One of…maybe the only…
drawback of MonArk is that it ripens over several weeks.
25 years ago, Hoyt Adair said it required repeated pickings, or ‘stop-drop’ spray.
I totally missed MonArk this year… was so occupied with blueberry crop and vegetable garden, that by the time I looked, they were all on the ground. Main wave is usually ripe about 15 July here, but some earlier, some later.
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You may want to check out this organic apple production guide. In an appendix is an extensive list of apples with ratings on susceptibility to fireblight, cedar apple rust, scab, white rot, bitter rot/black rot, mildew, and leaf blotch. Unfortunately the latest update I can find is from 2011, but still worthwhile if you are determined to grow organically. I think the experience of users on this forum probably trumps some of these ratings, particularly for the less well known but very severe problems like rots.
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that article contains the best fireblight pruning guide I’ve seen.
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Very good information. (And nobody has mentioned the variety Florina…but it seems resistant in all the literature.)
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Hauer Pippin?
white winter pearmain?
I have grafted both these, but neither have born fruits yet.
Both ripen late 4 or in period 5 and keep for a long time.
Ripening over several weeks is a good thing, for me and possible more home growers. If they ripen all at one time it puts a lot of pressure to hurry and use them or process them before they get too bad to use.
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Which I assume is why farmers who are exposed to very high levels of pesticide live so much heathier and longer lives than the average citizens in their states.
I apologize for side-tracking the discussion and TNHunter your remarks were perfectly reasonable and I don’t think anyone took offense. When someone has crucial health issues without an explanation of the source, they tend to be very conservative about exposure to synthetic chemicals, but mroot is correct that there are sources in our lives of much higher concentrations from industry than from agriculture. He didn’t mention plastics used for storing food or all of the products in our homes- even our mattresses and couches that expose us to proven carcinogens. The government puts closer attention on the things we eat- except when it comes to the plastics that are used to package food. David only takes on Goliath when it’s absolutely necessary. Food and drink distribution without plastics would be much more expensive.
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We live on coastal sc and we grow Dorset, Anna and ein shemer. This years winner is the Dorsett Golden - had a loaded tree and did not spray. Already harvested and canned many many jars.
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The Dorset Golden was designed for the hotter climates. I am glad it is working so well for you there in SC.
So you canned the apples? In Mason jars?
Just cooked them and canned.
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I have found that my 2 Liberty apple trees only had above average resistance to cedar rust. Others were better: Enterprise, Joseph, Black twig, etc
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I agree that Hunge could be a good option for your environment. Century Farm Orchards offers it.
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@wfwalton … my early McIntosh, akane and Hudson golden gem have all only been lightly affected by car…
My Gold rush … looks awful… sevierly affected. I let it set 3 apples this year (yr 2)… and all 3 dropped in the last couple weeks. Nowhere near ripe.
I may end up grafting over it.
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TNHunter, have you considered that the resistance of ROOTSTOCK is probably the key
concerning the total loss of a tree to fireblight?
I need to give my HGG some TLC…have ignored it since fertilizing in March.
It’s an apple I anticipate liking if it bears fruit sometime soon.
Did you ever find hashabi? I’m looking for it as a rootstock.
Only Kuffel Creek. I stopped trying to find it when I had enough to do.
South Louisiana, M111 & Bud9 rootstocks, planted last year. I grafted ~40 to M7 and planted last month. Most are espalier or 45deg cordon. All trellised. Oriented south->north by supposed ripening time. It gets windy during hurricane season. Kind of an expensive experiment but we’ll see how it goes. I have 50 more m111 & 10 B9 to graft soon.
M111
Anna
Cauley
Dixie Red Delight
Dorsett Golden
Dula’s Beauty
Goldrush
Granny Smith
Hunge
Johnson Keeper
Mattamuskeet
Mollies Delicious
Shell of Alabama
Tery (Winter)
Wickson Crab
Yates
King David
Fuji
Gala
Horse
Keener Seedling
Lady
Mary Reid
Reverend Morgan
Virginia Gold
Virginia Winesap
Williams Pride
Bud 9
Aunt Rachel
Bevan’s Favorite
Blacktwig
Hewes Crab
Kinnaird’s Choice
Old Fashion L’twig
Roxbury Russet
St. Claire
Summer Banana
Yellow June
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Looks like a great selection of apples to try out. Good luck.
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I’ve got an update on my apples. So far I have lost both Arkansas black, one Williams Pride, and one Red Rebel to cotton root rot. I lost both Gold Rushes to either drought or cotton root rot, whatever it was they are not alive this spring. I lost one Reverend Morgan to a bad graft/broken graft (Lots of burr knots). The Williams pride, akane and gold rush set apples last year but I only got to eat off the Williams pride. All the apples but Williams Pride cracked badly. I never figured out when the Akane apples were ripe. Admittedly, I did not water them like I should have last year (I stole the irrigation lines for the vegetables). The remaining trees look good (except the Reverend Morgan and Red Rebel are still too small to produce). I hope to try treating them with actinovate this year. It’s supposed to decrease cotton root rot, but if it worked that well, we’d have alot more apple trees where I live.
In a different location, I have two sierra beauty, one wickson crab and one Sundance (Co-op 29). The sierras are getting big enough to flower so I’m excited to see what they do this season.
I have never seen fireblight on any of these trees. We can get it here, but we don’t have the moisture to make it problematic.
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