I like the taste of Liberty. I’m unsure as to how well it will perform in my 7b zone.
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R u potting the El Dorado?
I suspect Liberty will grow OK in Alabama…it made a pretty tree in Kentucky…green, no diseases…beared early on either M106 or M7 (I don’t remember). Pretty fruit, also, without spraying.
My problem was I DIDN’T like the taste very much!
(And drift from utility power line spraying brought an early demise to a healthy tree under 10 years old.)
But, it may take cool weather to bring out the best taste…and if that’s the case, it won’t taste that great in Alabama either.
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@Reg, yes. I want to design a plant box for it that will accommodate a dolly so I can move it into the garage for the winter, and an airspace in the sides for insulation. Not a difficult design, just have to do it.
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Garage it and no curl 
I’ve seen you mention splendour a few times. Where did you ultimately order it from, Cummins or TOA? There’s not much online about this apple variety, but “fireblight immunity” intrigued me. Please update us on your tree! I sadly pruned out 70% of fireblight branches on my 20 year old Fuji tree this year alone.
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Heya! @Martin
I ended up going with TOA - i want to vary my rootstocks, leaning away from genevas bc of brittle graft stories. This tree will be on M111
Its NZ apple. Amazing keeper, very high fireblight resistance. Its a sweet, subacid, thin skinned apple. All things i like - and i figure with goldrush and splendour i will have a great store of apples into spring/summer
I wanted it for a long time, not easiest to find.
I have friends in NZ. Their seasons are opposite of course but the climate is very similar to mine (NY, on island) a sort of temperate maritime. Stuff that works there seems to work here.
I hear good things about TOA, im hoping for some nice solid grafts
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TOA is about a 3 hour drive for me, though with current gas prices I’m not sure if I’ll save much on shipping. That’s an expensive bare root apple tree. I’m used to seeing 20-30 dollars for an apple. I can’t imagine there’s a patent on it, is there?
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I ordered Contender & Red Haven peaches from Adams County a few days ago.
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Calville is one of my favorite cooking apples. Just enough tartness, and has kind of a Champagne-ish flavor when baked in pies and tarts. I find it helps to go easy on the sugar so the flavor shines through.
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Ordered a King David apple. Looking forward to it.
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I’ve ordered:
Lapins, Minnie Royal, Royal Lee, and Craig’s Crimson cherries, all on Maxma 14.
California, Bartlett, Warren, and Seckel pears on OHxF 333.
Arctic Jay and Liz’s Late nectarines, Mariposa plum, Flavor King pluot on Citation.
Arkansas Black apple on M111 (to espalier).
I’m going to order scion wood to continue top-working my project apple tree. I haven’t finalized varieties yet, but probably Calville Blanc, Granny Smith, and Pink Pearl.
I have been getting into gingers lately. I have ordered several varieties, both edible and non-edible, including turmeric and the galanga that is so ubiquitous in Thai food.
I have decided to order a pomegranate. I’m not in a prime pomegranate-growing area and I don’t have much space, so I’m trying to decide on variety. I’m going to start another thread for advice on the pomegranate selection.
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Sounds good 
I’ve ordered 5 apple trees. Can anyone provide me advice on the two varieties that would make the best espalier tree. Ordered these from Century Farm Orchards.
- Ashmead Kernal
- Hudson’s Golden Gem
- Fuji
- Cox’s Orange Pippin
- Newtown (Albermale) Pippin
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I just found evidence of borers on my plum so I’m going to have to start spraying. I’m still trying to decide on the very best peach variety for my area(just east of Dallas) that can be kept manageable in an 8x8ish, full day of sun space. I’ve put this off for so long due to the problems that come with peaches. Really looking for some suggestions so I can get an order in or keep an eye out at nearby nurseries. Are any of the genetic dwarf varieties worth investing in or would they be more problematic than others in my area?
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Plum,
You are in San Diego, a very warm zone. You may want to do some research on what apple varieties perform best in your climate.
For Espalier, you need to avoid tip bearer varieties. There are a few varieties that are true tip bearers. Many are semi-tip bearers. On your list, I would avoid Fuji for that reason.
I attached this blog for you. It’s a New Zealand nursery but the info could be useful to you and others who are thinkng about espalier their apples.
https://www.waimeanurseries.co.nz/blog/best-apple-varieties-for-espalier-training/.
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Do you know of the self fertile low chill cherry or did you avoid it on purpose?
I also have ark black on m111 ordered
Did u order from adams county?
ammoun, I’m not sure which variety of cherry you have in mind. I knew I wanted 4 varieties of cherries, so I wasn’t looking specifically for a self fertile variety, just a mix of varieties that would pollinate each other.
I do in general avoid varieties of fruit that are marketed as “low chill”. Although I am in zone 10a where we don’t have many actual frosts, we do have plenty of hours below 45 degrees, and I have found that fruit that says it requires 400-600 chill hours does fine here. If you live in the low desert and low chill varieties are all you can grow, then you have to go that route. But I think the hybridizers are sacrificing flavor or other characteristics to select for the low chill characteristic.
I did break my own rule on that for the Red Baron peach, though. Red Baron is my all-time favorite peach, both for fruit and ornamental qualities. And I did find out after I bought it that it was labeled “low chill.” But I have tried other low chill varieties that I was less than impressed with.
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