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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] third apple for backyard orchard?

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  • From: "Doreen Howard" <gardendiva@charter.net>
  • To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] third apple for backyard orchard?
  • Date: Sat, 10 Jul 2004 15:29:30 -0500

I'm in a similar situation as you are, Allen. I bought acreage last year
and planted three dwarf apples this spring. Also, I'm trying to avoid
chemicals and stay as organic as possible. A couple of possibilities for
your third choice.

1. Pixie Crunch, from Ed Fackler's old company, Rocky Meadow Nurseries,
which was bought out by the Gardens Alive! group. Correct me, Ed, if I have
this wrong. I planted it, as it produces a crunchy apple with little or no
spraying. Also, the tree I received in April was superb quality. The
pruning was done; scaffold branches were already established with wide
crotches.
2. Kevin Bradley on this list has a company called Edible Forest which
offers many apple varieties on all sorts of rootstock and interstems. I got
Ashmead's Kernal and Honeycrisp from him on the proper dwarfing interstem
and hardy rootstock I needed in my cold winter climate.

An overlooked tart, yet crunchy apple is Lady or Api. The apples are small
and used for decorations, but they have a wonderful taste and are not hard
to grow IMHO. I use dormant oil and 4 applications of neem seed oil on my
trees, and they look good--no disease. But....the trees aren't old enough
to bear a crop yet.
Doreen Howard
IL-WI Border, Zone 5a







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