The Apple Tree
Information by:
https://www.cumminsnursery.com
https://www.mehrabyannursery.com
https://www.treesofantiquity.com
As with our other fruit trees, I’m thinking we will have at least two apple trees in our designated orchard area, with perhaps a third one as an espalier tree somewhere else around the farm. My reason for this though is a little different from the other trees because it has to do with Andy and his ancestry.
Andy is huge on his family genealogy. In his research he came across an apple variety called the “Putnam Apple”. It is also known as the Roxbury Russet, and he would really like to have one as part of the farm. My research says it can grow in zone 7 so we will give it a go!
The Putnam Apple (aka Roxbury Russet)
This apple is one of the oldest varieties native to America. It first grew on the farm of Ebenezer Davis in Roxbury, Massachusetts early in the 1600s. Some believe the Roxbury Russet is the result of an apple core thrown away when the pilgrims first came to North America. In the late 1700s, it was brought to Marietta, Ohio and sold by Putnam Nursery under the names Putnam Russet and Marietta Russet. It was also known as Shippen’s Russet in New York for a brief period, when it was cultivated by Chief Justice Shippen. I should point out here, that Andy is from Marietta, Ohio as well and I kid you not… when he first took me home to meet his family and give me a tour of the town, everything freak in thing including streets, schools and candy stops were named Putnam!
But… I digress, this apple is considered a heritage dessert apple. Therefore, it is a great ingredient to make delicious pies as well as apple sauce. In addition, its high sugar content and aromatic nature is one reason why Roxbury Russet is a good choice for blending in cider. A great benefit to growing Roxbury Russet apple trees is that they bear heavy crops every year. That said, it is not the prettiest apple of all the varieties. It’s exterior kind of reminds me of the Bosc pear, minus the shape of course.
Characteristics of the Putnam Apple
Heirloom, Cider, Cold-Hardy
Its uses include fresh eating, cider, baking, and sauces
Taste is sweet, sharp and aromatic
Size is medium to large
It can be stored up to three plus months depending on the storage conditions
Skin color is russet with flesh being off-white
It grows in zones 4-10
Chill hours are 1000
Harvest and bloom period is late
It cross pollinates with Crimson Crisp, Gala, Honeycrisp, and Pink Lady to name a few
Is moderately vigorous; is a spreading tree, bearing fruit on spurs and shoots.
Needs pruning each year
Rootstock is semi-dwarf
Takes 2-4 years to bear fruit
Recommended spacing is 12 – 16 ft
Mature size is 12 – 16 ft
It requires 12 – 15 gallons of water per week May - September
Diseases & Pests
Resistance to Scab, Fire blight and Cedar apple rust
Prone to canker
So if I use the Putnam Apple as my guide the other two apple varieties I will plant will be the Pink Lady and the Honeycrisp. Next up… the Pink Lady!
Pink Lady Apple Overview
Pink Lady® apples are enjoyed both for eating fresh and cooking. The fruit has a unique, balanced flavor—the first bite is tart, followed by just the right amount of sweet. It is delicious to eat fresh, but it is equally as good to use for cooking. Chefs and home cooks enjoy the firm quality of this apple variety, using it for baking desserts where the apple retains its shape, like pies, tarts, and cakes. This apple variety is also an excellent choice for apple sauces and apple butters.
These trees, also known as Cripps or Cripps Pink, produce apples late in the growing season, making it a good choice for growing in warmer climates. It requires only 500-600 chill hours per year.
The fruit was developed in Australia and released for commercial production in 1989. Pink Lady® apple trees are a cross between Lady Williams and Golden Delicious, giving the fruit good storage characteristics and a sweet, crisp flavor.
The tree has beautiful white blossoms that develop mid-season. The apples ripen to a pretty, reddish pink with small, white dots.
Characteristics of the Pink Lady Apple
Bloom color is white
Fruit color is red
Fruit size is medium
It ripens/harvests in late October
Requires full sun
Soil composition is loamy, well drained with a pH level between 6.0-7.0
Taste is both sweet and tart
Texture is crunchy
Two – five years to bear fruit
Zone is 5-8
It was two versions – Semi Dwarf (12 – 15 ft tall x 12- 15 ft wide) and Dwarf (8-10 ft tall x 8 -10 ft wide)
Recommended spacing for Semi Dwarf is 12 – 15 ft while the Dwarf is 8-10 ft.
Additional Planting Information
Test the soil pH with a test kit from a nursery or planting center. The trees prefer neutral soil with a pH range of 6.5 to 7. They do well in many types ranging from clay loam to sandy loam.
Space the trees at least 5 to 8 feet apart. That is the width of mature pink lady apple trees.
Dig a hole that is three or four times as wide as the root ball or container the tree came in. Make the hole the same depth. Scrape the sides of the hole to loosen the soil. Remove the plant pot and loosen the root mass by hand. Loosen up the roots on the outside without disrupting them too much. Place the tree in the center of the hole. Put the best-looking side facing outward. Fill the hole with the removed soil. There is no need to add nutrients to the soil if yours is loose. If it's clay soil, add some compost to help loosen it up. Water the tree thoroughly. Slow, deep watering is better than quick watering. Put 3 inches of mulch down around the perimeter of apple tree. Don't let it touch the tree; leave a few inches free. Compost, pine straw or pulverized bark work just fine. Expect blooms to appear on the pink lady apple tree in the middle of spring to early summer. The apples will be ripe and ready to harvest in October.
Warning
Never plant pink lady apples trees in low spots that are in danger of frost.
Honey Crisp Apple Overview
The Honey Crisp is considered a modern apple which is high demand. It has outstanding fresh-eating qualities that make this variety an American favorite! The fruit is described as aromatic and sweet as honey (hence the name) with an explosion of juicy, crisp texture when you bite into it. Because the tree is naturally compact, it grows well in small spaces. The Honey Crisp originated from Excelsior Minnesota in 1974, so it is a considerable younger apple variety as compared to the Putnam Apple. The Honey Crisp is a cold-hardy and ripens in early September. It requires pollination and the Pink Lady is a perfect partner in this area. The Roxbury Russet (aka the Putnam Apple) will also pair well as a pollinator for the Honey Crisp.
Characteristics of the Honey Crisp Apple
Bloom color is white and bloom time is mid-late spring
It requires chill hours between 800 – 1000
Its fruit color is red, and size is large
This apple ripens/harvests in early September
It requires full sun
It needs a loamy soil composition that is well drained
Soil pH level is 6.0-7.0
The taste is sweet while the texture is crisp and juicy
It takes 2-5 years to bear fruit
Zone compatibility is 3-8 (although in another article it said zone 3-5… I might have to do further research on this variety before committing it to the farm)
The size and spacing of the Honey Crisp is the same as the Pink Lady (Semi-Dwarf is 12 – 15 ft tall x 12 – 15 ft wide and for the Dwarf it is 8-10 ft tall x 8-10 ft wide – the spacing mimics the size
I’ve enjoyed both the Honey Crisp and the Pink Lady from the grocery store so I’m confident that if we can successfully grow them, they will be flavorful and pair well with both Palisade wine and of course cheese! I will be curious to see if we can first locate a Putnam apple (aka Roxbury Russet) and then second grow it! Because of the name’s sake, we absolutely must try!
Next up in my ongoing research for the farm… the Apricot!
