Redlove Era apple size

[digon]

My Redlove Era on M9 was planted in Feb 2011 and fruited for the first time last year.
When I planted the tree I also grafted Pitmaston Pineapple and Scrumptious onto it.
Last year I got a couple of apples from the Era and Scrumptious and this year I got half a dozen apples from each Era, Scrumptious and Pit Pineapple from the tree.

The problem is that the Era apples are tiny, both last year and this they never got much bigger than golf ball size, about 3/4 of the size of the pitmaston pineapple on the same tree and less than 1/3 of the diameter of the Scrumptious on the same tree.

As I have not been able to find any other references to the size of the Redlove Era apples I was wondering what experience others on here have had with this variety. Has anybody else found these apples to be tiny or do I just need to thin them next year.

I've only tried two so far, and I know taste is subjective but the taste of these apples for me is superb. I would rate them 100% the best apple I've yet tasted, very tangy but also sweet and fruity.

[Paulieb]

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ml#post1170615

Have a look at #9 on this thread and you'll see my Redlove's from this year and 2012. I think they tend to be on the small side or so my experience has been so far.

Planted 2011, had one apple in 2012, cos I was desperate for a taste, and this year probably had 30-40 apples. I love the sharp tang, but with the later harvested fruit I've noticed the tang has mellowed a bit.

This year I did thin them out to roughly 1 every 6 inches, to try to avoid stressing the tree too much as I still want it to grow well, and I also read in a book that that was a suggested idea. Probably removed 40 baby apples (beginning July).

Also, the 2 new graft could possibly have stressed the tree slightly, affecting the fruit size.

[orangepippin]

I saw some at East Malling recently, I would say medium-sized, similar to Gala. Not big, but certainly not small either.

[digon]

I saw some at East Malling recently, I would say medium-sized, similar to Gala. Not big, but certainly not small either.

That's encouraging, Gala sized would be at least double the diameter mine where this year. Paulieb's also look a lot larger than mine so hopefully next year they'll improve. Maybe I'll have to force myself to thin them next year!

[digon]

I saw some at East Malling recently, I would say medium-sized, similar to Gala. Not big, but certainly not small either.

Just spotted some pics of the East Malling Redloves near the end of this page
The English Apple Man, informing consumers about how the apples they buy are grown, harvested and marketed
They look 'normal' size apples which is good to see.

I grafted a piece of Redlove onto M116 rootstock back in March and it's proven to be the most vigorous of the grafts I made this year having grown over 8 foot in one season. It's in a large pot sunk in the ground in my greenhouse and regularly fed on Miraclegrow.
Whats worrying though is the apples on M116 will probably be even smaller than those on M9 which is noted for oversize fruit.

[yummersetter]

They don't say which variety of Redlove apples they're growing - I have Circe, and the size and number of the apples has increased over the three years I have had a crop. I still think it has a bit longer to go before its ripe to pick. I've lost quite a few, and gained a broken branch because my young Irish setter loves to take a flying leap and grab a fruit off the tree.

[FB.]

Whats worrying though is the apples on M116 will probably be even smaller than those on M9 which is noted for oversize fruit.

Not necessarily.

In good soils the M9 will produce quite large fruit. But in poorer soils the bigger rootstocks will be the only ones strong enough to find enough water and nutrients.
My biggest and best fruit come from trees on M25, with MM111 second. M25 even seems to give resistance to the nutrient deficiency "bitter pit"; no doubt because it is so strong that it can find whatever nutrients the tree requires whereas a dwarf isn't always strong enough when the soil is poor (and the graft union of dwarfs tends to be swollen and distorted which impairs sapflow and is why they are dwarfed).

[FB.]

There is also plenty of evidence that certain scion varieties do well on certain rootstocks but do badly on other rootstocks.
Just like you can't transplant any organ into any person because of incompatibility, you can't always graft every variety onto every rootstock and achieve perfection.
Dwarf or semi-dwarf rootstocks (for apples, pears or plums) are the most likely to have disappointing results because dwarfing is achieved through semi-incompatibility of the scion and rootstock - and the resulting reduced sap exchange between the two pieces.

[digon]

They don't say which variety of Redlove apples they're growing - I have Circe, and the size and number of the apples has increased over the three years I have had a crop. I still think it has a bit longer to go before its ripe to pick. I've lost quite a few, and gained a broken branch because my young Irish setter loves to take a flying leap and grab a fruit off the tree.

Thats strange,are you saying your Circe have a bit longer to go before being ripe to eat? My notes have Circe down as having the same harvest date as Discovery ie. starting about 21st Aug or pick 10th Aug to store.
I have Era down as 25th Sept harvest which is a bit later this year hence the Era I tried last weekend was about perfect ripeness I think.

[yummersetter]

No, just tried one, its a bit sharp still and also only red in the core and a short distance in from the skin, my Red Delicious apples have redder flesh.

The tree's about seven ft tall and shaded to the south-west by some twelve ft high elders and elms so doesn't quite get as much sun as the other trees, in shadow for the last hour or so of a sunny autumn day. It still has its nursery label so should be true to name. As it grows (and the overgrown hedge gets cut back) it'll be better.

There's a Pixirosso from T&M alongside and that was picked a week ago.

[Garden_Chris]

Hey guys,

My original redlove era tree was knocked over by a fence blown down in a storm last year. I've not been able to find a replacement since.

Does anyone know where I could buy another one, or if not, would I be able to pay for some scion wood (and p&p) so as to grow this variety once more ?

Sincerely appreciate the help.


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[Paulieb]

I got mine from suttons about three years ago. Not sure if they're still selling them.

There's not loads of new growth on mine but I was planning on doing a bit of pruning and also a couple of grafts myself but there should be a couple of sticks to send in feb/mar. Send me a pm nearer the time and we can sort something out.

[Bane]

I got mine from suttons about three years ago. Not sure if they're still selling them.

They aren't on their website, nor on Dobbies either. It's a bit strange really.

I bought my mum a couple in February. Her garden's fully paved so I lifted a flag to plant them. You can imagine the soil they went into. When I saw them in the summer she'd covered them all around with thick weed suppressing fabric and on top of that nice shiny water-effect stones. You can guess that the apples were humongous, as big as cookers, and there were about twenty on each tiny stick...

I planted mine at the allotment, nicely looked after them, didn't get a bloody one! Next to no growth either. I should try my mum's solution to leaf infestation, just rip all the infested leaves off!


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[yummersetter]

Maybe contact Lubera via their website Redlove Era . The Lubera.co.uk site says the Redloves are sold exclusively by Suttons, the link goes to Dobies then to 'Page not found' so it looks as if they've stopped supplying them.
If I remember rightly, when I bought mine there was a ban on propagating the tree or selling the fruit as a condition of sale.

[Paulieb]

Yep, the listing is still on Suttons, but says 'currently unavailable'.

Also states:
Redlove® is a protected trademark belonging to Lubera AG, Switzerland. The Redlove variety that we offer is protected and buyers of the trees are allowed to grow the trees for their private use. Buyers are not allowed to use the trees for commercial purposes (ie to grow for the fruit market or to multiply these trees or to sell fruit of the Redlove varieties under the Redlove trademark nor under another name).

I'll happily send you a few cuttings for personal use, and not accept any money, unless anyone would suggest otherwise.