Roxbury Russet is hard to beat, especially for an heirloom with as much history as it has. That’s one of the things that hooks me about growing apples. There is so much history behind so many varieties!
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Any recommendations for russets not susceptible to fire blight and canker? Or at least not susceptible to nearly every disease under the sun? I grafted an Orleans Reinette last Spring, and Knobby Russet, despite the reports here saying it tastes as good as it looks 
, but they won’t be bearing until next year at least.
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I’ve fruited Hudson’s Golden Gem, Roxbury Russet, St Edmond’s Russet, Egremont Russet, Claygate Pearmain, Ashmead’s Kernel, Belle de Boskoop. I’m sorry to say that I like them all. I’m growing Zabergau Reinette but so far have produced only 1-2 fruits.
Put a gun to my head and I’d choose Ashmead’s. But maybe I’ll change my mind next year.
Belle de Boskoop is tasty and tart. It turns out to be a superb apple for sauce.
For all of them, it’s important to make sure that they are fully ripe. I know that Rox Russet benefits from some seasoning after picking; I assume the others so as well.
Re disease, I’ve had no fireblight or canker here at all. I do get some rust but the only serious issue is late-season rot. I assume I can solve that problem by spraying a fungicide into August / early Sept.
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In my S. NY location, Hudson’s Golden Gem is a crowd pleaser and brain teaser. This year it was my highest brix apple which always pleases the crowd. It’s very low acid and shape are distinctly pear-like, which confuses the uninitiated. I wonder if those that don’t think it produces consistently aren’t jumping to conclusions based on young trees on vigorous root stocks. It has some biennial tendency but at least bears heavily every other year for me. Many very good heirlooms tend towards biennial bearing if they ripen late.
Properly ripened, Golden Russet is a wonderful apple but it has more problems than HGG with coddling moth. St. Edmonds Russet is difficult to protect from birds, perhaps because it ripens so early. I have little use for early ripening apples anyway- I live where a wide variety of summer fruits can be grown into Oct. For me, apples are for fall and winter into early spring.
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