Picking Kidd’s over the last week, they are perfectly ripe. This is probably our 3rd year with these. I would have to say, I wouldn’t recommend. We tasted them today along with a slightly underipe Cox, and it’s nowhere near it’s parent. To me Kidd’s is a really good golden delicious. Sweet with little acidity and no cox like complexity.
I might top work or replant. I always say that but it might become a sauce apple for me.
2 Likes
I have a few Kidd’s but they’re not quite ready. I’ll update.
Sometimes a cold storage for several weeks can do wonders for improving the flavor.
3 Likes
Hello,
Thanks for the reminder. I am going to try that with the ones I have left.
Either I’m a person with a simple palate or there’s great variation in this depending on climate/conditions.
This is the first year I’ve had a substantial Kidd’s crop on my M111 tree from Century Farm Orchards. Early on I was getting some that had the same explosive orangey aromatics I have tasted in Suncrisp (from local orchard), and also some that tasted like elevated Gala. Same tree, same color to the seeds. Unsure of position on the tree, I’m assuming that heat units or something must play a role in that. Today I was making a crisp and was taking out more of the peel than I have to so I could eat apples as I went. Some of the Kidd’s had a 3rd flavor profile that was more like a freshly squeezed apple cider. I really like the orangey flavor and the fresh squeezed apple cider flavor. I would not be excited if it was all “improved Gala” for me.
1 Like
Yeah idk. I had these at an apple orchard and they are the best apple ive ever had. The intense spiced orange apple cider taste was great. I tried a few that had that early season frost damage and for some reason the flavor on those were even more intense and good. Great scent on these too
2 Likes
I picked mine late this year and they tasted too much like a Red Delicious, sweet and not a lot else. But other years I have had awesome ones. Some apples I am getting now that are super consistent are Swayzie and Rubinette, those apples are the same great stuff every year.
2 Likes
I just asked Gemini about your location, and the south in general, vs mine and how Kidds performs in these climates. Below is what it gave me for an answer.
I am also wondering about shade. It could be that the “elevated Galas” I’m getting are all understory. My open center pruning minimizes that but I didn’t prune waterspouts mid-summer. If that little bit of shade did it then I should prune once or twice during the season.
I’m pretty enthusiastic about what I got this year. I think the tree is still getting established and if that’s the case this could be what I get every year. GoldRush and Hoople’s are far behind this tree in development it might be a good idea to remove most or all fruits that set from those next year to nudge it into growing into a nice tree like Kidd’s is.
Yes, Kidd’s Orange Red is widely recognized by fruit enthusiasts to perform significantly better in the North and Northeast than in the Mid-Atlantic or South.
Its performance split across regions comes down to two major environmental factors:
1. Nighttime Temperatures and Flavor/Color Development
In the North (CT / Zone 6): Warm, sunny autumn days combined with cool, crisp September and October nights allow Kidd’s to reach its absolute peak. The drop in night temperatures slows down fruit respiration, preserving volatile organic compounds and malic acid while allowing sugars to build up. This is what unlocks that sharp, explosive fresh-squeezed apple cider and vibrant orange-zest profile, along with its rich, mottled red-orange blush.
In the Mid-Atlantic & South (VA, NC, Deep South): Extended late-summer heatwaves and muggy, warm nights cause the fruit to burn off acids rapidly through respiration. The result is a much sweeter, flatter apple that loses its distinctive Cox-style aromatic complexity and sharp cider punch, often finishing washed-out or dull in color.
2. Rot Pressure and Summer Heat Stress
In the Mid-Atlantic/South: High night humidity combined with extreme heat triggers relentless pressure from summer rots—specifically bitter rot (Colletotrichum) and black rot. While Kidd’s has a tougher skin than its parent Cox’s Orange Pippin, in southern humidity it is far more prone to rotting on the branch before it can ever reach full maturity. Growers in Maryland, Virginia, and further south frequently report having to spray heavily or lose large portions of the crop to rot.
In Zone 6 Connecticut: While New England summer humidity exists, the overall heat load is much lower, and late-season night temperatures drop fast. This allows Kidd’s natural ability to “cork over” minor skin wounds or insect stings without the entire apple melting into brown rot—giving you that legendary unsprayed resilience you’ve experienced in your Connecticut yard.
1 Like
Kidd’s Orange falls between RD and Fuji here. Too much heat.
Mine have been great some years, it might depend on how much heat we have. Also my tree used to have less sun, there was a big oak in the way. That oak is gone now and they might be getting too baked now.
I have a new tree of it which is partly shaded by an apricot, maybe I will keep it that way..