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11 Flavorful, Pest-Free Apple Varieties

comments (2) September 21st, 2011

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Read How to Grow No-Spray Organic Apples for the methods that produced these beauties.Click To Enlarge

Read How to Grow No-Spray Organic Apples for the methods that produced these beauties.

Photo: Kim Jaeckel
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Bloom period is an important factor in tree selection. For proper pollination, choose varieties with the same or contiguous bloom times -- A and B, or B and C (see the key below).

A = Early
B = Late-early
C = Midseason
T = Triploid, and therefore pollen-sterile. Plant with at least two other non-triploid varieties to bear fruit. 
R = Resistant
VR = Very resistant
S = Susceptible, but not a problem if bagged and sprayed with compost tea.

Cultivar Bloom
time		 Scab Mildew Fire
blight
Akane
(bright red, tart-sweet)		 B R R R
William's Pride
(dark red, sweet, aromatic)		 A R R R
Kidd's Orange-Red
(red blushed, juicy, aromatic)		 C R R VR
Sweet Sixteen
(red striped, firm, crisp)		 C R S R
Liberty
(red, sweet-tart, productive)		 A VR R VR
Spartan
(yellow with maroon, fruity)		 C R VR VR
Bramley's Seedling
(yellow with stripes, acidic)		 C,T R R R
Enterprise
(red, rich, and spicy)		 B R S R
Hudson's Golden Gem
(golden, russet, pearlike flavor)		 B VR R S
Ashmead's Kernel
(yellow, russet, tart, aromatic)		 B R S R
Belle de Boskoop
(yellow, red blush, tart)		 B,T R R VR

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Comments (2)

TheMastersGardener writes: I'm on the NorthCoast of CA, so very much like the PNW. My healthiest (no scab) apples are MacIntosh, Granny Smith and Gravenstein (mid-season, late and early, respectively). I have a young Akane that is multi-grafted so don't know too much about it yet. Golden Delicious, HoneyCrisp, Spitzenberg, and Pippin are nearly scab free as well. Over the years of not picking up the leaves (and the spring's being longer and wetter) the Empire and Crispin have developed a lot more scab. In all the apples are far healthier than the Bartlett Pears. Hope you find the best apples for your area. You might check with neighbors and the local county extension agent.
Posted: 12:40 am on September 29th
juhlee888 writes: Living in the Pacific Northwest - Vancouver, BC area, I only recognize the Akane apple - are there any other disease resistant apple varieties which are suitable for my area?
Posted: 9:08 am on September 28th
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