Espalier apples

[Buff Shallots]

Tuesday, Jan 22
Sorry Mothergoat, I checked through all my saved articles and didn't find espalier stuff. Maybe I threw it out a while ago thinking it was a dream that I'd ever try it...

 

[sebrightlover]

Northern Spy, circa 1800: Love love LOVE this apple. This is my favorite eating apple of all time. Crisp, cool, sweet, with a really pronounced apple flavor, also cooks up nice in pie. Tree is somewhat knobbly but makes a good traditional goblet shape, doesn't sucker excessively. I don't get many duplicate strains of anything, but I have two of these. Sets fruit reliably in zone 6a, even though my orchard is at the bottom of a northern slope in a slightly sheltered area surrounded by oak, ash, evergreen trees--that is, it can be a cold pocket in the right weather.

Roxbury Russet, 1649: Green-brown apples, v. sweet but kinda mealy, usually used in cider. Got this one because it's good for winter storage (yay, less for me to can). Did not set fruit at 3y.o. and is a bit twiggy. Pruned into a decent Christmas tree shape, did not want to cooperate into a goblet. I like the goblet shape, they're easier to pick, so that was kinda annoying to me.

Ashmead's Kernel, 1700s: Russet, supposedly tastes very nice, but did not set flowers or fruit @ 3y.o. A bit leggy and thin, delicate branches. Not incredibly vigorous, mine leafed out a couple of times and all the leaves dropped at the first frost, never to return.

Sigh - I miss my grandmother's apple trees. How do you start apple trees from seed? Send me some seeds, Rosalind! )

Anyone have yellow transparent?

 

[Rosalind]

From seeds? Good heavens, no! Unless you want a standard apple, and they get mighty big, too big to pick.

Anyway, I don't have two of anything except the Spy, and which wild bee meets which blossom is anybody's guess. Nothing I send you will breed true.

 

[Mothergoat]

Thanks for trying, Buff. Have a good weekend!

 

[sebrightlover]

From seeds? Good heavens, no! Unless you want a standard apple, and they get mighty big, too big to pick.

Anyway, I don't have two of anything except the Spy, and which wild bee meets which blossom is anybody's guess. Nothing I send you will breed true.

I know Rosalind -

I just wish i had a yard big enough to plant a couple. Wonde rif I can talk my brother into it?

 

[patandchickens]

I just wish i had a yard big enough to plant a couple. Wonde rif I can talk my brother into it?

Plant one (sheesh, a dwarf or semidwarf apple does not take up that much room if you really want it!) and graft a few different varieties on -- you won't get as many apples of each kind but it is a good space-saving way to get *variety*.

It may take a bit of courage and 'learning curve' to do the grafts but it is not brain surgery, it is a learnable skill

Pat

 

[hcammack2]

What type of tree would be good for organic growing in Maryland (I will look up my zone is one second) I want eating apples and also bakeing apples.

Thanks in advance
Henry