good pollinators for my apple choices

14 years ago

Greetings all:

I'm ready to try my hand at growing some fruit trees. I'm considering cherry and apple. For now, I'd like to discuss my apple options.

First, I'm looking for dwarf or semi dwarf because my site is near power lines. I'm considering EMLA 111 rootstock. My soil is very heavy clay loam. Exposure is Northwest. With light shade in the am due to large oak trees on the east of my property. I've removed as many as I can, further removal of remaining trees is NOT an option.

Second, my objectives are mostly ornamental, although I would like to enjoy the fruit. I am willing to share with animals. I avoid using pesticides and am willing to bag or use organic alternatives. I'm okay with low-yield, as long as I get *some* fruit to enjoy. I'm not fussy.

For starters I'd like to start with only 3 trees. I like firm, tart apples that are good for baking, eating and maybe eventually making cider if my yeild is sufficient in the distant future. (I'm thinking retirement in another 30 years.)

I REALLY like the idea of Grimes Golden because it's a historic, it's tart, can tolerate neglect, self fertile, is a good pollinator and is a good multi-use apple.

I'm also interested in the Pink Pearl because it's wierd, and is compatible with Grimes Golden.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a third option? I was thinking about Arkansas Black, but I'm not sure about compatibility with Grimes. I understand that Arkansas Black is a triploid and not a good pollinator, so I'm concerned about that.

What about Ruby Jon, Golden Supreme, Taylor Spur Rome Beauty or Red Fuji BC#2? I'm also thinking about Honeycrisp, but I understand that requires a lot of pruning maintenance and I'm not sure if I can commit to that.

Any suggestions, insights, etc for a newbie would be appreciated.

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Comments (6)

alan haigh
14 years ago
Get a good keeper for apples all winter. As long as bloom times aren't on opposite ends of the spectrum there will probably be plenty of overlap. I'm in Z 6 NY and I don't even have to worry about blooming time. There is adequate overlap from early to latest blooming. The further south you go the more this becomes an issue.

Goldrush, Goldrush, Goldrush
Michael
14 years ago
Asturnut: just being a horticultural snob here, the correct term would be pollenizer, a pollinator is something like a bee or human that gets pollen from one place to another.

Based on your desire to, "avoid using pesticides and... willing(ness) to bag or use organic alternatives", definitely look into the disease resistant apple varieties that are available. Harvestman listed Goldrush which is resistant to Scab and possibly Cedar Apple Rust.

Michael
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lucky_p
14 years ago
GoldRush is good but it is NOT CAR-resistant.
Mine looks like a canary some years, the leaves are so heavily infected with rust lesions.

Pink Pearl was a fireblight magnet in my orchard - even more susceptible and sensitive than Spitzenberg - and is no longer in existence here.
alan haigh
14 years ago
Are you coastal S. Jersey or up in some hills? Disease pressure is much more intense by the coast I would assume. Anyway, you'll have to control the insects and disease control can be accomplished with the same sprays (different chemicals in the mix).

I you're unwilling to use synthetics disease resistance becomes a much larger issue.
Michael
14 years ago
From the experience of growing Freedom and Jonafree here in a CAR sesspool, I can confidently say that Freedom is highly resistant to CAR, Jonafree is not. Both are reported to be highly resistant to Scab, I've never seen a whiff of scab on either tree but the Jonafree is being sprayed for CAR which may be holding back Primary Scab.

Literature states that Liberty is highly resistant to Scab and CAR, there are others.
tradergordo
14 years ago
Liberty and Freedom for disease resistance (I don't grow them though). For best taste in a tart apple, I like Ginger Gold for super early (early August) picking, and Pink Lady for super late picking (stores exceptionally well and can be used for cider as well as fresh eating). Both are good tart apples highly rated on taste (Ginger starts off tart and then gets milder the longer you leave it on the tree).

Honeycrisp is a sweet apple. It has won many taste tastes and people love it, but if you love tart like I do, it might not be for you. I tried it for the first time last year and didn't think it was that great, but maybe it was the timing. I'm growing this one and my tree is fruiting this year for the first time, so I look forward to trying my own.

Ginger gold on 111 (a good rootstock choice as the trees won't fall over) produces massively big apples. I just took pictures TODAY of a Ginger Gold tree on 111 rootstock that I started bagging yesterday:

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Here is a link that might be useful: Apple Bagging