Red fleshed apples

[FB.]

Thanks for the scion offer, Mell, but I think I'm sorted.
I'll drop you a PM if I need some.

I'm also limited in what scion I could offer in return at the moment, after losing several M25 trees.
Of what remains, things grow slowly here - and the MM111 (young) trees tend to produce unusually thin shoots that are not ideal for grafting (hence why I can't offer "First and Last" at the moment).
M25 rooted trees produce nice thick stems, but I'm missing some M25's at the moment, after 2010's losses.

It's funny how the rootstock can also affect the growth habit of the tree.

MM111 influences a slender-stemmed ("lightly built"), upright-growing tree with short-ish side branches growing almost horizontally.

M25 influences a thick-stemmed ("heavily built"), rather spreading tree with longer side branches that grow out at a good angle.

[Mell]

No need to offer scion in return, I work on a pay it forward basis

[Mell]

In case that make sense I'll give you something & I expect nothing in return. I just trust one day If I'm looking for something somebody will help me out. Swaps are way too complex & can end up in hurt feelings IMHO

[FB.]

In case that make sense I'll give you something & I expect nothing in return. I just trust one day If I'm looking for something somebody will help me out. Swaps are way too complex & can end up in hurt feelings IMHO

I agree. Life's not worth arguing over a few pieces of scion wood.

Out of interest, do you have any really late keepers that I haven't listed above (preferably which will usually keep through to April or later in a simple store) - and how disease-resistant do you find them to be if unsprayed?

[Mell]

I'm not really into keeper as yet, been too busy chasing lost cultivars, but I am very interested in those that hang on the tree for a long time (or are very early) I found a chance seedling with edible fruit on in March Last year. I doubt it managed this year, but I would guess the tough skin would make it a good keeper. I grafted some Knobbly russet last year I believe that is a good keeper too & I think Leathercoat as well ? I'll ask my friend who keeps loads which he'd suggest. (non of the above are red flesh BTW)

[Mell]

Duh ! Dumelow's Seedling one of our Leics ones is reputed to keep till May !

There is a list on the Diversity website too of late keepers English Apples,DIVERSITY WEBSITE,storage in winter

And keeping to the redflesh, Sops in wine info here english apples,red fleshed, Sops in Wine, DIVERSITY website

[FB.]

Mell, it does seem as if there is more than one variety. It's a problem with many apple varieties.
I referred to the common variety (NFC). It sounds as if the rare variety is superior.

Have you tried growing it on Paradise/M9, or possibly on M25.
You may find that M9 or M25 apples are more coloured, sweeter and better quality than M26, MM111 or MM106.

In terms of fruit quality, I reckon:

M9 > M25 > MM106 > MM111 > M26

[Mell]

Yes agreed, the M9 & the old Paradise rootstock is something i'm very interested in. Next project I think !

Perhaps next year. Although I'm not quite sure if I've got room for everything, I need to get more land clear need a JCB !

[joshie]

Biennial generally means less blossom in the "off" years. My Egremont Russet produced lots of fruit in 2009, but very little blossom in 2010. At the moment, it looks like 2011 will have a lot of blossoms (I can see the vast numbers of flower buds).

If you had blossom but no fruit, then I would suspect frost damage, or lack of a compatible tree to pollinate yours (needs to be a different, unrelated variety that flowers at about the same time).

The "worms/maggots" that I warned of, tend to thrive in warm, dry, calm conditions. Cool, wet and windy is a severe disruption to their life cycle.
The insect-attracting anthocyanins seem to especially be formed where there is strong sunlight. "Up North" the sun is not as strong, so perhaps the fruits give off less scent - in addition to there being few codling/sawfly around due to them not liking wet and windy.

It is possible that a variety is so unusual, that the pests and diseases don't quite know what to do or how to attack it!
I have a James Grieve, which, in Scotland, is considered to be scab-prone by many people. But nobody much grows it in my area (nobody much grows apples as the soil is very poor), and I find that my JG has very little problem with either scab or pests. It even seems to be very uninteresting to the local strains of woolly aphids.
It thrives on the cool/dull North-East side of my house.

i have to admit FB you know your stuff

[FB.]

i have to admit FB you know your stuff

Thanks for the kind words.

I'd also pay attention to what Mell says - he knows a thing or two.

Mell does it as part of an orchard group type of thing, whereas I'm more of a self-taught "backyard" grower who takes detailed notes and tries experiments.

Ironically, had it not been for my extremely poor soil and difficult growing conditions, I would have been happy with my original "backyard orchard" and never would have needed to work so hard at it!

[Mell]

I'd also pay attention to what Mell says - he knows a thing or two.

Mell does it as part of an orchard group type of thing, whereas I'm more of a self-taught "backyard" grower who takes detailed notes and tries experiments.

Thanks FB, I'm a she btw

I'm also mostly self taught although I swap ideas with various others our group isn't big or a teaching one as such. My background is research & development so I tend to look at lots of hisorical perspective to growing as heritage apples are my main interest & how they were grown and how they originated.

Naming for istance is often not done in the way moderns tend to interpret it IMHO.

[FB.]

Thanks FB, I'm a she btw

Yeah, I knew that.
Guess I must have missed the "s" off the front of "he". <cough, splutter>