Hello from a keen apple grower in mid-Wales

[boundtothesoil]

Greetings! I live in the Ystwyth valley a few miles from Aberystwyth in mid Wales and have established a small orchard of around fifty trees or so over the last twenty years. I supply a few apples to local shops and am a member of the Wholesome Food Association, a self certifying 'organic' association, particularly useful for micro-producers and those that cannot afford the cost of organic certification schemes. I grow mainly old commercial varieties from the 20th century, but it has been very much trial and error because of the wet climate and poorish soils, together with the problems of canker and scab. I have made use of the advice and expertise on your forum, as a guest, on many occasions. I also do a bit of grafting and three years ago started 'crossing' varieties on a very small scale. I'm now totally addicted to this completely fruitless exercise (so far), and intend ramping up production to around 500 seedlings a year, all maintained in pots. So, I'm very interested in sharing and tapping into people's knowledge of apple growing and breeding techniques, and how to maintain seedling trees in pots over long periods.

[Newton]

Welcome boundtothesoil. Your project sounds great.......but with the pots your not!

I look forward to seeing some photos......

[veggiechicken]

Croeso, Boundtothesoil! You live in a beautiful part of Wales and your apple orchard sounds idyllic. What sort of apples do you grow?

[Matt94]

Croeso, Boundtothesoil! You live in a beautiful part of Wales and your apple orchard sounds idyllic. What sort of apples do you grow?

He tells you in his first post 'old commercial varieties from the 20th century'

[veggiechicken]

Yes Matt but I want names

[Matt94]

Yes Matt but I want names

I know, I'm only trying to wind you up - which obviously isn't working

[veggiechicken]

Matt, you should know by now how cool, calm and collected I am
Now get on with your gardening and leave me alone

[PyreneesPlot]

Hi and welcome.

Sounds perfect.

Lovely, lovely part of the world. I was a student there in the 80s and haven't been back since - didn't want to spoil the happy memories!

(Stop bickering you two. Gives the wrong impression)

[Matt94]

Now get on with your gardening and leave me alone

I can't it's raining

[veggiechicken]

(Stop bickering you two. Gives the wrong impression)

We're the best of friends really - Matt tells me I'm like his Granny, Hankie tucked up my sleeve etc (Still haven't forgiven him )

[Bigmallly]

Welcome to the vine BTTS, you need to have a chat with FB.......

[boundtothesoil]

Thanks for the welcome veggiechicken.
These are the apple varieties that I grow, and that have proved to survive and yield quite consistently over several years, in order of harvesting: Beauty of Bath, Scarlet Pimpernel, George Cave, Discovery, Emneth early (scabby cooker), Grenadier (cooker), Katy, James Grieve, Tom Putt (really scabby), Lord lambourne, Lady lambourne, Ellison's Orange (prone to Codlin Moth), Cox's Pomona (cooker), Sunset, Spartan, Adam's Pearmain, Ashmead's Kernel, Bramley's (quite scabby here), Egremont Russet, Annie Elizabeth (cooker), Ida red (scabby), Winston, Newton Wonder (cooker), Tydeman's late orange. Varieties that I've tried but have died of canker are Worcester Pearmain, Saturn, Charles Ross, Tydeman's Early Worcester, Laxton's Superb. Laxton's Fortune. I have grafted quite a few other old varieties but they are too young to decide on their local disease resistance .
When I said that I grow varieties that were commercially grown in the 20th century, I really meant up until the 1970s and the invasion of Golden Delicious when we joined the Common Market.

[veggiechicken]

An interesting collection BTTS - Thanks! I have the remains of an orchard, planted in 1940 for the war effort, in Cardiff. Not all of the trees have been identified yet but several on your list are amongst them - definitely Tom Putt and Egremont Russet, Charles Ross too I think but I need to check my records to be sure. Its been an appalling year for apples here -hope you had a decent crop.
Edit I think its Brownlees Russet not Egremont -Ooops

[Florence Fennel]

Hello and a very warm welcome to the Vine

[northepaul]

Sounds lovely! I have some of those too! Discovery and Ashmeads are my favourites!
Welcome to the vine Boundtothesoil - do you need fruit pickers in the summer?