Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/681909
22 JUNE 2016 Good Fruit Grower www.goodfruit.com and trellis costs, management and irrigation. However, returns on investment in their high-density, dwarf plantings are fi ve years versus 15 years for low-density, semi-dwarf orchards. "There is little data to support the argument of not being able to spend $20,000 to $30,000 per acre to establish an orchard for processing apples if you are growing high-priced cider varieties," he said. However, Merwin concedes there may be times when nondwarfi ng rootstock are necessary, including in colder growing regions with shorter growing seasons, or at sites with gravelly, shallow or droughty soils. Another place where they make sense are organic orchards where tree-row weed control is diffi cult and where trees often experience nutrient stress. "The truth is, there is no single rootstock or planting system best for all sites or growers," he said. • BITTERSWEETS In approximate order by ripening date in upstate New York Ellis Bitter – Midseason bloom, ripens early september, annual and productive, vigorous, short storage potential, should be pressed soon after harvest. Breakwell's Seedling – Mid bloom, ripens early september, scab tolerant, annual, productive. White Jersey – Mid bloom, ripens early september, productive but biennial, low vigor, precocious, short storage only, press soon after harvest. Hereford Redstreak – late bloom, ripens mid-september, productive and annual, low vigor, short storage, press soon after harvest. Somerset Redstreak – Mid bloom, ripens late september, productive but biennial, vigorous. Stembridge Jersey – Mid bloom, ripens late september, biennial, scab tolerant, vigorous. Geneva Tremlett's Bitter – Mid bloom, ripens mid september, biennial but productive, low vigor spur-bearing type, Geneva strain not same as english tremletts, but excellent for cider. Harry Master's Jersey – Mid bloom, ripens late september, productive and annual, low-vigor tree adapts well to central axe form. Coat Jersey – Mid bloom, ripens mid- october, biennial and scab susceptible, vigorous. Dabinett – late bloom, ripens mid- october, annual, low vigor, some winter damage in new york. Fillbarrel – early bloom, ripens mid- october, biennial and not productive, vigorous, blind wood. Brown Snout – late bloom, ripens mid-october, biennial but productive, moderate vigor. Yarlington Mill – Mid bloom, ripens mid-october, biennial but productive, scab susceptible. Chisel Jersey – late bloom, ripens mid-october, biennial but productive, susceptible to fi re blight. Binet Rouge – late bloom, ripens late october, biennial but very productive in the "on" year. Bedan des Partes – late bloom, ripens late october, biennial but productive, susceptible to fi re blight. BITTERSHARPS Suitable for single variety ciders if desired Stoke's Red – late bloom, ripens late october, biennial and not productive, low vigor, scab tolerant. Kingston Black – late bloom, ripens late october, biennial and not very produc- tive, vigorous. Porters Perfection – late bloom, rip- ens late october, annual and productive, trees heavily spurred but sprawling, fused double fruit, hangs well while ripening, scab tolerant, cold hardy. AMERICAN & EUROPEAN HEIRLOOM VARIETIES Dual-purpose sharps Bramley's Seedling – early bloom, ripens mid-september, annual and productive, scab resistant, triploid, nonbrowning, trees moderate vigor, fruit for cooking or cider. St. Edmund's Pippin – early bloom, ripens mid-september, tip-bearing, droopy low vigor tree, an early ripening russet, excellent dessert or cider, short storage potential. Egremont Russet – early bloom, ripens late september, annual and productive, moderate vigor, scab tolerant, rich fl avor good for dessert or cider. Cox Orange Pippin – early bloom, ripens late september, annual and productive, prone to heat stress, scab and powdery mildew, popular dessert apple, adds rich aromas to ciders. Zabergau Reinette – Mid bloom, ripens late september, annual and productive, large russet triploid apple, good for dessert or ciders, short storage and heavy drop if allowed to tree ripen. Margil (Reinette Musquee) – early bloom, ripens early october, annual and productive, small russet fruit with intense fl avor, scab tolerant, moderate vigor. Ashmeads Kernal – early bloom, ripens mid-october, annual and productive, lightly russetted fruit triploid, excellent for dessert or cider, very aromatic. Calville Blanc – early to mid bloom, ripens mid-october, annual and productive, nonbrowning fl esh excellent for cooking (pastries), excellent sharp for ciders, very scab susceptible. Roxbury Russet – early bloom, ripens mid-october, annual and productive, oldest named american variety, lightly russetted hard apples keep well, good for dessert or ciders. Golden Russet – early bloom, ripens late october, annual and productive, tip bearing, vigorous tree, heavily russetted fruit excellent for dessert or cider, high sugar and acidity. Northern Spy – Mid bloom, ripens late october, biennial tendency, prone to preharvest drop, bitter pit and scab, dense fl esh, good storage quality, excellent for dessert or ciders. Baldwin – Mid bloom, ripens late october, biennial but productive, high sugar content, aromatic, good storage quality, excellent for dessert or ciders when fully ripe. Geneva Red (Redfi eld) – early bloom, ripens mid-october, annual and produc- tive, medium size apple with pink fl esh, high acidity with soft tannins, mostly used for preserves or ciders. Rhode Island Greening – early bloom, ripens late october, annual and produc- tive, large fruit excellent for cooking and as a sharp for cider blends. Newtown (Albemarle) Pippin – early bloom, ripens late october, annual and productive, vigorous tree, fruit store well, excellent for dessert and as an aromatic sharp in ciders. MODERN SCAB-RESISTANT APPLE VARIETIES Mostly dual-purpose sharps Pristine – Mid bloom, ripens late august, annual and productive if thinned hard, preharvest drop, an early dessert apple that can provide useful acidity in blends with the early Bittersweets. Sansa – early bloom, ripens early september, annual and moderately productive, scab resistant, midsize fruit hangs well on tree, good for dessert, little acidity but adds fl oral aromas in cider. Liberty – early bloom, ripens late september, good disease resistance, annual and productive, aromatic sharp, short storage potential, dessert and cider blends. Crimson Crisp – Mid bloom, ripens mid-october, annual and productive, self-thinning, prone to fi re blight, tip bear- ing with droopy habit, dessert and ciders. Sundance – Mid bloom, ripens late october, similar to Goldrush, annual and productive, fruit hangs and keeps well, good dessert apple that adds spice and acidity to cider. Enterprise – Mid bloom, ripens late october, annual and productive on dwarf rootstocks, large sub-acid fruit hangs well, long storage potential, good for dessert and cider blends. GoldRush – Mid bloom, ripens early november, annual and very productive when thinned aggressively, good disease resistance, moderate vigor, natural central axe form, nonbrowning fl esh and juice, very long storage potential, excellent dessert and base cider variety. list asseMBled FroM data autHored By ian MerWin and PuBlisHed in tHe neW yorK state Fruit Quarterly. Northeastern U.S. cider varieties Courtesy oF neW yorK state Fruit Quarterly Golden Russets bring high sugar and moderate acid to make a very fruity cider. They are a good eating apple, too. Ciders made from Kingston Black apples have a diacetyl character: a slippery mouth feel coupled with a buttery or butterscotch fl avor. ONLINE Two cider apple growers weigh in on these varieties: bit.ly/CiderGrowers