North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Don Yellman <dyellman@earthlink.net>]

Gianni:

    I had an Irish Peach tree obtained from the old Grootendorst Nursery
(the forerunner of Southmeadow, I believe) in 1979.  It started to bear
in about '84, but was not very productive and the apples were extremely
buggy and misshapen.  I would describe the apples it produced as just
plain sour (or should I say, acidic), and I would not have classified
them as "dessert" apples at all.  In addition, as noted by Claude, it is
a tip bearer, blossom shy, and I am not in love with those although I
seem to have quite a few of them.  (This spring I have discovered one
that is NOT a tip bearer --- Shamrock --- which has blooms all over the
laterals in year four, but that's another story).
    Anyway, when I planted the Irish Peach, I knew nothing about the
apple, (this was in the early days, when I was really, really ignorant
about apple growing, as opposed to now when I am only really ignorant)
but when I found that it ripened shortly after Yellow Transparent (our
principal applesauce producer), and was not, in my view, as good as Y.T.
in most respects, I decided to take it out.  It also had extremely
twiggy growth, and was a major pruning job every year.  I replaced it
with a Braeburn, which I am also unhappy with, but for different
reasons.
    As we all know, apple varieties respond in quite different ways to
different climatic conditions.  And there can be quite a degree of
variability in performance of different trees even of the same variety
and rootstock.  So it may be the Irish Peach would do much better for
you up there in N.H.than it did here in N. Virginia.  Personally, I
would not bother with it, since there are so many early varieties that
fill the bill for sauce and pies, such as Yellow Transparent, Summer
Rambo,  and even Astrachan or Early Cortland.  It might be good for
cider blending, except it comes way to early for the cidermaking
operation, and as Claude observed, it only keeps for a few weeks.
   So I can't supply any scions of Irish Peach, but you might be able to
talk me out of a few of Shamrock next spring, and I think those would
make you very happy if you like lots of blossoms.
    Finally, I have to confess, the only reason I planted Irish Peach is
because my wife is of the Irish persuasion.  It was not a good enough
reason.   BTW Gianni, did you know that the Irish invented pizza?
Best Rgds, Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA


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