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  • Apple Tree help needed choosing please

    I have searched the posts on apple trees and am overwhelmed at the variety. Please could you advice me on which to choose. I live in W.Yorks, have a south facing garden.I am looking to plant a single tree on the S.W side of the garden on a long raised up bit with tons of topsoil in it, so clay not a problem. I am looking at M26 rootstock. An apple to eat straight off the tree but want a nice shape, not too upright. Is it possible to get one with pinkish blossom that is fairly disease resistant. I know it's asking a lot. Many thanks in advance. After reading even more posts James Grieve seems to be good for where i live as it states slightly frost resistant, but it's a cooker. Katy seems good also but worried about the red flesh attracting maggots.
    Last edited by furball; 19-03-2012, 10:11 AM. Reason: update
    You're closer to god in a garden than anywhere else on earth.

  • #2
    How large do you want it to get, after 10-15 years?

    When you say "nice shape" - I presume you mean the tree; you want a tree that is rather spreading.

    In cooler Northern Areas, James Grieve will be quite sharp "off the tree", and Katy may be slightly sharp/boring, while or Discovery may also be a bit on the sharp side.

    If it's to be a largeer tree (you didn't say) what will you do with all those "ripe-from-the-tree" fruits which you can't eat and which won't store well (eat-off-the-tree varieties tend not to keep particularly well; a few weeks to several weeks).

    Personally, from what you've said so far, I'd suggest Laxton's Epicure.

    The tree is average growth rate, but also wants to fruit very early in its life, even when on a vigorous rootstock. Therefore its final size will be a bit below average due to energy going into heavy cropping.

    It has quite good scab resistance and adequate mildew resistance. It can be slightly prone to canker though.
    The best bit about Epicure is that the fruits are much less attractive to insects than the other Early-ripening apples such as Discovery. This is probably due to their slightly thicker skin making pest entry more difficult (but not impossible!).
    Epicures are "eat from the tree" in mid-late August and will keep for maybe a month.
    However, they really must be allowed to fully colour-up (yellowish skin, striped with orange and red) or they will be bitter and tasteless. Sometimes it is best to wait for them to drop to signal they are ripe, although the first fruits to drop are often not quite ready and taste bitter.

    Laxton's Epicure also has large and quite attractive (although only very pale pink) blossoms, which appear to have some tolerance to late frosts. The tree is very fertile; probably part-self-fertile. It is a very heavy cropper and you are unlikely to have many bad years for cropping, although in some good years the fruit can be small due to the huge number of flowers which set fruit.
    .

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    • #3
      Thankyou FB that sounds exactly what i am looking for. To answer you qustion, height wise maximum of 10-12 ft. I shall look on the sites recommended on your other threads and see if there are any still available. Many thanks again.
      You're closer to god in a garden than anywhere else on earth.

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      • #4
        You might want something a little stronger than M26 - such as MM106.

        MM106 is also very easy to find.

        I know that I don't usually like MM106, but in a "happy medium" (which applies to certain parts of Yorkshire) of not-too-hot, not-too-cold, not-too-wet and not-too-dry, MM106 can do very well, with the added bonus of some resistance to woolly aphid and it won't need staking (M26 might be prone to leaning with a precocious heavy cropper such as Epicure due to the weight of fruit before a big root system has developed).
        .

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        • #5
          I see that RV Roger (Yorkshire) list Epicure:

          > Link here <

          .

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          • #6
            FB i can't find Laxton's Epicure to buy now. I can only find it available next autumn. Would Lord Lambournel be one you would recommend or should i avoid it. Could you kindly recommend any other varieties. I fear i may have left it too late as everywhere seems to have limited stock. Thankyou again.
            You're closer to god in a garden than anywhere else on earth.

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            • #7
              OOps cross posted. Thankyou, so many rootstocks, whoever said a little knowledge is a dangerous think was right. Should i still go for M26 rootstock? Thankyou for taking the time to reply, it really is appreciated.
              You're closer to god in a garden than anywhere else on earth.

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              • #8
                Cross posted again, sorry.
                You're closer to god in a garden than anywhere else on earth.

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                • #9
                  Personally, I think that a single Epicure would produce far more apples than you can use.
                  I can get a whole carrier bag full of apples (about a month's supply) from a 4ft bush-tree.

                  An 8ft Epicure will produce a lot more than you can use before they go off.

                  I'd consider perhaps a pair of M26 bushes, around 5-6ft.

                  Epicure being one.

                  If choosing another from Roger's stocklist, I'd add a M26 of something else to lengthen the season.

                  Maybe:

                  M26 Egremont Russet (Oct-Dec use)
                  M26 Greensleeves (Oct-Nov use).
                  M26 Howgate Wonder (Oct-March use)
                  M26 Lord Lambourne (Sept-Nov use)
                  M26 Sunset (Oct-Dec use)
                  Last edited by FB.; 19-03-2012, 01:15 PM.
                  .

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                  • #10
                    Fantastic FB you are not only a marvel but a mind reader. I was just about to post saying i have read back on some of your very informative posts and love the idea of an old traditional apple tree. I love russets and was going to ask about the egremont. I read good things about Lord Lambourne for up north so was going to ask about that also. Would those two be compatable for pollination. You really are a fountain of information, thankyou once again.
                    Last edited by furball; 19-03-2012, 02:03 PM.
                    You're closer to god in a garden than anywhere else on earth.

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                    • #11
                      Have rung rogers and they aren't sending trees out untill autumn now. Hmph. I will persevere.
                      You're closer to god in a garden than anywhere else on earth.

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                      • #12
                        Blackmoor appear to be clearing stock, with 2yr M26 bushes available at one-year-old prices (click on links):

                        M26 Charles Ross

                        M26 Egremont Russet

                        M26 Greensleeves

                        M26 Howgate Wonder (quite vigorous, so a two-year-old might be a bit larger than you'd like for ideal training)

                        Irish Peach (I love this one; not as vigorous nor a pure-tip-bearer as "everyone" says, not particularly prone to disease, can be attacked by pests, can be used for cooking, eating or cider - and immune to woolly aphid attack)

                        Meridian (I like this one too; one of the best "modern" varieties, adequate disease resistance, but can be prone to woolly aphid)

                        Saturn (good disease resistance and not particularly prone to pests, including not attractive to woolly aphid)

                        Scrumptious (early tasty eater; the name says it all, but rather prone to woolly aphids and pest damage to the fruit)

                        Sunset

                        Winter Gem (I love this one too; excellent flavour, late ripening but can be eaten straight off the tree, keeps for a few months and not prone to any particular pests or diseases - including not prone to woolly aphid)
                        .

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                        • #13
                          Personally, I'd consider buying Blackmoor's two-year-old M26's: Irish Peach and Winter Gem as an early/late pairing which should have some overlap in flowering time in most years.

                          They may produce a small crop this summer and almost certainly in 2013.
                          .

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                          • #14
                            Irish peach and winter gem ordered, suprised at winter gem not being an oldie though. I love the look of Irish Peach. Thankyou, another satisfied pupil.
                            You're closer to god in a garden than anywhere else on earth.

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                            • #15
                              Some parts of Yorkshire have amazingly good soil.

                              If your soil happens to be deep and fertile, I'd suggest just plant them, prune back straggly branches and let them get on with it; too much fertiliser in good soil will make them just keep growing and not fruit.

                              Failure to prune straggly branches of a young tree will result in the need for more drastic pruning later, from which the tree may never be able to form a nice shape.
                              .

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