I'm one of the people who doesn't particularly like Liberty. I remember one poster saying that it needed to be well-ripened to shine. I picked some at a PYO orchard this fall on 10/16, after an especially long season (due to the early spring). Even so, it was just so-so. ~13-14 brix, with a nondescript flavor. I've had worse, but it wasn't good. The standout from the same day was some super-sweet Golden Russets (>21% brix). Given what Scott has said in the past (that Pomme Gris is similar to Golden Russet), I would definitely go with that. I've got one myself, but only planted it last spring. But, the must-have apple is Goldrush. Especially given the length of the growing season you have. Right off the tree it is one of the strongest flavored apples you'll find- lots of sweet and sour at the same time. And it's scab resistant with a great hard, good-keeping texture. I've had some pretty good Winesaps and not-bad Staymans from PYOs. I once found an Arkansas Black in a grocery store. While it is reputed to keep very well, even it could not stand up to the "non-refrigerated and tucked in a corner" treatment it received there. It was quite soft and not very impressive. I later had one which had been better preserved and it wasn't bad, but didn't really grab me (like a harder, but not crunchy Stayman). Winesap has been the best of the 3 so far, especially when well-ripened to the point where a few are just starting to crack.

My figs did weird things - some branches died back to the ground while one or two only died back to around 4 feet. Some have only now started sprouting leaves while other (branches) have good sized fruit. Black Mission completely died back except for one small branch. Kadota completely died back but is sprouting at soil level. Celeste only lost the tips of its longest branches, it has leafed out and has fruit on most branches. Texas Everbearing lost most of its branches but has sprouted from the base and every other bush has at least one branch that survived and has fruit.

John, I have much more severe problems with borers on peaches. Maybe it is related to the kind of rootstock you are using on the apricots. When I dig borers out of peaches I notice how soft the wood is compared to my apricots and plums. I am also now painting the lower trunks of all my stone fruits with undiluted latex paint in a very thick coat, and painting 3-4 inches underground as well. If you replant I would do that for additional borer protection. The plum curculio likes all, but the apricots can get it worse if you don't start spraying early enough. Early spray is key, the cots are way ahead and there is a temptation to wait until the peaches are also ready to dust off the sprayer. Resist that urge! I can't think of any other bug problem that might be worse on apricots. Along with the Euro plums they are prone to green aphid damage in May/June, but the Euro plums get it more severely than the apricots. Overall I find apricots one of the easiest and most rewarding fruits to grow, assuming you get good varieties like Tomcot. Early freeze is the biggest issue to deal with but I have near-perfect conditions for spring weather since I am on the side of a deep river valley. I added ten new apricot varieties this spring to find some other good ones besides Tomcot. Scott

I have grown quite a few grapes and there are few that my kids like that can be grown in Maryland. The slipskin types and the crosses which have at least some of that in them are not very popular with my kids. I would recommend you try the new U Ark grapes, they are supposed to be more like grocery store grapes. Names are Joy Hope Gratitude Faith. I would have had some fruits this year but apparently deer like munching whole immature grape clusters. Besides those I would also recommend muscadines. They are more slipskin type but you can pop them out of the skin, its fun to eat them. Since you are getting a lot of grape for little seed its less annoying. One of my kids likes muscadines. They are also much easier to grow, no sprays are needed. Any other grape requires a couple sprays or more. Scott