Recommendations for growing apples - Wasatch Mountain valley

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mountain_gardener
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Oct 16, 2013 12:45 pm

Recommendations for growing apples - Wasatch Mountain valley

Post by mountain_gardener »

I'm new to this site and am looking for recommendations for apples. I have room for 2 (maybe 3 - the first tree I planted 5 years ago was a 4-in-1 apple which now leans 30 degrees and doesn't support fruit well. If I can't fix it, I guess I have to take it out and start again. Sad.)

Last year I planted a McIntosh for applesauce and dried apples. Now, I'm looking for an apple that is a good keeper. I also need something to pollinate the McIntosh. It would be fun to plant something that you can't by at the grocery store.

I was looking at Keepsake, Arkansas Black, or Spitzenburg. Would any of these do well here? I'm in USDA zone 5 - the temperatures in the winter can get down to -10 degrees F. In the summer, it is generally in the 90's but sometimes over 100 degrees F. My soil is clay loam.

Any other suggestions? I'm a new fruit tree grower and I'd like to grow them organically, as well.
womblesd
Posts: 21
Joined: Mon May 23, 2011 7:24 pm
Location: Western Illinois, U.S.

Re: Recommendations for growing apples - Wasatch Mountain va

Post by womblesd »

Both Ark Black and Spitz are great apples.
Dan Wombles
Western Illinois, U.S.
dmtaylor
Posts: 58
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2012 8:12 pm

Re: Recommendations for growing apples - Wasatch Mountain va

Post by dmtaylor »

I love the Arkansas Black, and it is a very good keeper. Also I love Wealthy, and Swiss Gourmet (a.k.a., Arlet). If memory serves, Wealthy is a good keeper. Swiss Gourmet doesn't keep as long, but is very tasty and sweet, and the most gorgeous apple I have ever seen -- looks very much like a nectarine, shiny with a beautiful red/orange blush. So maybe check into those.
Vinegaroon
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu Nov 15, 2012 11:27 am
Location: SLC,UT

Re: Recommendations for growing apples - Wasatch Mountain va

Post by Vinegaroon »

Hello, I bought a bushel of Macintosh and a bushel of Jonathan from a couple up in Huntsville this fall(I only went up for the Jonathan because I'd never had a Mac I thought was worth eating). The Macs were good and made very fine sauce the Jonathan's were incredible so there are two I know for sure will perform for you. I dried almost half of the Jonathan's which worked really well, small apples that don't brown and dry quickly and hold on to a fair amount of flavor. If you avoid M7 and some of the other dwarfing rootstocks with a reputation for leaning you ought to be able to avoid that problem. I'd go with M111 or antanovka even if your goal is smallish trees. I've never dried or cooked with Arkansas Black but they are good apples and nice trees. So far down here in Salt Lake Spitzenberg is doing well too. The reputation for disease susceptibility seems a bit exaggerated on that one we had fireblight spring before last that killed a couple trees and didn't touch the spitzenberg. I hope some of that helps.
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