I only have one HAG graft on a Gold Rush. So, all I can say is GR has CAR even after two sprays of myclo. I could have sprayed more but I can live with some CAR. I did not notice much CAR on my HAG. @scottfsmith probably could tell you more if it’s CAR resistant.
@jxz7245, I had only two HAG to try this year, too small a sample. However, it was the only apple I’ve eaten that had sweetness that reminded me of honey. Scott said it’s not as dry as Ashmead. (I have not tasted Ashmead). Still, HAG is a bit on a dry side (i.e. not juicy) to me. I like it a lot.
Taste is also subjective. What I like, you may not like and vise versa.
In my experience, the best of the old strains are the most susceptible to russeting. I think intense sweetness may be related to the russet ancestry. Older strains may also be less susceptible to curc damage- maybe because curc likes smooth skin. Rougher skin also holds more pesticide or Surround.
@scottfsmith Scott do you notice much CAR on your Hooples? I’ve avoided grafting it at properties with Red Cedar but as I look into it more, I can’t find anyone other than DV seeing a problem. If it has normal CAR resistance then I’ll spread HAG far and wide. I have not seen any CAR on three year old grafts here.
Well, stink bugs and codling moth certainly don’t mind russeting. This year they didn’t do too much damage to most of the russets I manage but still messed up most the Korean Giant pears on my own tree- the stinkers, that is.
After a huge bloom when they first showed up 4-5 years ago they have not been so bad for me. I do have to use Surround on the pears later through the year or they will get all stunk-up. I have also seen spiders, parasitic wasps, and praying mantis eating them in my orchard, so they are getting eaten. I don’t spray the blackberries and they are not doing too bad stinker-wise.
Re: your question about Starks and Golden Delicious, pretty much everyone switched to newer varieties over the years. 30 years ago nobody wanted to grow the original one, they wouldn’t be able to sell them.
Of course I can’t verify that this is actually the original, but it would stand to reason that quite a few of the original strain must still be out there given that the variety has only been around for just over a hundred years.
Thank you for the link. I’ll take a look at getting one. I have a couple of the Stark Bros versions just to use to help pollinate the other trees I have planted. Once the other trees get bigger I was going to change them over to something else. So far I am not impressed with the Stark Bros ones.
Perhaps the Grandpas Orchard version is better. In a few years I will know.
I’m not talking about BMS, although they caused a lot of damage at a few sites 3 seasons ago, I’m talking about other ones that have been here for a while, like green stink bugs. They started showing up in my orchard about 5 years ago after never being a presence for 20. Korean Giant isn’t even worth growing any more because of ever increasing damage in my orchard. I just don’t want to have to use additional sprays.