After waiting five years for grafts of Aunt Rachel to bear, even with branch bending, I’m disappointed. A huge apple but soft and unpleasantly tart. Meh. I hear they’re better if the apple gets direct sun. May re-graft the AR branches. A very shy bearer here for me. Overall not a keeper. Monark may be my only good summer apple.
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TY for the update. I had been looking at the Aunt Rachel as one to get for an early apple. I do have a Monark planted but it is too young to bear so far. It is only on it’s 3rd leafing this year. It bloomed this spring but no fruit. Hopefully next year I can report on the Monark.
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An accomplished grower friend in Alabama says Aunt Rachel is his favorite apple. Maybe it needs long and extreme heat (plus direct sun on the fruit).
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I do think location makes a big difference with some apples. Just a few hours difference in distance can make a big difference from what I am seeing with some apples. Even soil differences can effect the apple.
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Note that some of these early tart apples were developed to make apple sauce. Lodi is a terrible apple for eating, for instance, but makes good pies and sauce. What use did you put Aunt Rachel to?
I just ate it off the tree. Not a huge fan of applesauce so will probably graft it over to something else.
I like State Fair a bit more than MonArk… it is another good early apple to consider. I have not had a lot of fruit on either so consider my opinion soft. Both are good fresh eating red apples.
I removed a lot of early apples, many are meant for cooking only.
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Wonder how it would fair in Florida?? One thing we have an abundance of is long extreme heat.