Training an apple tree

[yummersetter]

Sunset is nice, children like it - not too large , sweet and tasty and I get a crop every year. (No-one's mentioned yet that some apples fruit every other year, have they?). I think of it as mid-season, it doesn't store as well as the later ones - but that's not a problem as they'll all be eaten.

[yummersetter]

I don't have any experience of growing cordons but I'd guess you buy maidens and train them as cordons. Someone will confirm or dispute this! Almost every variety is available as maidens ( young, unbranched trees, looking like a 2-3ft rooted shoot with a knobbly bit just above the ground where it's grafted ).
Egremont Russet crops here at the same time as Sunset. Ashmeads Kernel is similar but better flavoured crops later and stores well. With the proviso that I grow in the Wet West.

[FB.]

Thanks. I'll stick with the Sunset, chose one of the others (prefer pearmain from what I have read) and then search out a third.
Getting there...!

Egremont Russet (I love these!)
Discovery
Red Falstaff

Again, all on M9.

Can't grumble too much at those.

[gingerneil]

Woohoo! However..... Assessed the space again, and I've decided to drop the discovery and keep to two. I don't want to overcrowd the area. If I end up wanting another, I can make space elsewhere in the garden in future.
Thanks all - very much appreciated.

[Llamas]

Hi Gingerneil, well done for sticking with it! You've gotten good advice and you'll love having your own apples to look forward to as opposed to the glossy, tasteless orbs you get at the shops. I wish someone had spoken to the school where I work. It's all Braeburns and Bramleys planted way too close together, not like yours which will be much better suited!