North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Spidra Webster <spidra@gmail.com>]

Howdy,

I rather stupidly bought 'Gravenstein' (a favorite) before checking into how many chill hours it requires. As I have moved from Berkeley to South Pasadena, CA, I fear this area won't get enough chill to set fruit most years. My favorite apples are Yellow Newton Pippin and Gravenstein. I like a lot of tart with my sweet. I'm assuming apples like 'Anna' and 'Dorsett Golden' don't really have this taste. However, if I grafted scions onto a low-chill apple rootstock, would they set fruit?

I guess another question would regard chill cheating. Does the tree depend on the air chill being that cold or is it enough to put a bunch of ice on the ground near the trunk and try to give it a little local chill that way?

Megan Lynch

http://www.meganlynch.net

South Pasadena, CA USDA Zone 9