That sounds great. If I can find space for just one more, this might be the one. However, I would like an apple for pies, more like Granny Smith, which I doubt would make it here. (Zone 23/24 - southern coastal).

My Golden Dorsett is almost ready to harvest - tho fruit is still small, but no sign of disease. From your post, I was wondering if I was wrong to allow it to have 10 or so - (only 2nd year). But I figured it would reject on its own anyway.

The Anna - just next to it, has just set fruit (3rd year) and perhaps 50 or so, and wondering if I should intervene. It seems very late in coming out of dormancy - and I was concerned a few months ago, that it would not make it at all. It never did quite go completely - (our winter chill was almost nil this winter).

Anyway, good luck with "billy" there - and if tastes anything like a "granny" I will need to make some room somewhere- and soon.

Bejay

Bejay:

No word on how WP would do as a cooking apple. However, Granny Smith grows in Laguna Beach, so would probably do fine for you. They are much better off your tree than in the store, but takes a few years to start bearing.

Dorsett Golden is a maniac that will fruit regardless of frost or heat (we had ice on the blossoms this spring) and always, always, sets heavy crops. I've seen it as a 1-year old whip bent over with a huge apple on the tip.

It usually does a good job of thinning (Thank God, as it blossoms like a crabapple), but if you want big apples off a young tree you will want to thin. Don't worry, enjoy the smaller apples, and even some off the second crop this fall, and then thin next spring.

Do not worry about dormancy. My two Pink Lady on seedling rootstock never did lose it's leaves this winter, and the old leaves are being pushed out by the new leaves and blossoms (which are setting fruit). It's probably too late to thin Anna. Next year just whack Anna off at the knees and graft a Granny Smith onto it, as the quality is much inferior to Dorsett.

Applenut

WP is a wonderful apple, very big, tasty, and red for such an early apple. It and Liberty and Freedom set fruit even when it is rainy during bloom unlike my other apples. It also seems to get no codling moth damage, I assume because it is early. I think it tastes very good as a cooking apple, not mushing into applesauce when cooked like Ein Sheimer and Liberty, both of which are very excellent for applesauce even when small and green.

I live in apple country so don't have to worry about chilling hours. :-)

Do any of you know anything about pollination requirements for Williams' Pride? My apples were ppretty much wrecked by Katrina so I am looking for replacements with low to medium low chilling requirement.

newtie:

William's Pride is self-fertile. There are many other apples that will fruit in your climate, but it depends on the disease resistance you want, and if you spray for pests.

Applenut