It actually took five years to produce ANY flowering but I didn't count the three or four blossoms as anything worth mentioning. Certainly it was nothing like what yours looks like at such an early age! I bought it thru Seeds of Change and I think the parent nursery was in California and named "Pamona Antique Apple" or something. I got a "Spitzenberg", too. That's back when I didn't know nothin' 'bout orcharding or I might have not gotten such problematic varieties. I put footies over one or two fruitlets after I examine them for PC damage. I strip back the small leaves around the fruit and pull the footie over it and pull the edge of the opening snug against the stem and staple with a mini-stapler. Time consuming, but what better way to spend one's life than up in a tree I've nurtured from a baby, the morning sun warming my tired old bones (and brain), protecting my unique fruit (it ain't a Red Delicious!), knowing that each applet I cover will be somewhat protected without chemicals. It's a hobby, to be sure, but my wife and I are into organic eating and this fits in perfectly. Plus I've dreamed of this since I was a boy and stuck watermelon seeds in the ground beside our porch and watched them push up through the soil. Dad was right when he said they would not make it but I never forgot it.

900 apples bagged! That's fantastic!! The nice thing about ToA is that yes, the trees are more expensive, but they are so big, and start bearing their second year after arrival. Being able to buy a year or two is nice as you get older. Here the low chill climate may be a challenge as well, so it helps to have as much of a head start on a tree as possible. Another "Gold" not mentioned is Golden Russet, "The "champagne" of old-time cider apples, also delicious for eating and dryingÂ.sugary juice". ToAÂs tree bore heavily this year on its tips, its second year, and needed heavy thinning. Last year, my Orleans Reinette as a benchgraft from Greenmantle died, wasted money and Âeven worse- time, so I ordered a big one from ToA, 5 feet, lots of branches, leaves. Hopefully it will bear next year. Pitmaston Pineapple from ToA bloomed really late and set fruit its first year last year. I hand pollinated, pulled off all but one apple, but it never seemed to ripen, just stayed green until if fell off. It was late again leafing out this year, blooming, and is just beginning to set fruit. The top branches arenÂt leafing out. It may not like our low chill climate here. Pomme Gris was a bench graft from Kuffel Creek last year, shot up to five feet, is branching out nicely this year, especially since I planted it in the ground. Virginia Winesap was another bench graft from KC last year, grew five feet as well, is in a Belgium Fence this year. It still wants to grow more at the top, less lower branches, and is adjusting to its new location. I may have to prune more of the top off to get lower branch growth.

Hark! I've been summoned! (How did I miss this one?! I try to come here every day like a junkie needs... well, never mind.) I'm happy to report that my footie-festooned Cox's Orange is still loaded with fat little apples with the biggest being about the size of a racquet ball. It's been very dry up here in Blue Ridge GA with a significant rain deficit and I've resorted to rigging up my old spring pump to pump water up into 275 gallon storage tanks and then letting gravity feed the wet stuff down to each of my fruit trees. I've put about 800 gallons on the Cox in two months with a circular dripper hose I made from plastic irrigation pipe. I let it drip all night but it actually only takes about three hours to completely empty the tank. The Spitz and Cox are doing fine but after reading about the cracking I'm starting to quietly panic as I write this as the rain and humidity have finally showed up in the last few days. I must go down and pull off some footies and have a look and will post any changes. My mind is already racing ahead with visions of a plastic tent and dehumidifier with maybe an air conditioner to ensure that I will get at least one frickin' apple this year! Herbert

Hi neonweb, I will. I've been on GW for going on 13-years. I won't be leaving ever. I'm also growing grapes. A lot of this is trial, I realize... but there should be no reason in my mind why I cannot grow nectarines and plums and apples and cherries and peaches such as 'Reliance' or ultra cold hardy peaches such as 'Contendor' if I don't succeed with the less common cultivars. I realize 'Early Elberta' isn't 'less common whatsoever.' Nectarines are hardier and I happen to like them more than (peaches.) It's a win-win. Thank you very much rphcfb14. I'm a fanatic, no doubt. I'm also a fanatic when it comes to properly spacing trees & shrubs. I don't plan on digging up many trees but I did plant a few conifers within 20 feet of each other that I know I will have to decide which one will be kept and which one will go in the next 25-40 years. Generally speaking though, I spaced everything for a 50-year period. I will put in a few pears and both Euro and Asian. It's sort of on my last to do list. I'll just say that. I also have as much space still yet allotted for nut trees... as I have given to my orchard. I met and became quick and also a pal with a nut tree expert a bit over a year ago. He has quite the collection. We grow a pecan up here that's larger than Kanza and cracks out perfect and is a lighter blond color than, 'Kanza'. It's called 'Hark' and it's not in the nursery industry but scions have been sent to the USDA breeding program in Texas as well as to Bill Reid at Kansas State (www.pecanblogspot.com) and last winter I sent scions to few friends on GW. The grapes I'm going to learn a lot about fast I believe. And, I will just have to see for myself what fruit species and cultivars do well, too. Dax