Honeycrisp Finally Waking Up


This behavior is pretty typical for high-chill apples here, usually Honeycrisp will set a fruit for every blossom. Despite the brutal September heat, the apples picked in October and November are surprisingly good, way better than any Honeycrisp we can get in the store here.

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How do they get pollinated? Are other varieties also blooming now?

What are Januarys and Februarys like there?

Yes, we have different varieties blooming all season through November; pollination is never a problem except for Anna in January.

January is usually glorious here, often in the 80’s, with clear, blue skies during the day and cool nights. February can be cool and moist, sometimes hitting 30F at night but warming up to mid-60s during the day. But it can hit 90F any day of the year.

Those sound like good months for getting lots of work done.


Yes, day and night; this is in January (stripping leaves getting ready to spray dormant oil).

I’m nearly convinced that too much is made of Honeycrisp suffering in fruit quality when grown in warmer climates. I think a lot of this was started from Minnesota growers who were saddened to see their pride and joy being grown elsewhere. I don’t blame them though.
Obviously though your Z10 is the absolute radical extreme of this issue.

I suspect any differences are subtle at most, excluding of course far out zone differences like in your case.

There is at least one local orchard growing Honeycrisp in Alabama (Petals From The Past). I attended one of Dr Powells classes about four years ago and his Honeycrisp planting were doing well and fruiting at the time. Bill

Yeah, I must say I don’t think anyone could tell the difference between an apple off my tree or one grown in Minnesota or Washington provided they were all equally fresh etc.
I know I can’t.

I think the reality is that Honeycrisp will produce similar tasting apples no matter where they are grown if conditions are reasonable for good growing…ie chill hours, adequate water etc.