If you graft to water sprouts on the east, west or south of a tree it can become a scaffold quickly. Even on the north side of the tree such scaffolds get good light on a properly trained tree. The whole point of training a tree is to insure good light throughout the bearing parts. Summer pruning can insure no part of the tree is so shaded that quality suffers.
If you let a graft grow upright for the first couple of years before bending it to about 20 degrees above horizontal, using a hinge if necessary, you can get large crops by the third year from trees on reasonably vigorous root stocks.
Thanks for the update. One of the more useful reference lists for apples, especially for the Mid-Atlantic and Southern New England region.
I have 17 apples on your list (and have had a half dozen others), but only have one “GD” apple from the list. Obviously you’re a bigger GD fan than RD fan.
Lots of good apples there I’ve yet to try too.
Again, thanks for sharing your experiences in a neat organized reference fashion.
Speaking of GD types, I remember when I grew a Criterion apple. I liked that one, but some varmint stripped the bark when it was young. Haven’t seen that variety in some time.
Ironically enough, I am thinking of adding some more apple trees (was going to get Queen Cox and Hudson’s Golden Gem) to my small orchard (I have a few Golden Delicious and Homeycrisp currently) and this completely has me re-thinking things!
Because the Queen Cox has received mixed reviews, and the HGG is prone to rot, anyone have any thoughts on instead purchasing Rubinette, Cox Orange Pippen, Ribston Pippen, or something different? I am zone 4b and looking for interesting-tasting dessert apples with good disease resistance (considering I’m still new to all this, I’m trying to maximize me screwing things up).
I’d keep in mind your zone may be able to grow some of the rot or CAR or scab prone apples just fine?? I even find new sites that have never had apples nearby have fewer problems.
Over the years, Granny Smith has been my worst for rots, so I’m trying Northwest Greening, Green Pippin and white winter pearmain in that vein of apple…at least a bit similar.
Keep us informed as to what works for you in the green apple variety. That was the main reason I have not put the Granny Smith in my orchard. I planted what was supposed to be a Rhode Island Greening apple and I do not believe it is an actual R.I. Greening. Not tart at all. So back to square one for a tart green apple.
Does anyone grow Bottle Greening? From the literature I’ve read, it has a more interesting flavor than either Granny Smith or Rhode Island Greening, but its texture is soft, not crisp.
I’m not even sure if there is more than one strain of RI Greening, but here in NY it is a very good apple both for fresh eating and pies. The problem is people take it for its name and pick it while it’s green. Late in the season it changes to yellow and has rich flavor but still a crisp texture. A tad dry, which lends itself to baking.
I have 2 grafts of Granny Smith that fruited the last 2 seasons with no rots here in Kansas.
I was really impressed with this apple. So much so, I’m going to add many more grafts or perhaps graft over a lesser quality tree to GS.
Scott - thanks for the detailed descriptions and lists! I have added several more apples to my list that I’d like to graft, based on your descriptions.
Commercial Granny Smiths tend to always be quite green- commercial growers in Washington state probably don’t have a long enough season for it, or just won’t wait until mid-Nov to pick it. When we’ve had warm Novembers I’ve had a chance to eat GS a lot riper than I can buy, but from descriptions I’ve read of how it is picked in New Zealand I’m pretty sure I’ve never eaten a fully ripened Granny Smith. Does it even remain green when fully ripe? Who here grows in in a warm site in CA?
The ones in stores taste chalky and green to me, ones picked here late in late Nov. when we’ve avoided temps below about 25F are quite good- but that doesn’t usually happen.
I’m happy for you if it’s working out good for you!
Unless I sprayed regularly, it’s not cropping here.
Tried it ever since 1991. It and Anoka are my
worst trees, and I’m getting rid of both finally.
(Unless I save one limb on a multi-graft tree or something.)
You had a dry summer, right? That probably helped you in the rots department.
Jonagold is attractive to insects and prone to bitter pit here in NY. Not the easiest apple, but very productive. I grow Jonaprince which I consider to be a step up from the original. It’s a bit firmer, smaller and redder with a point or 2 higher brix. I don’t care about redder, but it is a beautiful apple because of the way the red colors the apple- not solid but a bit splotchy.
I never planted jonagold since too many from the local orchards had bad bitter pit. Otherwise it is a great apple and is still commonly grown in my area commercially.