I was wondering if there’s an apple that you think would fill in any gaps in what I’m already growing-- In terms of successive harvesting & flavor. I’m going for mostly disease resistant varieties.
Here’s what I’m adding this upcomming spring. I need 1 more recommendation:
Pixie Crunch
Ashmead’s Kernel
Kidd’s Orange Red
Here’s what I’m growing:
Arkansas Black
Enterprise x2
Freedom
Golden Russet
Goldrush x2
Jonafree
King David
Liberty
Macfree
Newtown Pippin
Red Delicious
SunCrisp
Wagener
Westfield-Seek-No Further
William’s Pride
Winecrisp x2
Winesap
Zestar!
I read that description and don’t find Pixie Crunch that susc. to fireblight or CAR. I’ve had a lot of fireblight in my young apples the last two years and Pixie Crunch hardly had any shoot strikes. Also I don’t spray for CAR and didn’t notice any. I do spray fungicides, but not the early ones recommended for CAR, nevertheless my trees are probably getting some anti-CAR benefit from the sprays I do.
This year was the first year I sold some Pixie Crunch. I like the apples a lot, and so far, so do the customers (you just have to explain the apples are supposed to be that small).
What about St. Edmund’s Russet (Pippin)? Someone sent me some scions this spring and included that. I haven’t had it, but it is growing fine for me so far. It would give you an earlier russet than Golden Russet or Ashmead’s.
The most insect and disease free apple I know of in my area is NW Greening. A great big green/yellow apple that is great for pies. Not so special for fresh eating.
Just an FYI if you want an apple that I think has a unique flavor when made into a pie. Several home growers I know of always mention how this variety never seems to have much insect and disease issues when they do not spray their crop.
The young tree I grafted bore just a few apples last year and this year so I bagged the fruit instead of spraying it. The few apples I missed bagging were just as clean as those I did bag.
Pixie Crunch today from Distillery Lane Orchard in Jefferson, Maryland. They had only a couple crates left out for sale today. My kid likes them just like his daddy.
Hudson’s Golden Gem for it’s unique, pear like quality. Sansa for early high sugar. If you like Red Delicious you may as well include Gala- it is like an improved early RD. For great American heirloom tarts, I like Spitz. Reliable cropping of a good, apple, Stayman.
I have two trees labeled Erwin Bauer, one is huge and early- a good tart apple and one that is pretty late that is a very good tart apple. The early one grows big wood without much in the way of secondary shoots. The late is more cooperative. Short hijack here since I may have the “ear” of the apple experts- any guesses?
I stopped out at a friend’s commercial orchard in western WI last week. He now has River Belle available. First time I have tasted River Belle. His concern was it is not a bright red apple so uncertain of consumer acceptance. The flavor was spectacular and even better than honeycrisp which is one of its parents. Yes it had a somewhat tan/red skin color. But if people will buy Granny Smith at the store why do apples have to be bright red to be popular for sales?
The highlight of my orchard trip was eating an experimental apple he bred himself (only 20 in the world this fall). Also a honeycrisp cross. Not yet named. Ripens in mid-August yet was in excellent shape in cold storage in late September. Bright cherry red skin color and some red streaking in the flesh. Super flavor and crispness. I sure hope my buddy can get it to go nation wide. I suppose it will take 20 years to become popular.
It is always fun to visit the commercial orchards.
I’m far from an expert, as I will willingly admit, and you probably have forgotten more than I will know about the care and keeping of fruit trees.
Nevertheless, I researched your question (as I sometimes do on here if I have the time) and most of the sources I’ve seen have Erwin Bauer as a mid-season, possibly a late mid-season. The apple itself is described as medium sized. Also, many of the sources describe it as sweet, maybe with the sweet-sour Cox thing going on. A lot of them say the apple is quite Cox-like.
Here is a note from a CFRG tasting I found: “Flesh especially hard and crisp, with a sweet aromatic flavor.”
So if you rely on the book knowledge, it seems if any apple was your Erwin Bauer it would be the later one, but honestly it sounds like it might be none, or the specific conditions at your orchard produce an atypical Bauer.
I apologize if you were looking strictly for first-person experience, but just sharing in case this info is helpful to you or anyone else.
Wow, nice research. Surprising Cummins nursery would possess both varieties and be unaware of it. That would require 2 different mother trees, which seems unlikely. The plot is positively gooey.
