Ashmeads Kernel.

[Travellers]

Hi, I am thinking of planting this autumn, a 2yr old semi dwarf stock Ashmeads Kernel, and wondered if anyone had any experience/advice on this variety? Many thanks.

[Pineberry]

This post should be in Feeling Fruity, there you will certainly get an expert review on it.

[Kirk]

Classed as triploid so you will need another to pollinate it.
It will not pollinate another - pollen is sterile.

That is what 3 sources say.

Nice apple, can be a bit small and will not have large crops.
Appears to have the characteristic tang of a pearmain type - pear drops, but not the same shape.

Being triploid I would expect the growth to be reasonably vigorous.

[FB.]

Triploid.
Large and attractive blossoms.
Fairly vigorous - more than average but less than Bramley.
Excellent flavour even in cool/dull summers.
Moderate crops; not biennial but somewhat variable.
Good pest and disease resistance.
Tolerates difficult conditions - grows and crops well in soils where other varieties fail - including coping well in chalk soils if the rootstock is also tolerant.
Prone to bitter pit on acid soils, on fertile soils, if over-fed with nitrogen or on dwarf rootstocks if not correctly cared-for.
Like many old varieties it is at its best when grown as a large tree on a very vigorous rootstock under grass cover or on low-fertility soils.

A variety that I would not be without because of the "plant-and-forget" way that I prefer to grow my trees.

[orangepippin]

It would not make AK my first apple tree, as I think the flavour and texture are too far removed from the mainstream. If you want a simple crisp sweet/sharp apple ... this is not it. I would try to find some AK apples first to make sure I liked them, it's an acquired taste.

Once you get to like it though, AK is quite addictive.

This is a good variety for juicing - if you like apple juice it is a real winner, the juice is very fruity. I think it is also popular for cider too.

[boundtothesoil]

I have a couple of AKs, both on MM106, around 5 and 10 years old. The older tree was recently struck with canker, requiring major surgery and a failed attempt at cleft grafting the cut limb. They make vigorous growth and have yielded only modestly for me, probably because I have not pruned them appropriately to maximise the production of fruiting buds. Leaves are usually very healthy and they don't seem to suffer from scab, but I have found some codling moth infected fruit. Earwigs are also a problem because the fruit clusters are held very tightly against the stem , providing ideal hiding places for them. A few fruit crack around the stalk each year. Apart from these minor problems the quality and size are good. But whilst I understand why they are held in high regard in terms of flavour, personally I'm not a real fan. So I'd second orangepippin's comments.

[yummersetter]

I planted Ashmeads Kernel about twenty years ago. Its a good late apple and keeps well but not my best, not quite juicy enough to me, a bit like a later Egremont Russet. I have insect damage problems with the fruit too, but its a big tree with a large enough crop to ignore that. Alongside it, the Orleans Reinette I planted at the same time is beginning to ripen now and I prefer it of the two, though its earlier and doesn't keep as well, its more interesting and versatile.

[Travellers]

Thanks to, Pineberry, Kirk, FB, Orangepippin, Boundtothesoil, & Yummersetter for your responses to my recent query Ashmeads Kernel.