I need to plant some apple trees in my garden. My requirements are a bit
specific; my wife can't eat apples with tough or thick skins, I want apples
with a spreading habit, etc. I don't care about taste cos I've never eaten
an apple that I didn't like.
I have had many recommendations for varieties but unfortunately they neglect
to tell you that the apple is susceptible to mildew, or that it has an
upright habit, etc.

Does any one know of a good source of information on apples, preferably
online, which mentions skin, vigour, habit, disease resistance and whether
biennial bearing?

There was a Gardening Which? report in October 1984 which did list these
things for 24 of the most common varieties; but of course does not mention
the more modern varieties.

thanks, Davy

Davy
Can recommend the "Directory of Apple Cultivars" Martin Crawford 2nd ed
2001 (of the Agroforestry Reasearch Trust www.agroforestry.co.uk ) ISBN
1874275408 can be bought of their website.
This book details over 3000 cultivars, the main part of the book tells
you about flowering dates, ripening dates, resistance / susecptibility
to scab, canker, mildew, fireblight, cedar rust, codling moth, bitter
pit, brown rot, wheater its a tip bearer, wheather its a dual purpose
apple. Then details a description which includes a description of the
tree. Sometimes its just a one word - vigourous, others gives an
indication as to wheather spreading, upright etc.

The book also details:
self fertile cultivars
tip bearers
spur bearers
cultivars for pot culture
cultivars for no-prune culture
cultivars for areas with late frosts / forst resistant flowers / late
flowering
cultivars for Northern Britain
Cultivars with ornamental flowers
Cultivars for chalk/alkaline soils
Cultivars with lengthy flowering
Triploids
Vit C content
Cultivars for Orgainic cultivation in High/low rainfall areas /
fireblight prone areas
Apples for drying
Cultivars for woodland gardens
Fruit hanging on the tree
Fruit falling from the tree
Juice production
Cider production

When grafting another bit of wood - its the book I refer too to see how
I will grow it.

Clifford
Bawtry, Doncaster, South Yorkshire

The message
from "Davy" contains these words:

I need to plant some apple trees in my garden. My requirements are a bit
specific; my wife can't eat apples with tough or thick skins, I want apples
with a spreading habit, etc. I don't care about taste cos I've never eaten
an apple that I didn't like.
I have had many recommendations for varieties but unfortunately they neglect
to tell you that the apple is susceptible to mildew, or that it has an
upright habit, etc.

Does any one know of a good source of information on apples, preferably
online, which mentions skin, vigour, habit, disease resistance and whether
biennial bearing?

There was a Gardening Which? report in October 1984 which did list these
things for 24 of the most common varieties; but of course does not mention
the more modern varieties.

thanks, Davy


I'm not aware of information as detailed as this online. There are,
however, two books which are both very informative:

'The New Book of Apples' by Joan Morgan and Alison Richards
'Apples, a field guide' by Michael Clark

The first covers almost every known apple and gives lots of information
about the fruit, disease resistance, biennial bearing etc but seems to
have less information about the growth habit of the tree.
The second book covers over 100 varieties and is less encyclopaedic in
its approach but does usually comment on the vigour and shape of the
tree. Both mention skin when relevant.

Janet G

I have found the source of the information I need - at
http://gardenaction.co.uk/fruit_veg_...r_2d_apple.asp -
the apple varieties are listed in the right margin.

many thanks

Davy

"Davy" wrote in message
om...
I need to plant some apple trees in my garden. My requirements are a bit
specific; my wife can't eat apples with tough or thick skins, I want
apples
with a spreading habit, etc. I don't care about taste cos I've never
eaten
an apple that I didn't like.
I have had many recommendations for varieties but unfortunately they
neglect
to tell you that the apple is susceptible to mildew, or that it has an
upright habit, etc.

Does any one know of a good source of information on apples, preferably
online, which mentions skin, vigour, habit, disease resistance and whether
biennial bearing?

There was a Gardening Which? report in October 1984 which did list these
things for 24 of the most common varieties; but of course does not mention
the more modern varieties.

thanks, Davy