Tasted my first Black Limbertwig today. Tart and sweet definitely an eye opener and an enjoyable experience. This apple had dropped but the rest are holding tight.
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Nice. Looks just like mine. Pruning the weeping branches is taking me a few years to figure out plus so far mine’s a tip bearer that adds another wrinkle. Branches bend so low I’ve got apples sitting on the mulch.
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Same as with my Virginia Beauty. One apple spent its last two weeks sitting on the ground. A second hung about 2 inches above the ground.
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I had been looking at getting a Black LT or Victoria LT. That apple looks very nice. Good job.
I grafted one successfully in 2018…but it has hardly grown at all. Guess I need to give it some TLC…but with the drought, all I’ve been able to do is keep about 95% of my containerized trees alive…not easy.
Can any of you help me with some royal limbertwig info? Im wondering if royal and red royal have similar flavors? Is one sweeter than the other? Thank you.
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@highdesertheritage I can answer your question either next year or year after. @thepodpiper might have both Royal LT and Red Royal producing by now, not sure
Black Limbertwig growers: Do you find best taste before or after natural drop? Here 7B they’ll hang almost til November.
2019 taste did not impress me so I probably picked at wrong time. I better start sampling.
Any limbertwig updates so far this year? I had old fashion the other day and was probably one of the best apples ive had off any of my young trees so far.
Myers Royal and Red Royal were my favorites this year. Followed by Swiss and Kentucky. My Victoria and Brushy Mountain are just now ripening.
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BLT has to hang a good long time, not necessarily til drop but close to. If you pick it a bit too early store it for a couple months. In fact store it for a couple months anyway, it will be a lot better.
This year I didn’t get any thanks to my massive army of pests.
KY LT was very nice this year, it is milder but very well-balanced. Every year I like it a bit more.
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Black on black on black- I grafted over the upper portion of this Black Oxford to Arkansas Black and Black Limbertwig in 2016 and they all set a nice crop this year. Got the scion from someone on this forum-thanks!!
BO is bottom, AKB, BLT clockwise
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Will put my Black LT in storage with a friend who has fridge space and try again around New Years. Same for my Red Royal LT and Swiss LT- not good to eat right off the tree, at least this year.
I am surprised you can ripen your Black Limbertwig in time in your zone 4.
I have heard Limbertwigs are late apples. My Victoria Limbertwig does not ripen yet.
Welcome back.
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I asked Ron Joyner at Big Horse Creek Farm when to pick Black LT. He replied: "Have you had a frost/killing freeze yet? If not, I would let the apples hang in the trees until there is a freeze imminent. Should you notice the apples are starting to fall with more frequency, then pick them right away.
Limbertwigs are very much like Arkansas Black in that they ripen very late and so benefit greatly from an extended tree ripening. If you must pull them early, put the apples in a large paper bag(s) and place in the refrigerator for an extended period of chilling."
@thepodpiper and @greyphase and other Limbertwig growers- wanted to see what you think about this advice.
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No Black Limbertwigs this year, but I picked last years crop as they became loose off the tree. Not enough to save any I ate them as I picked them in October and remember an enjoyable tasting apple.
This year I picked my Myers Royal and Red Royal through the month of October as they became loose. Both great tasting right off the tree with a juicy sweet-tart taste that I personally like. Have some in storage to see how they do. My Kentucky’s were more sweet than tart but I stilled enjoyed them off the tree also picked in October. Used most for sauce. First crop of just a couple of Swiss Limbertwigs this year picked in late October with a good flavor right off the tree. My Victoria’s are just becoming loose now. A sweet, dense apple, no very juicy I’ll storage an few and use the rest for sauce. A small crop of Brushy Mountain’s are still hanging tight. These are just my personal experiences with the Limbertwig apples with many more varieties to taste in the years to come. 
Hambone, the Slemp, Golden, and Striped limbertwig scion you sent me are all growing nicely in the nursery. 
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@greyphase Great report on ripening/taste.
None of my limbertwigs taste very good right off the tree- dense with slight hint of sweetness. They scream “Store me.” This is true even when I let them drop. Puzzled by this.
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I have had plenty of good Limbertwigs right off the tree, but always picked very late. These days (well, years besides this one when critters stole my crop) I pretty much always store any Limbertwig though as they always improve in storage.
BTW I completely agree with what Ron states above. The less ripe when picked the longer you will need to store them before they are any good, but they will last longer in storage if picked when less ripe. Speaking of that I think I have a few KY LT’s in storage I should try, they ripened before the Critter Squad showed up and cleaned me out.
EDIT: I found a KYLT in storage. It is still not ready. I expect I picked it early because the apples were vanishing.
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Any updates on kentucky limbertwig guys? Im debating on planting more or going with another variety. Thanks!
