Going down the Apple Worm Hole

[HawkinsHollow]

I am planning on planting 3 or 4 apple trees at the house. There is a lot to consider when planting apples I am learning. I am in Zone 7, SE Tennessee. There is a guy about an hour away that has 3 year old 5-7 foot semi-dwarf trees in 5 gallon containers for $27. Not bad!

My choices are Honey Crisp, Gala, Ark. Black, Fuji, Granny Smith, Liberty, Wolf River, Macintosh, Pink Lady, Mutsu, Enterprise, Wine Sap, Yelow Transparent, Jonagold, Ginger Gold, Grimes Gold, Cortland and Cameo.
I am leaning towards Jonagold, Enterprise, and Grimes Gold.

Everything I know about growing apples I learned in the last hour sitting here looking at my computer. Diploid, Triploid, Pollenizers, etc. Please school me if you have any apple knowledge to spread. Thanks in advance.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

My Industrial Cabin Build

We broke ground on the homesite this weekend. As many of you know, I have been building an orchard in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. 55 acres purchased in last summer 2015. We had 20-25 acres logged, leaving us with an inordinate amount of slash and debris. We have 3 acres of Apple...

www.tractorbynet.com

This guy planted a large apple orchard.

 

[DarkBlack]

I have some enterprise trees here. I’m zone 5. About 12-15’ tall on M7. They do good here. Thick skin, not so great for biting though but helps it be a good winter keeper, and cuts down on pest damage. It’s a good disease resistant variety. Make sure you have at least one different variety that flowers at the same time. Your other varieties are a bit more southern type ,(I’ve done cortland in the past) for my climate so can’t comment on those. I mostly try to stick with disease resistant to cut down on spraying

 

[Peter 315]

You in Laconia?.

I have some enterprise trees here. I’m zone 5. About 12-15’ tall on M7. They do good here. Thick skin, not so great for biting though but helps it be a good winter keeper, and cuts down on pest damage. It’s a good disease resistant variety. Make sure you have at least one different variety that flowers at the same time. Your other varieties are a bit more southern type ,(I’ve done cortland in the past) for my climate so can’t comment on those. I mostly try to stick with disease resistant to cut down on spraying

 

[34Willys]

First you have to decide what you want your apples for. Granny Smiths are tart and great for baking pies and crisps, etc. We have those here. I prefer Gravenstiens, but I'm from Northern California, so... Arkansas Blacks are great for eating, but get mushy. They were a target for Bears at our neighbors in Upper Lake, always breaking branches.
Patrick

 

[CliffordK]

My favorite apples from Mom's orchard are the Gravenstein and King apples.

If you're putting in several trees, then pay attention to the harvest time, and try to extend your harvest period for as long as possible.

 

[BnRidge]

I had some semidwarf Cortland trees for 10 yrs, never got an apple off of them. The amount of insecticides needed to make it work wasn't something I could stomach. Is there a better way? Finally planted some full size trees and am getting at least something. More apples than the worms can destroy anyway.

 

[Jstpssng]

Winesap is a good eating apple and keeps good into the winter. I used to buy a 1/2 bushel every year and would eat the last one about this time of year.

You can reduce the amount of spraying using BMP methods such as insect traps to determine when you need to spray. Also, good hygiene; i.e., picking up drops and raking rhe leaves in fall; helps by removing places for the insects to overwinter.

 

[oosik]

For about 15 years we had apples. Early Transparent was the best variety. But - that's here, maybe not TN. Know what you will use them for - check around - what are others planting.

Our downfall - not realizing the damage pocket gophers could/would do. We lost 50% of our young trees to those damn beasties. In the end - we had six apple trees that survived.

If you have pocket gophers, gophers, moles, voles, ground hogs - etc, etc. Get a "gopher cage" for each tree you plant. It a wire mesh cage that goes in the hole first and allows the young tree to develop roots. The young tree gets a fighting chance before the underground beasties attack.

Now - it's a whole lot easier, for me, just go up north - Green Bluff - and buy a box of apples.

 

[DarkBlack]

You in Laconia?.

That’s my area. You?