![\"apple](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.growntocook.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/sized__MG_9993.jpg?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1\")
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Designing our new garden<\/a> is all about fulfilling a long-time dream of being able to grow all the veg and fruit we need\/want. When it comes to vegetables, self-sufficiency requires adequate space and a fair amount of planning, but is within the reach of a dedicated gardener. But when it comes to fruit, it is far more difficult to achieve. Also: you\u2019d better like apples since they are the only fruit available locally for about four months of the year. Which is why choosing the apple trees for our garden is a serious and rather complicated matter. 4) Disease resistance<\/strong> What does this mean in our garden?
\nIn case you are planning a garden (or just dreaming of one), here are the things I take into consideration when choosing apples (most of them will apply, in varying degrees, to other fruits as well):
\n1) Rootstock<\/strong>
\nJust about all apple trees you can buy are grafted on a rootstock. The rootstock, in combination with the variety grafted on it and the soil, determines the size of the mature tree. There are many rootstocks for apples (M 9, M27, M106\u2026 ) but nurseries usually label the trees as \u2018bush\/dwarfing\u2019, \u2018half-standard\u2019 and \u2018standard\u2019. \u2018Bush\u2019 trees are the smallest, growing to only about 2 to 3 meters high. Consequently they will yield the least, about 10 to 20 kilo of fruit, and their lifespan is only some 15 to 20 years. On the other side of the spectrum, \u2018standards\u2019 can grow as tall as 8 meters and yield more than 100 kilo of apples a year. They take longer to start producing fruit but can keep going for a century.<\/p>\n![\"apple](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.growntocook.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/sized__MG_5279.jpg?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1\")
\n2) Pollination<\/strong>
\nMost apples need another variety growing nearby for pollination in order to set fruit and the so called \u2018triploid\u2019 varieties might require two. Apples are divided into 7 groups according to their flowering time – a variety from one group will pollinate other varieties in the same group as well as those from the adjacent groups. If you only have space for one tree and there are no other trees close by, you can plant a self-fertile variety. We grow two self-fertile varieties: \u2018Manks Codlin\u2019 and \u2018Groninger Kroon\u2019. But even with these, yields will be improved by cross-pollination.
\n3) Storage<\/strong>
\nFrom summer apples that keep for just about 2 weeks, to winter apple varieties some of which can be stored till next year\u2019s summer, the time for which apples will keep in storage varies greatly. This is an important consideration: planting a standard tree of \u2018Transparant Blanche\u2019 which might produce tens of kilos of apples that you\u2019ll either have to eat immediately or process within a week, might not be a good idea. Especially since they\u2019ll ripen in the middle of summer when there are lots of other fruits around as well. (I\u2019m speaking from experience \u2013 my parents have a huge \u2018Transparant Blanche\u2019 in their garden and I often spend a good portion of my summer vacation making apple butter). Of course: growing long-keeping varieties is only sensible if you have some (cool) place to store them. We have a small cellar which is unfortunately a little too warm and that means our apples do not keep quite as long as they could under better circumstances.<\/p>\n![\"apples\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.growntocook.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/sized__MG_6207.jpg?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1\")
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\nWe\u2019re gardening organically and I do not spray at all (not even with sprays allowed for organic growers). Moreover, the higher humidity within a forest garden might lead to higher occurrence of fungal diseases. Which means choosing naturally strong, disease resistant varieties is key. These may be old local apple varieties or modern varieties bread for scab resistance, such as \u2018Topaz<\/a>\u2019 and \u2018Santana\u2019.
\n5) Use and taste<\/strong>
\nSome apples are primarily dessert apples, others are great for making cider or baking apple pie. \u2018Cookers\u2019 are often easier and will grow well even in less ideal conditions. Taste, of course, is very important but also completely personal. The best thing is to go to apple tastings (our favorite family past time<\/a> in autumn) and take notes on the varieties you like best.<\/p>\n![\"apples\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.growntocook.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/sized_Appels-bewaren-001.jpg?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1\")
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\nOur soil is sandy and low in nutrients which means the trees would probably not grow terribly big, even on a standard rootstock. Since trees grown on these rootstocks are stronger, they might actually be preferable in our situation. But because I want a variety and not a huge amount of apples of one sort, I am not planning on growing any standards in the garden. Most of the varieties will be grafted on dwarfing rootstock, adding maybe one or two \u2018half-standards\u2019 of long-keeping varieties. Because we\u2019ll be growing some 6-7 different varieties and our garden neighbours another 7, plus there are more apple trees scattered on the surrounding plots, I don\u2019t have to worry about pollination and I can even plant triploid varieties.
\nThe apples we already have are early and late autumn varieties that see us through\/from August till end of November. Therefore I would like to add some winter apples that would prolong the season.<\/p>\n![\"apple\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.growntocook.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/sized__MG_7478.jpg?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1\")
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