The Awful Reign of the Red Delicious, how the worst apple took over the US & continues to spread

[happyslug]

75. Yes they do, apples trees are produced by grafting not seeds

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Delicious

Now new variations have been "found" since the 1960s, but as a whole the Red Delicious is about the same as it was when it was first sold 1880.

Remember the seeds of apples are a product of genes that are different from the genes of its parents, and thus will NOT produce the same type of apples as its parents. Thus Grafting is used to produce more versions of any apple tree.

Sometimes someone spots a tree with a new type of apple and like it and start to graft more trees off its trigs. Thus new variations of apples are born, but then grafted to make more trees of that type of apple.

Because apples do not breed true when planted as seeds, grafting is generally used to produce new apple trees.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple#Wild_ancestors

The Granny Smith has made major in roads on the Red Delicious for it has a similar shelf life and has something called "Taste". The Red Delicious was liked for it could last a year, other variation of apples have a much shorted shelf life and thus disliked by anyone supplying apples but not eating them (Red Delicious are "loved" by the Army and other similar mass feeders of people, for it is something they can count on NOT rotting before it is served).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granny_Smith

Since the 1930s, the Excelsior Experiment Station at the University of Minnesota has introduced a steady progression of important apples that are widely grown, both commercially and by local orchardists, throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin. Its most important contributions have included 'Haralson' (which is the most widely cultivated apple in Minnesota), 'Wealthy', 'Honeygold', and 'Honeycrisp'.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple#Wild_ancestors

In my area, the popular varity tends to be for pie making as while as eating raw:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Spy

http://www.ecbrownsnursery.biz/index.cfm/fuseaction/plants.plantDetail/plant_id/32/typeID/7/index.htm

My Favorite has always been the Stayman, a tart apple. It is known as a "Frost" Apple for it becomes ripe about the time of the first frost of the fall. Stayman is also a Sterile pollen producer, you can NOT use it to pollinate another apple. Please note ALL apples must be pollinated by another variation of apple. In the case of Stayman, that generally means three variation for Stayman can NOT be used to pollinate, thus to pollinate whatever variation of apple you use to pollinate the Stayman, you have to get a third variation of apples to do the job. For this reason most Apple orchards that sell Stayman Apples also tend to sell at least two other variation of apples.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stayman_(apple)

http://www.treesofantiquity.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=125

http://www.ecbrownsnursery.biz/index.cfm/fuseaction/plants.plantDetail/plant_id/816/index.htm


http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8301.html

Another Apple I like is the Cortland:

http://www.ecbrownsnursery.biz/index.cfm/fuseaction/plants.plantDetail/plant_id/8/typeID/7/index.htm

Please note:

Pollination - All apple varieties should be considered self-incompatible, meaning that they cannot pollinate themselves or any flowers of the same apple variety. The highest quality fruit is harvested when cross-pollination occurs with a suitable pollinizer variety. You will need to plant at least two varieties of apple trees together in order to maximize fruit production and quality. Make sure that the varieties you choose have overlapping bloom dates, so that both varieties bloom at the same time. Some varieties, such as Winesap, Mutsu, Jonagold, and Stayman, produce sterile pollen and should never be used as pollinizers. However, pollen from other varieties can be used to pollinate these pollen-sterile varieties. Remember, two trees of the same apple variety cannot be used for cross-pollination. Since the pollen from apple blossoms is transferred primarily by bees, be careful not to spray insecticides during bloom when honey bees are present.

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8301.html

In simple terms you can NOT plant just one apple tree, you MUST plant two of different varieties but that flower about the same time.

I am NOT a great fan of the Gala, but it is the #2 Apple in the US today:

http://www.ecbrownsnursery.biz/index.cfm/fuseaction/plants.plantDetail/plant_id/22/typeID/7/index.htm

I have to mention the "Grime Golden" which is believed to be the ancestor of the "Golden Delicious", it is also known as one of the few apples that can pollinate itself:

http://www.ecbrownsnursery.biz/index.cfm/fuseaction/plants.plantDetail/plant_id/27/typeID/7/index.htm

One tree supplier list of Apple Trees:

http://www.ecbrownsnursery.biz/index.cfm