Just had my first Pixie Crunch. A local orchard here in New Hope, PA sells it. It’s quite good, Matt. Thanks for the recommendation.
4 Likes
They also grow an apple called Pinata aka Pinova, which was my absolute favorite. Very sweet. Tastes like Cotton Candy. They say it has a tropical flavor, but I didn’t get that. Definitely different.
Pinata
3 Likes
I’ll second the nomination for MonArk. Best apple I grow.
Centennial &/or Chestnut crabs would be on my list, as well.
My Erwin Baur was grafted 2014. I neglected to note the source, but probably GRIN or Home Orchard Society. It has been a vigorous grower. I had one XL apple that was lemon colored with faint pink stripes. It was juicy, crisp and tart, reminiscent of Karmijn with nice sugars too. I think I picked it mid September. I really enjoyed it.
Looks like it doesn’t have much color to it, Bob. Maybe this is a variety that’s way better straight off the tree. Couldn’t tell you, but I personally loved this apple for its cotton candy-like flavor. Very sweet too.
I’m thinking the same thing. Like many of the apples out there (i.e, Honey Crisp) The taste is different due to storage, ripeness, and location grown. I remember one comment by @SkillCult, he had an apple that taste like his refrigerator. I can truly relate to that!
1 Like
that has been my experience too.
there is so much more green in your apple picture then Ross. I think you apple was picked under ripe. Even with storage it’t can get only so good. It also looks smaller. Unless ross has very small hands the Pinatas I have seen in the store are no larger then a beaburn.
On another thread you mentioned EB compared favorably with Karmijn de Sonnaville. I’ve had KdS a couple times & loved it, but it has been noted from several sources to need higher humidity than I can provide. My two samples came from two trips, in as many years, to Feil Pioneer Fruit Stand, East Wenatchee. The tree stands within 20 feet of the Columbia River. (Finger Lakes, NY, would be prime for it.)
Erwin Baur has been on my “Hmm, maybe…?” list for years. Has it continued to grow vigorously for you? That will influence which stocks to put it to.
Another question: has it bloomed early? That is one of its features, besides being hard, late season harvest and medium in size with Cox Orange Pippin- like flavor. I’m quoting Ted Swenson in “The Best Apples to Buy & Grow” © 2005.
I have a few branches of KdS here in Missoula. It does quite well. I don’t know if our typical humidity is very high - certainly our annual rainfall is less than Spokane’s, isn’t it?
Erwin is said to bloom fairly early. I don’t pay much attention to bloom individual bloom times anymore here. My note taking has definitely slipped.
I never noted the Margil/Cox/KdS flavors here but have only had two seasons of fruit. It was slow to make fruit being on M7.
Better believe it…oh, you wrote LESS rain than Spokane’s? My impression is the reverse: Annual precip. here is 17 inches, much of that snow or winter rain. Summer temps 80°-102°F in July & August, with normal relative humidity 13 - 15% each day from late May until October. My impression is that Missoula is high enough to be a bit cooler and less arid. Need to set me straight?
I’ve had occasion to visit your fair city - happy memories there.
1 Like
I haven’t seen anything about precocity in blooming about Erwin Baur. I might try it on MM106 & Geneva 30. Both contribute to precocity if it exists in the genes.
My note taking is perfunctory but consistent: written on the calendar as the days go by. Then I pull out old calendars and compare notes. When I ever get organized, I will begin a ledger/journal listing dates for all those trees that remain in the yard.
It’s been helpful, since notes make useful comparisons. For instance, Bardsey has been sensitive to late winter/early spring conditions. Last year it bloomed with Redfield - first in line. In '18 it started bloom with Hunt Russet which is either last among mid-season bloomers or first among mid-late. Bardsey is also variable in its harvest, anywhere from Sept. 1-30 in the six years I have records.
(Am really curious to see how GoldRush bloom compares with Hunt, Claygate & Connell - first time coming up, in just weeks!)
I just ate one, I bought a bag of organic piñata apples from Trader Joe’s and just literally ate one and it really did not have much flavor at all. It was firm enough, so the texture was OK. It wasn’t mealy or anything. I wouldn’t buy it again though