Early Choices

There is a charming antique Russian apple called Yellow Transparent, also called White Transparent, of surprising sophistication if you get good ones. 

That's challenging as this early August variety is at peak for about 45 minutes.

Almost nobody grows it these days, which is a shame, but there are two modern varieties that sort of fill the same niche.

Danger Year

Socially distanced farmers market, Arlington, July 21

When I started this blog twelve years ago last week, I had no idea where it would go or take me.

In this uncertain and fearful time, that is more true than ever.

To my readers, again: thank you, take care, take special care, and be well.

And, watch this space.

Apples on the Web: National Gardening Association

APPLE DATABASE

Feel like an apple?

The National Gardening Association (U.S.) lists 1532 of them (as of this writing), with more added regularly.

The Association's searchable plants database has an apples section, listed in alphabetical order with a first-letter index and a search function.

What's Included

The cultivar listings are aimed at the home gardener, with information such as cold-hardiness zones. 

Except for a photo, not always present, there is not much information about the apple itself. Here's an example listing, McIntosh.

Towards the end of each listing is, if known, the parentage of the cultivar. 

There is also a link to a page listing the children of the apple described. Some sports may be included on this page.

If the listing for McIntosh offspring is any indication, these may be incomplete, but still an impressive resource and a good place to start.

Limitations

The apples database is part of the greater plants database, which reflects an orientation towards flowers, bushes, and other plants that do not bear edible fruit.

Most of the information in each listing applies to all apples, such as springtime blossoms and a preference for full sunlight and a mesic (moderately wet) habitat.

Home growers might like to know when varieties are ripe. However, they must look elsewhere for this and other information about the fruits of these trees.

More

The National Gardening Association has been promoting gardening since 1971. 

Its database is only one of many online resources the Association provides to the home gardener.

Apples of my Eye

LOVE THE ONES YOU'RE WITH

Lemonade, above, is a right good apple, well balanced and eminently worth choosing.

But the main reason I was glad to see this variety last month is geographic. My Lemonades grew in New Zealand and were picked in the spring. 

They are half a year fresher than the other apples in stores today. And, you can taste it.

The Wages of Fame is Spam

A passing mention of this blog on the website of an obscure tech company has led to some very welcome attention. (Hi everyone! Check me out!)

Alas, it has also brought comment spam in force.

For the time being, I am moderating all comments here.

Promise

A cool spring has left the trees wearing their party finery as late as today. (Carlson Orchard, Harvard Massachusetts)

Jazz vs. Koru Smackdown

There's really no rationale for comparing these two sturdy varieties except that I am apt to turn to them to brighten up the apple-bleak springtime.

Though the two apples were developed in New Zealand, today's samples grew in the U.S., almost certainly in Washington state.

In better times fresh versions of these apples harvested in the southern hemisphere in March or April would be entering American supermarkets.

Bud-y

The kernels are ready to pop at Nagog Hill Farm yesterday.

Pineapple Crunch

A really good apple I sampled back in 2017 is finally seeing the light of day here.

On the small side of medium, this attractive yellow apple sports a partial orange-bronze blush on the sunward side.

It has many tiny lenticels, some quite dark, but the most striking feature are several small round splotches of saturated red, like drops of paint.

There is some of this in both blushed and unblushed regions, and some of the lenticels are similarly colored.

EverCrisp-Fuji Smackdown

Who's your daddy? EverCrisp's pollen parent is Fuji.

Today we are tasting two related varieties harvested last fall and purchased this month in supermarkets.

They are not at peak, but both are sturdy, crunchy varieties bred to survive long-term storage and handling.

EverCrisp in April

EverCrisp is the Midwest Apple Improvement Association's entry into the Honeycrisp Succession Derby. I found it in my local supermarket this month.

How well does this variety, ever crisp, weather the wholesale chain? My other samples were all direct from local growers (and earlier).

I bought three, emblazoned with PLU stickers, to find out.