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Apple Calendar
	Poll	Planted	Root	Taste	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar
Discovery	0	95/96	111	crisp	mid	yes
Summer_Golden_Pippin	-4	98/99	26	fruity	late	early
Worcester Pearmain	0	May97	106	juicy		yes	yes
Greensleeves	-4	97/98	26	crisp		mid	yes
St Edmunds Pippin	-3	98/99	106	sweet		late	yes
Ard Cairn Russet	+1	98/99	25	sweet		late	yes	yes
---"--- x6	+1	99/00	106	sweet		late	yes	yes
Mother	+4	May00	26	aromatic			yes	yes	yes
Queen Cox	0	95/96	111	aromatic			mid	yes	yes
Ribston Pippin	-3T	Apr01	106	aromatic			yes	yes	yes	yes
Cortland	-2	Apr01	106	sweet			yes	yes	yes	yes
Jupiter	+3T	95/96	111?	coxlike			late	yes	yes	yes
Kidds Orange Red	+1	97/98	106	aromatic				yes	yes	yes
Kidds Orange Red x5	+1	Apr01	106	aromatic				yes	yes	yes
Orleans Reinette	+5	97/98	26?	aromatic				yes	yes	yes
Cornish Gillyflower	+1	Mar04	25	rich				yes	yes	yes
Winter Gem		Jan03	106	aromatic?				yes	yes	yes	yes
Adams' Pearmain x10	-2	May00	111	aromatic				yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
Ashmead's Kernel x6	+3	99/00	106	strong					yes	yes	yes
Golden Noble	+5	Apr01	106				cul	cul	cul
Bramley's seedling	+1T	197X?	??					cul	cul	cul	cul	cul
Tom Putt	-1	Mar04	25	??		cdr	cdr	cdr
The months above refer to when the apples are eaten. Poll is flowering time- days earlier (-) or later (+) than Cox T is a triploid, which doesn't pollinate other trees Root is rootstock Cul means cooking apple; cdr means cider apple Discovery (with difficulty) & Queen Cox have been espaliered

Old Bramley tree
Old Bramley apple tree

Discovery apples
Discovery apples on espalier

Espaliers
Espaliers on framework of old greenhouse

Apple rootstocks

The main difference between different rootstocks is the ultimate size of the resulting tree. Other factors, such as the type of apple and the growing conditions also affect the size, and there are other considerations which may affect the choice of rootstock. In most cases I am aiming at half-standard trees in a grassed-down orchard, and MM106 is one of the appropriate rootstocks. I wanted my two espaliers to be quite big, and so opted for the next size up MM111. The other rootstock choices reflected a number of issues. For instance, Summer Golden Pippin is eaten straight off the tree, so I didn't want a large crop and chose one size down from MM106 ie M26.

The main rootstocks currently available are:
smallest-M27-M9-M26-MM106-MM111-M25-largest

Pollination

For apple fruit to set, the flowers need to be pollinated. Some types of apples set a few fruit by themselves, but for reliable cropping another different type of apple is required to act as pollinator. This other apple must flower within a few days of the apple tree that you want pollinated. Triploids (in this garden, Bramley, Jupiter, and Ribston) are not effective as pollinators of other trees.

Pruning

To grossly simplify a subject which is full of ifs, buts, and maybes:
1. Branches at or near the horizontal are more fruitful than vertical growth.
2. You can shape apple trees according to the space available, and your desires for easy picking, mowing, or walking underneath. [Provided that the rootstock is roughly the correct vigour.]
3. Resistance to disease & proper ripening is helped by pruning to avoid overcrowding of foliage in the middle of the tree.
4. Renewal pruning of overcrowded trees should be spread over several years to avoid stimulating excessive leafy growth.

Orleans Reinette

Apples

Greensleeves

Another apple I didn't get

More apples

Apple Calendar

Apple rootstocks

Pollination

Pruning