Reviving this awesome apple thread. I was reading through what I posted and I am amused by how quickly things change. at least half of the apples I listed have fallen off my own list. I've grafted over most of my spigold because it's really not that good after all. Mutsu is also somewhat uninteresting these days. Here is my new list of favorites: - coconut crunch is extraordinary in our climate and keeps really well - sinta, fruited for the first time last Fall, delicious strong pineapple flavor - Fiesta, really good for a Summer apple - Williams pride, my tastiest Summet apple after Viking - Orin, great storage apple that still has that tropical pineapple flavor in March - alkmene, yummy summer August apple that tastes lime a cox but even better - kidds orange red, superb in the Fall - Haralson, fruits well here in California and its good - transparente de cronkels, delicious and high quality I still love gravenstein, hauer pippin and granny smith off my old list. I am curious what will stand out this year, as it surely won't be the same as last year. -

I actually grew the larger bok choy last year and loved it. I love adding it to stir fries (simple). Another simple meals is to stir fry them with a little oil, garlic and ginger. I add some leftover chicken (rotissere works well) and add some chicken broth. It's yummy!! This year I'm trying the gai lan (Chinese broccoli). I read that you harvest when they're about 6-8 inches tall by cutting the stalks. Then they'll grow back and you can harvest at least 2 more times. Sounded like a great bargain! These I prepare Chinese style with oyster sauce but you could use them like broccoli or raab. Yummy! I love that you volunteer garden for seniors. What a great way to give back!!

I am growing and have grown 6 varieties of heirlooms. The winner is Cherokee Purple with potato leaf Red Brandywine a distant second. There is a reason as to why the Cherokee is the number 1 selling seed and that is Flavor. It is also the most difficult to grow but really not impossible. My techniques. Grow in 5 gallon buckets,dark sandy loam soil. I get my soil from the top inch of earth below pine and oak trees. Objective is pH of soil. I also increase the acidity of soil by applying powered sulphur and large amounts of oak leaves and pine straw. I run a rope thru bottom of bucket up to an 8 ft high bar. This gives me a place to tie branches as they grow and also helps support the weight of the fruit. I use, as directed, Miracle Grow 24-8-16 and apply once per week, 1/2 gallon per plant. When temps reach 90+ I water twice per day, 1/2 gallon of water per plant on each application. Otherwise, 1 gallon of water per day per plant. I place buckets as closely as possible to each other to give fruit as much shade as possible. This almost eliminates cracking and splitting. You end up with a Jungle which makes it difficult to find the fruit. Plants will reach 7 ft high. End results have been high production of fruit on all varieties with very limited splitting. Also apply Iron to each plant on monthly basis. I have 100% sun. Have had a few Cherokee fruits to exceed 1 lb, most are in 10 to 12 ounce size. In tomatoes size does not count, Flavor rules. When you chunk a Cherokee you will have less than a thimble of liquid in bowl.

Pisang Ceylon, Apple, Namwa are all fantastic out of my eleven varieties.