I thought that I would start a thread on the oblique cordon apple project I am starting this spring, so that others can learn from my successes and mistakes and also so that I can get any advice you all are willing to share. All feedback is appreciated.
We moved into a .5acre lot and away from our property and small orchard last June. With limited space and inspired by these videos from @applenutOld Southern Apples - YouTube, I decided to put in a row of oblique cordons along a N to S running fence along the back on the lot. The bed is 40ft long with a 3 wire trellis. I grafted 18 varieties listed below to Bud-9 stock in March. All are leafing out currently with Trailman and Chestnut looking a bit weak.
Very cool I look forward to seeing the progress. I have made cordons using currants. All are not finished yet. I started over on one. It takes patience so hang in there.
@Philbert
Very cool, I just posted some pics of my setup in Ross’s thread. Seems like we have a similar setup, I am interested to hear how the project progresses for you.
Some interest in oblique Cordons in another thread got me jump started on updating with my progress. I thought that a report on growth of the various varieties all on Bud 9 may hold some value with the obvious caveat that there are tons of variables at play. Here are the varieties and total growth in year one:
Gold rush: almost to the 6 foot wire. This was the only plant that was not a directly planted bench graft. It was grafted in 2022 and lived in a pot for a year
Liberty: 4 ft
Cherry Cox: 3 ft
Jonafree: 4ft
Trailman: 1 ft
Williams pride: 2.5ft
Hudson’s Golden Gem: 2 ft
Pipsqueek: 3 ft
Arkansas Black: 3ft
Wickson: 3 ft
King David: 2.5ft
Frostbite: 1 ft
Kidd’s Orange Red: Graft initially seemed to take but ultimately failed. New bench graft of Ashmead’s kernal replaced it last week
Crimson Crisp: 2 ft
Sweet sixteen: 1 ft
Rubinette: 2.5 ft
Centennial Crab: 1 ft
Chestnut: Dog broke the graft. Refracted Chestnut to a shoot from last years root stock as of last week
As far as pruning in year one: I checked any lateral growth during the growing season back to a couple of buds with the goal of directing most of the vigor to the apical growth.
I’ll be interested to see if at this time next year, the other varieties make it to the 6’ wire. My understanding is that Gold Rush tends to be a slow grower, due to its precocity, anyhow. I suppose it could just be the extra year of growth, but could also be that growing the first season vertically (instead of at 45 degrees) allowed for more vigor.
For the bench grafts that you planted directly, did you have any issues training the new growth to the sticks without stressing the graft itself? I know a lot of new growth will try to go straight vertical, so wasn’t sure how that panned out.
Gold rush has grown like a beast in my neglected nursery bed. It hit 10 ft in its third year and managed to set a few fruit. Granted, this is in the best spot in that bed. The only variety to surpass it was blue pearmain.
I think the deal with Goldrush is that it is so precocious and apt to overset, that it can easily be stunted. Don’t let it fruit and it’s growth pattern is pretty normal.
Gold rush definitely grew well the first year in the pot and was a good sized whip when I planted it into the row…. Root ball was robust as well. It’s covered in spurs and I could see how if I let it make even a fraction of the fruit it might try to set that it could be set back.
As far training the bench grafts to the stakes, it was pretty straight forward. I already had the trellis and the oblique stakes in place when I put the trees in so I just planted them at a 45 degree angle and tied them to the stake at the time of planting. I actually dug the hole, tied them to the stake and then filled in the soil around the roots…. Worked great!
First Pipsqueek crab picked on Aug 27 2024. A beautiful yellow russet with dense flesh and a pleasant crunch. Intense flavor with yellow apple notes but plenty of balancing tang.
Overall progress shot of the cordons. Many plants at the 6 ft wire with several others a foot or so away. I continue to pinch off new growth to 3 or so buds the control lateral growth and keep each plant within its allotted space. A decent crop of about 8 Goldrush still hanging. Aside from a few Wickson, that will be it for the fruit this year. Next year more of the plants should be ready to produce.
3 Wicksons picked on 10/3/24. They didn’t get as red as photos I’ve seen, but they seemed to be ripe. Tons of both acid and sugar…… flavor bombs. Dense pleasantly hard texture. Didn’t note the “maltiness” that some describe.
Picked 10 Goldrush today along with one about 2 weeks ago that was a little under ripe and somewhat starchy and acidic, although still tasty and a far cry from the “battery acid” description I’ve seen invoked about under ripe Goldrush. I haven’t tasted the ones picked today as of yet, but if the color change is an indicator they should be quite a bit better than the first one I tried.
Also, identified borrer (looked like pacific flat headed borer) damage on Trailman, Wickson, frostbite, crimson crisp and Rubinette. Most relatively minor, but the photo is of Frostbite and the damage is severe and the tree seems to be girdled. All damage right at the graft union. In retrospect this may have been the cause of the previous delayed graft failure.
I’ve heard that Goldrush holds well on the tree into the winter so I left a few to test over time. Picked and ate this one yesterday. Great texture and very tasty. Still a good acid bite but milder than when picked earlier.
Hudson’s Golden Gem (base beside T post)
Pipsqueek
Arkansas Black
Wickson
King David
Frost Bite
Failed Ashmead’s Kernal Graft (base just left of right hand T Post)
