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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] russet apple varieties

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  • From: "Judson Frisk" <jlfrisk@iowatelecom.net>
  • To: "'North American Fruit Explorers'" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] russet apple varieties
  • Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 18:42:43 -0600

I have grown American Golden Russet, English Golden Russet, Ashmead’s Kernel, Hudson’s Golden Gem, St. Edmund’s Russet, Fall Russet, Roxbury Russet, and Zabergau Rennet.  My favorite is probably Ashmead’s Kernel and American Golden Russet.  Roxbury Russet did not do well here.  It seemed to be like Swaar, a highly rated apple that did not do well in our climate.  None of them are great low care apples as they suffer from insects in an organic orchard.  The St. Edmund’s apple (since lost) was a summer apple here and usually was a very short season as was the Fall Russet.  With the hot summers of SW Iowa, most summer and early fall apples do not do well.  This year we had a cool summer and fall so the early apples actually lasted longer and tasted better.  I like to use my apples for drying and most of the russets are my most flavorful dried apples.  Zabergau Rennet tends to brown in drying as I do not put anything on my apples when I slice them before drying.  They are still flavorful and it is easier to fill a tray for drying with large apples.  I do not care for the flavor for fresh eating of Zabergau Rennet.  Hudson’s Golden Gem tastes like a pear in our climate.  It usually has a short season so I just eat it fresh.  I know the russets were known for long term keeping but I find that apples with a slick skin like Chieftain or Paragon keep better for me.   Judson L. Frisk zone 5 SW Iowa.

 


From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Alan Haigh
Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2008 8:09 AM
To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [NAFEX] russet apple varieties

 

It's gotten a bit slow here so it seems a good time to renew the frequently brought up subject of relative merits of apple varieties- this time I'd like to focus on russets.  The reason for this is that I'm relatively inexperienced growing russets and am interested in other members experience.

 

The first russet that drew my attention I incorrectly identified as a Golden Russet.  The tree is a reliable cropper, the most of all the varieties in the orchard it is located.  The quality of the fruit is very good, a little grainy but not excessively so, with lots of flavor, rich and aromatic.  It is just juicy enough.  If I grew only 10 apples it would probably have to be one of them.

 

As soon as some Golden Russets began to bear that I had purchased from Adams County Nursery I realized my mistake and went to the books.  Although this is often a less than reliable solution in confident identification I feel certain that the mistaken tree is a Roxbury Russet. 

 

If I was to go by the literature alone, I would assume the Golden Russet to be a superior apple, but as grown here I think the Roxbury is a better tree in the home orchard and would probably be superior commercially as well.  Golden Russet is such a codling magnet that along with its tendency to crack and its shy bearing habit, it doesn't seem like even a close second.  However my experience is inadequate, as I said earlier, so I'm interested in input from other members.

 

I've already mentioned in earlier posts that I'm very fond of Hudson's Golden Gem and this variety was widely endorsed here by others as well. 

 

I noticed that I have a couple of St. Edmonds Russets in my nursery which is a variety that receives glowing reviews in the few references I have on my book shelf.  Is anyone out there growing this variety?  Comments welcome.

 

My location is southeastern NY, Z.6 where Golden Russet used to be widely grown commercially, especially a a juice apple.

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