North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Bernie Nikolai <Nikolai@v-wave.com>]

I have several branches of Williams Pride topworked onto a Norland frame
tree in my backyard in the city.  It has been fully hardy here in Edmonton
topworked, enduring down to -40C on about 3 different occasions.  It sets
heavily for me and must be thinned aggressively.  They are ripe about mid
September for me, and currently are larger than golf ball sized, yellowish
background, and developing a nice red cheek on the sunny side.  By early/mid
Sept. they are fully deep red, almost maroon, and very nice tasting.  My
guess is this variety will not be hardy over the long term on its own trunk
in zone 3.  Topworking gives a variety a bit of extra hardiness, and that's
why it does well for me.  Also my backyard city location is several degrees
warmer on the coldest days than my orchard site.  Williams Pride has been
growing about 5 years for me, and producing for the last 3.

My Evans cherry is now 60% ripe, a gorgeous red, a real show stopper.  I'm
pruning my Evans to be a "tree", not a bush.  Its about 10 ft. tall after 5
years from tissue culture, and looking very much like a "tree" with a single
trunk and nice lateral branches.  Left without pruning Evans looks like a
Nanking cherry bush, with multi stems. I thin the fruit only because Evans
seems to want to produce huge quantities of cherries, even in my tough
climate, at the expense of tree growth.  I hope to grow it to at least 15
feet as a traditional "tree".  The taste this year is particularly
excellent, the best "tart" cherry I have ever tasted.  When frozen whole in
a plastic baggie, they lose much of the tartness and are almost like a true
sweet cherry, but I like them just fine fresh off the tree.  If you live in
a northern climate, zone 3 or 4, and want a very hardy, reliable, very
productive, excellent tasting tart cherry, get Evans.  Nothing comes
remotely close from what I've seen.  It MUST be on its own roots however.
It may be okay to have it grafted on Mahaleb or Mazzard.  It hasn't been
tried up here as those two rootstocks would not normally be considered hardy
in zone 3.  We just get tissue cultured plants or dig up root suckers.
Evans grafts readily, but seems to invariably die over the winter unless its
on its own roots.  It seems to do best with grass competition right up to
the trunk, and no or very little fertilizer.  It virtually seems to thrive
best on neglect, quite an unusual trait for a cherry tree.
Bernie Nikolai
Edmonton, Alberta zone 3


At 03:35 PM 8/1/01 -0700, you wrote:
>I am in zone 6. Williamspride ripens this time of the  year for me. I
>have had this tree fruiting for eight years. Dan
>Dan Ester
>Eugene Oregon.
>
>
>I also have Williams Pride for the first time this year. One single apple.
I have wrapped it in a flimsy plastic bag hoping that it will escape the
attention of a passing deer as the apple sits at nose level. I am looking
forward to the pleasure of tasting it. I am not too sure when it should be
picked. In my zone 3, the apple is just starting to blush, a bit like Lobos
but unlike the Lobos which is red against a green background, WilliamsPride
appears to be turning yellow in the background and red on top. What zone are
you in? My apple looks at least a month away from being ripe.
>Hélène
>----- Original Message ----- 
>  From: applesrgood@webtv.net 
>  To: nafex@yahoogroups.com 
>  Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2001 11:01 PM
>  Subject: [nafex] WilliamsPride 
>
>
>  This was the first day of picking Williams Pride apple. They ripen on
>  the tree for the next couple weeks. Finished up picking all my Desert
>  King figs today. Just like eating candy. I just took a picture of my
>  apples with my digital camera. I can send any one a picture if you
>  should like to see these bright red apples.
>  Dan Ester
>  Eugene, Oregon
>
><DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I also have Williams Pride for the first time
this 
>year. One single apple. I have wrapped it in a flimsy plastic bag hoping
that it 
>will escape the attention of a passing deer as the apple sits at nose level. 
>I 
>am looking forward to the pleasure of tasting it. I am not too sure when it 
>should be picked. In my zone 3, the apple is just starting to blush, a bit
like 
>Lobos but&nbsp;unlike the Lobos&nbsp;which is red against a green 
>background, 
>WilliamsPride appears to be turning yellow&nbsp;in the background and red on 
>top. What zone are you in? My apple looks at least a month away from being 
>ripe.</FONT></DIV>
><DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hélène</FONT></DIV>
>


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