Hi Albartsch-
Others are probably sick of hearing me preach it, but you want to look up "Disease Resistant" apples. This will reduce or eliminate all the normal fungicide sprays. The most DR variety that I've found has been "Williams Pride", though mine hasn't given me fruit (too young), so I don't know what it tastes like. (Others highly recommend it though) "Liberty" is also disease resistant and tastes great IMO. Out of 9 apples I tasted this season at the orchard, it came in 2nd for me... but just barely 2nd... almost 1st. I think the Mac came in 3rd or 4th for us. You still may wind up having insect issues though. Also, you probably need a pollinator (so two trees), though in the case of Williams Pride, I think it may be self-fertile. Good luck! -Glenn

I vouch for Williams' Pride, although at the other end of the country. It blossoms in 105 degree heat and sets a full load of fruit despite a lack of pollinator. The quality is excellent, and it has a nice growth habit. Be forewarned it ripens in August, lest you head up in October thinking you'll find apples...

My Liberty is ripe right now. It's a pretty dependable producer and we love the fruit. Tends to go mealy fairly quickly though. It is similar enough to McIntosh that they're sometimes confused. I like them better than Macs. It's been a healthy tree for ten years now.

We have a huge codling moth problem. If you are similarly cursed you'll need to spend at least some time dealing with that if you want useable fruit.

Good luck,

M

I don't think this gets emphasized enough, varieties touted as "low maintenance" applies to disease.

You might get a little help with bugs by going with a heavier skinned apple if they ripen before every bug with a mouth is trying to stock up for winter.

I don't have a problem with disease, it's the bugs that can keep me from getting any edible apples.
Disease can often be kept in check with fall clean up and a dormant spray. It's the bugs that come wave after wave through the summer that need the constant attention.

Something else to consider is if you only get there a few times a year are those times timed with the apple's ripening date which can fluctuate from year to year and span over weeks?

applenut, marknmt, myk1-

Thanks for the support for Liberty & WP. I often hear more of a "We don't mind spraying so we don't want to limit ourselves to DR trees" attitude here... (which is fine... also, some areas really don't have problems with diseases) But, in my mind, if they taste just as good, or in the case of these two, better than most varieties, then they offer a very clear advantage. Especially for new growers, or in Albartsch's case where he knows he'll be able to do limited maintenance. (I suspect that southern Maine has plenty of disease issues. Possibly not CAR though. IÂve had everything here in RI)

Marknmt-
I'm glad you said that Liberty tastes quite similar to Mac's. I had thought the same thing, but since I've only tried a limited number of fresh apples, and, since I often describe things differently than the catalog descriptions, I was reluctant to say it. Actually, for me, Liberty tasted closest to Empire, but then also very similar, but slightly better than the Pioneer Mac.

myk1-
Just for my own curiosity, have you seen any lists of thick-skinned apples? My quick search didn't reveal any good links.
-Glenn

"Just for my own curiosity, have you seen any lists of thick-skinned apples? My quick search didn't reveal any good links."

Nope, just bits and pieces in descriptions.

I don't even think I've ever read that about thick skin and bugs in Organic Gardening. I've read it from some people here and it was something I noticed as my bugs got out of control and I was still trying to not spray, the AR Black would manage to get apples when the McIntosh and Cortland were total losses.

I think the Red Rome Beauty I just ordered mentioned thick skin in Stark's ad, I know that one mentions it in a lot of descriptions, but I was getting that mainly for a pollinator since I'm spraying now.