Apple varieties I can't do without!

General Fruit Growing
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Just curious what everyone would consider to be varieties that a person “needs” for sure in their home orchard? I have heard of many great varieties since joining here but personal opinions about apples are great :relaxed: I know we have the best tasting apple thread but this one can be a bit different. An apple can taste great without being the best and it might also be the best in other ways. Perhaps it is the easiest to grow or it is the most disease resistant or maybe it is just worth the trouble to grow because it does taste so good! I may also do a pear version of this thread :thinking:

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For me it is NW Greening. Yes I am partial to it as originated in my home state of WI. GREAT apple for pies and just excels for making apple tart tatin. Not available in stores or orchards around me in S.E. WI so I have to grow it if I want it. Still popular on the western side of WI but demand is waning. People don’t want to buy apples that are only good for cooking. Too bad most people can’t say “easy as pie” anymore because they do not make it but have to buy their pies.

NW Greening gets HUGE fruits, great yields and I used the last of them up in mid-February so they keep a long time in the refrigerator.

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That is what I am talking about! Great to hear about that apple and actually one that I received scions from this year and have 1 grafted to a rootstock and another rootstock that will be here this week that will get it :+1:

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My orchard wouldn’t be complete without at least one Tolman Sweet tree (I have two). Both my wife and I love them. Many folks do not however.

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Never even heard of this one! Could you tell me a bit about it? @smsmith

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It’s a an antique sweet apple. I’ve never tasted another apple that is similar at all.

https://www.albemarleciderworks.com/orchard/apple/tolman-sweet
https://www.orangepippin.com/varieties/apples/tolman-sweet
https://www.outonalimbapples.com/varieties/tolman-sweet

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Goldrush. A firm, tart apple that has a good amount of sweetness that increases over time. Good for fresh eating, pies, and stores for months. The variety has good disease resistance, although can get cedar apple rust pretty bad sometimes. I have one tree, and another potted. Only drawback is it needs a long growing season to get the best fruit.

Also recommend Suncrisp, another variety that I have two of, a tree and another potted. It’s not as tangy as Goldrush, but makes up for it with other interesting flavors. I got one fruit off my then three year old tree last season, it was very good.

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One of your ‘neighbors’ in WI sent me scionwood of NW Greening last year. I’ll have to say it’s a very vigorous apple. Loved how it took off.
Right in there with Wolf River in vigor.

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Tolman is another that I’m anxiously awaiting a chance to taste for the first time. (And one I think has potential to cross with other apples when I pretend to be a bee.)

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Thanks for those links!

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More great sounding varieties @subdood_ky_z6b and @BlueBerry :+1:

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For an early apple, Pristine is by far my favorite.

Some folks claim that Pristine is too tart. I’ve found that you have to treat them like american persimmons - wait until they fall free from the tree, and they will be at peak flavor and sweetness. If you can’t wait, just give them a little lift, and if they easily come free from the tree, then they’re good to eat. Any sooner, and they’ll still be tart.

For me, they’re usually ripe by mid July.

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Sounds like a good early apple @RobThomas :+1:

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Any other favorites that any of you grow that are a must have?

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I have to have a Northern Spy apple. One of the best eating and also pie apples.

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Myers Royal Limbertwig, Chestnut Crabapple, King of the Pippins, Red Royal Limbertwig, King David , Winter Sweet, Pixie Crunch, Black Limbertwig, Swiss Limbertwig, Victoria Limbertwig were the apples I enjoyed the most fresh off the tree last fall. Hope to taste many more varieties this fall.

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Plenty more great varieties, some of which I already have on my list and a few that I may need to add!

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Boskoop without a doubt.

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Will have to look that one up!

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I’ve got 60 varieties, but only a handful have fruited. I can’t imagine any of them topping my Zestar! It’s fruited the last 2 years and I’ve yet to have an apple make it back to the house as I can’t wait to eat them. They have a brown sugar flavor to them that makes my mouth water just typing this.

Perhaps this year it’ll produce enough fruit that my wife can try one… Lol

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