Herbert, ask me in a couple months about Suntan -- I have my first fruit on it this year. Golden Nugget was very good last year. It is an early apple; I wrote down "sweet and mellow". Kidds Orange Red is a fantastic apple, one of my favorites. It is a more aromatic version of Gala. I'm sure you have heard raves about Gold Rush here, it is a must-grow in my book for its unique texture and flavor. Hudsons Golden Gem is a great apple but my tree has yet to produce in six years. To its credit it is in a too-shady spot. Grimes Golden has yet to fruit for me for the same reason but it is also a very good apple. I have had major fireblight problems this year but all the trees you mention have been fireblight-free.

Scott

Hi Scott, thanks for the feedback. I just knew you had these among your herd. Good to know about K. O. Red. I'm looking to sell low-spray apples at our newly-formed farmer's market and I'm looking at Goldrush and K. O. as contenders. And I'll throw in some heirlooms to get folks lusting for real apple tastes. But mainly, I just love growing these things!

Herbert

Some more on my List are:
Orleans Reinette
Pomme Gris
Pitmaston Pineapple
Winesap
Melrose
Spigold

Trees of Antiquity sent me some fairly large, well branched trees last year and this year, so their Cox has bloomed and set fruit heavily this year, had to be thinned. The top part of the tree is slow to leaf out, and the fruit there, exposed to the sun, are all split, but the bottom part is thick with branches and leaves. There are two fruit at the bottom insulated by the leaves, swelling and unsplit, so far. It seems to appreciate the afternoon shady spot in our sun and heat here. ItÂs still blooming.
ToAÂs Ashmeads Kernel is leafing out and blooming late its second year here as well, on the tips. No fruit set yet. I have it next to Cox, hoping for pollination.
Kids Orange Red was a bench graft last year from Kuffel Creek, grew to a 5 ft. stick its first year, is branching out nicely this year, especially since I planted it in the ground.
ToAÂs Suntan and Grimes Golden came again as big sized trees new this year, are growing well, too young to fruit.
Goldrush from Stark is new this year as well, a much sparser tree than ToAÂs, with only three lower branches, half the trunk width of ToAÂs trees. But it leafed out well, is growing vigorously. Maybe there will be fruit in two years?
You didnÂt mention Spigold or Jonigold. My two ToAÂs trees are on their second year here. Spigold only set two fruit, but Jonigold set fruit more heavily, and had to be thinned.

My Orleans Reinette got fireblight pretty heavily this year so its in the susceptible category there. The first fruit are coming this year on it for me. All my late bloomers got fireblight badly, so it may have more to do with that than the variety itself. Pomme Gris I had a wrong-variety tree from the nursery and so it was just re-grafted this year. Pitmaston Pineapple is a very vigorous tree, it was producing all wood and no apples. I am finally going to get a few apples this year from it. I don't know how well it would sell at a market, beyond the size and russeting it is a very dry-textured apple and those do not seem popular these days. My Winesap is also fruiting for the first time this year; I don't have the other two.

Scott

I usually can recite my List from memory but I forgot to mention Jonagold's on it. I did have some fireblight this year, mainly on my old G. Del. Little strikes would hit small spurs but kinda stop and not go further. I pruned, of course, but I did miss a few until I caught up with them. But the damage was limited to short limbs and mostly spurs. The Spitz came through unscathed, as did my Gala. I wondered about my Fuji and Mutsu but the had no blossoms for easy FB entry. I sprayed everything with strep anyway so I may have nipped it in the bud. This year promises to be my best by a long shot with 900 apples bagged. Concord Seedless has set lots, Montm. Cherry's are loaded, four(!) Savannah pears, and lots of rasps and blacks. Promises, promises.

Good to hear Trees of Inequity has good strong trees. $30 bucks is steep, but they are heroes in my eyes right now for offering so many, many wonderful varieties. I'm ordering from them for sure!

Herbert

900 apples bagged! That's fantastic!!
The nice thing about ToA is that yes, the trees are more expensive, but they are so big, and start bearing their second year after arrival. Being able to buy a year or two is nice as you get older. Here the low chill climate may be a challenge as well, so it helps to have as much of a head start on a tree as possible.
Another "Gold" not mentioned is Golden Russet, "The "champagne" of old-time cider apples, also delicious for eating and dryingÂ.sugary juice". ToAÂs tree bore heavily this year on its tips, its second year, and needed heavy thinning.
Last year, my Orleans Reinette as a benchgraft from Greenmantle died, wasted money and Âeven worse- time, so I ordered a big one from ToA, 5 feet, lots of branches, leaves. Hopefully it will bear next year.
Pitmaston Pineapple from ToA bloomed really late and set fruit its first year last year. I hand pollinated, pulled off all but one apple, but it never seemed to ripen, just stayed green until if fell off. It was late again leafing out this year, blooming, and is just beginning to set fruit. The top branches arenÂt leafing out. It may not like our low chill climate here.
Pomme Gris was a bench graft from Kuffel Creek last year, shot up to five feet, is branching out nicely this year, especially since I planted it in the ground.
Virginia Winesap was another bench graft from KC last year, grew five feet as well, is in a Belgium Fence this year. It still wants to grow more at the top, less lower branches, and is adjusting to its new location. I may have to prune more of the top off to get lower branch growth.

I'm wondering if anyone growing suntan has a more updated report?

I would like to grow it, but have been unable to find scionwood and don't want to plant another tree.

I bought a Suntan from Cummins a few years ago and lost it to fireblight this year. I never sprayed for FB, but it was the worst hit of my 28 apple trees.

Hocking Hills Orchard sells scion. I know nothing about this company, just found it on the net.

A quick internet search came up with this site:
http://forum.orangepippin.com/viewtopic.php?t=177

Here is a link that might be useful: More Unusual and antique apples!

Thanks milehigirl. They have quite an assortment there.
Did your tree live long enough to bear? You didn't offer an opinion on the fruit.

No, I never had one. I asked Cummins if they had any this year and Tino said, "No, but that one packs a punch" or something to that effect. It made me want to try again.

I suppose I could get scion myself as the rootstock has sprouted from the previous tree. It has several years root growth that might speed up apple development.

Keep me posted if you do get scion.

Here is a link that might be useful: Suntan

I read a description like that....and really want to try it.
Hocking Hill is likely the place I'll order from.
We're talking about granting a lot of trees this year.

I'll let you all know how it goes.

This post was edited by Joleneakamama on Wed, Oct 15, 14 at 13:38