North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Alan Haigh <alandhaigh@gmail.com>]

I'd like to answer 3 responses made to my comments on this subject.

"Sorry Alan, but I really have to disagree with you on this one!
As grown up North, Cortland needs time to develop its flavor and it is at
its best by the end of November, the skin becomes slightly greasy, flesh
becomes slightly tender, but the aroma and flavor are just undescriptible.
When I arrive at the orchard house in late fall after having been in the
city for a couple of weeks, I open the door - and there are about 10
bushels of Cortland sitting there - the smell in the house is almost
intoxicating. First thing I do is to bite into a Cortland and I think that
Nature is so good for us!"

A different opinion about flavor isn't really a disagreement in my opinion as I feel apple evaluations are highly subjective and only minimally intellectual.

That said, I don't think anything Claude says really contradicts my stated opinion.  I think Cortlandt is a very good apple of its type (non-dense fleshed, aromatic Mac type) but I can only speak of it as grown here in my warmer and longer season.  Claude didn't say anything about the shelf life of Cortlandt in his climate which was my primary criticism of it as grown in my Z6.  So how bout it- how's it's texture in Feb, Claude?  Cooler weather during ripening can often improve shelf life.

"Zestar grown in Zone 5 and north is exactly as Alan describes,  but I'd add
that in some years it has a faint vanilla backdrop in its flavor.  Further
south this apple simply can't develop much of anything."

I would not wish to contradict Ed's greater experience growing this apple but my Z6 was like a 7 this year as we had unusual warmth, a very early spring and very few cloudy days- lots of days in the 90's but only a couple reaching 100.  Zestar was a Wow apple this year under these conditions.  It did much better than Honeycrisp here, which dropped off early without achieving peak flavor.  Are you referring to regions with many summer days above 100 F.  Ed?

"Honeycrisp is said to be a cold climate apple, and Z6 is rather warm 
when apple growing is concerned. Climate is crucial for the quality of a
 specific variety. I remember Nicolai from Edmonton raving about 
Honeycrisp but he is in Edmonton which is more like Z2. I would imagine 
Honeycrisp as being insipid in warm climate, as would many other 
varieties... So remember, folks that taste is a very subjective affair, 
very much dependant not only on growing season but more subtil 
considerations such as soil, and many other considerations including 
taste buds..."

Honeycrisp can grow very well in warmer climates although it doesn't get as much color but it is now the Hudson Valley's #2 money maker after Gala- at least that is what I was told by my chemical suppliers main consultant.   That it can reach high quality here is also my own experience going as far south as 20 miles north of Manhatten.

I heard from someone growing Honeycrisp in a Z9 desert climate (inland CA) that it is a great apple there.  I'm thinking it's main requirement is cool nights as it ripens which didn't happen here this year.

I've recently learned that chill requirements don't necessarily apply to apples as a result of communications from growers in Arizona and S. Calif.  One grower is even working with an NGO charity in Africa to produce apples as a cash crop there.  By the equator they strip leaves to encourage apples to flower in tropical climates.  They've had success with several varieties generally thought of as more northern types.  The main difficulty is developing good red color.