered for my spring apple grafting projects is G.214 (with a couple M116 in case G.214, which is an unknown variable for me, completely tanks for some reason) which is meant to have exceptional resistance to woolly aphid, but no idea how it’ll fare with UK pests (primarily codling moth & blackfly, I think).
@fruitbat: Didn’t notice you were in the UK. Have you tried Lamb Abbey? Since grafting it, LA has become one of my favorite apples, alongside GoldRush and Claygate.
Thank you for your observation: I had never connected the two apples that had the most codling moth pressure - far & away more than any other apples in this yard, over 15 varieties to compare with in as many years - stood on EMLA26.
If another shoot emerges from that root next season (thought it should have died by now) I will graft Lamb Abbey to it. LA is so precocious, it should have codling moth targets in short order. It won’t matter if it is stunted.
One wonders if some component in M26 attracts insects? I have not seen aphid problems with apple stocks in my arid region. It seems to harass orchards in the humid eastern half of the Lower 48. I have had trees on Gen202, G30, G890, G41 &11, Budagovsky118, P2, & MM111.
Nigel Deacon seems to favor MM106. It comes up in mention of Mere Pippin, which I hope to obtain from the sole source of it in the States: Skillcult. If I may, will graft Mere to B118, MM106 & G30, in that order of priority & number of buds on the scions (will hope to get two sticks). Mere Pippin’s growth habit - straight up - long keeping fruit and precocious bloom all seem worth trying in this place so different from damp/soggy Somerset.
If Mere doesn’t lose all flavor in the low oven temperature of summer here, I shall be delighted. Even if it does, I may try breeding with it. Never thought I’d seriously consider breeding apples. Not as if I’m young…which might add urgency to the project!