recommend me a cooking apple

**chrisdb** · 08-01-2016, 08:49 PM

For a cordon you want a spur bearer. Unless you have other trees nearby you might want it to be self-fertile. Searching Keepers for self-fertile spur-bearer cookers gives:

Golden Spire, Reverend W Wilks, Royal Jubilee

The only "cooking" apple I have personally is a Howgate Wonder, which is a vigorous spur-bearer with huge apples. I like it, but I put "cooking" in quotes as in my opinion it's a perfectly nice eating apple straight off the tree, and not that sharp compared to something like a Bramley.

**yummersetter** · 08-01-2016, 09:09 PM

I grow Rev Wilkes as bushes and standards so don't know how suitable it is as a cordon. Very large fruits, for early in the season - good flavour and quite sweet but over by mid October.

**mosstrooper** · 09-01-2016, 10:15 AM

I,m putting in 12 or so varieties as an oblique cordon so pollination ought not to be a problem.

I do like Bramley as a cooker but do not have room for one, so Rev. Wilkes is the one for me.

Thanks both

**yummersetter** · 09-01-2016, 11:45 PM

Have you thought of planting russets as dual purpose cooking / eating apples as well as a classic cooker? I cook with Orleans Reinette and Golden Russet as much as with Bramley and Blenheim. The apple slices stay intact and have a spicy flavour when baked in a pie or tarte tatin.

**yummersetter** · 09-01-2016, 11:53 PM

I'm also fond of a couple of less usual cooking apples, both triploids so strong growers, but not out of control with me. They are Reinette du Canada and Peasgood Nonsuch. Both have a smoother texture when baked than Bramley, and follow on from Rev Wilkes. As Bramleys and Blenheims aren't hard to track down in farm shops I wouldn't invest time and space growing them.

**KairdiffKid** · 11-01-2016, 11:42 AM

Personal fav is James Grieve and I have seen it sold as a cordon. It's both a cooking and desert apple, grows well in cooler climates as well so suited well to Northern England and Scotland (it's originally a Scottish variety).

**Noosner** · 11-01-2016, 02:34 PM

Originally posted by chrisdb View Post

For a cordon you want a spur bearer. Unless you have other trees nearby you might want it to be self-fertile. Searching Keepers for self-fertile spur-bearer cookers gives:

Golden Spire, Reverend W Wilks, Royal Jubilee

The only "cooking" apple I have personally is a Howgate Wonder, which is a vigorous spur-bearer with huge apples. I like it, but I put "cooking" in quotes as in my opinion it's a perfectly nice eating apple straight off the tree, and not that sharp compared to something like a Bramley.

Interested to hear that you eat Howgate Wonders straight off the tree, Chrisdb! I will try that next year. Howgate Wonder is in my view a marvellous tree and always produces more and bigger fruit than my other trees.

**chrisdb** · 11-01-2016, 09:39 PM

Originally posted by Noosner View Post

Interested to hear that you eat Howgate Wonders straight off the tree, Chrisdb! I will try that next year. Howgate Wonder is in my view a marvellous tree and always produces more and bigger fruit than my other trees.

Agreed, it's a great tree that just gets on with it. You should definitely give them a try as eating apples.

The apples are a bit sharp at first, but still nice, easily nicer than something like a Granny Smith which I find almost inedible. If you want milder than they are off the tree, you just need to leave them in a bowl in the kitchen for a week or two.

**BUFFS** · 13-01-2016, 11:54 AM

Originally posted by mosstrooper View Post

I,m putting in 12 or so varieties as an oblique cordon so pollination ought not to be a problem.

I do like Bramley as a cooker but do not have room for one, so Rev. Wilkes is the one for me.

Thanks both

I have my bramley trained as an espalier, 4 tiers alongside of the drive, it makes for really easy access for picking and pruning...

**mosstrooper** · 16-01-2016, 10:12 AM

Orleans Reinette! That,s one i considered a while ago along with Lemon Pippin. Thanks, i,ll keep it in mind.

Too much choice,not enough land.

Thanks.

**mosstrooper** · 16-01-2016, 10:24 AM

Buffs, Glad that Bramley is working out as an espalier for you. Just goes to show that what you read is,nt always the case.

I have access to two massive old trees, a Bramley and a Golden Noble so usually have plenty of apples however last year neither fruited leading to a severe shortage of apple crumbles in our house

**BUFFS** · 16-01-2016, 01:04 PM

Originally posted by mosstrooper View Post

Buffs, Glad that Bramley is working out as an espalier for you. Just goes to show that what you read is,nt always the case.

I have access to two massive old trees, a Bramley and a Golden Noble so usually have plenty of apples however last year neither fruited leading to a severe shortage of apple crumbles in our house

last year the summer never really reached north of about Chester so we got only about 20% of our usually prolific apple trees, it was just one dark week after another so that even the melons died on the plants in the greenhouse, so hopefully we will get a bit of sun this year (not holding my breath) so that the veg might grow as well, I don't like the taste or price of shop stuff...

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