2 Part question - what apple is this & can I get scion cuttings off the tree the apple came from

[Cat Jenkins]

So, to start with... I'm not sure is this is the correct forum to ask this in. There are a lot of topics! Anyway, I'm a newbie at this but I'd like to try my hand at hard cider. I currently have access to an apple tree that is bearing apples right now. I think this is a Newtown Pippin but I'm not sure. It looks like one but the apples are ready for harvest now (End of July - in Georgia) and this is almost 3 months earlier than what most sites say about harvesting time. I understand that USDA zone 7/8 is at the far side of optimum growing climate but I'm not sure it that accounts for the variance in harvest times.
The definitive characteristics of the apple are as follows:
Mostly green with some dusky rose blushing, russet stem cavity and white/cream light green inside. The apples are also lop-sided with one lobe larger than the other.

The apple tree is on some land that is currently up for sale. I can't wait for the tree to go dormant before collecting scions so not sure what I need to do. The tree is probably 25 years old and has never really been managed. I'd like to plant a couple of trees like this one on my place if possible. So any advice would be appreciated.

 

[ong]

So, you won’t have any success with scion wood at this time of year, but it’s the perfect time to attempt bud grafting. Which is actually really fun, if a bit tricky. I recommend getting some parafilm tape to wrap the graft union.

https://extension.psu.edu/bud-grafting-apple-trees

As far as apple identification goes, that’s going to be awfully tricky. There are easily 10K available names strains of apple, and some of them are awfully similar to one another. Newtown Pippin is a delicious strain, notable for a fair bit of russeting. Those do look a lot like what I recall from that variety!

 

[dmtaylor]

So, you won’t have any success with scion wood at this time of year, but it’s the perfect time to attempt bud grafting. Which is actually really fun, if a bit tricky. I recommend getting some parafilm tape to wrap the graft union.

https://extension.psu.edu/bud-grafting-apple-trees

As far as apple identification goes, that’s going to be awfully tricky. There are easily 10K available names strains of apple, and some of them are awfully similar to one another. Newtown Pippin is a delicious strain, notable for a fair bit of russeting. Those do look a lot like what I recall from that variety!

+1 exactly. I've no idea what variety that might be. Seems too early to harvest. Are they soft and sweet already?

 

[Angus MacDonald]

Have you done a reverse image search on Google?

 

[Cat Jenkins]

So, you won’t have any success with scion wood at this time of year, but it’s the perfect time to attempt bud grafting. Which is actually really fun, if a bit tricky. I recommend getting some parafilm tape to wrap the graft union.

https://extension.psu.edu/bud-grafting-apple-trees

That's great! Thanks so much about the grafting tip. I had not considered that. I'm heading up to get some more apples today and I think I'll try this out. Yea, didn't have a lot of hope that the apple ID would be successful. My late mother-in-law was sent this tree as a gift from a nursery that she had bought a lot of plants from maybe 20-25 years ago. The tree has survived and always produced apples with little damage from pests and disease. She's never sprayed it and if she ever fertilized it, it wasn't likely done optimally. The tree was just the 'ole apple tree'. I'll try to get some pics.

 

[Cat Jenkins]

+1 exactly. I've no idea what variety that might be. Seems too early to harvest. Are they soft and sweet already?

The apples are starting to fall on the ground. If I compared them to a grocery store apple I would say they are firm - maybe a little less than hard but not soft. They taste "bright," a little sweet, tangy and juicy. Nothing like a grocery store apple! I know my mother-in-law baked them, and made applesauce but I don't think they ever tried cider/hard cider. That's the end goal.

 

[Cat Jenkins]

Have you done a reverse image search on Google?

I've done some google image searches and tried two of the apple identification websites. I'm not sure what a 'reverse' image search is though. The Newtown Pippin is the only apple I've seen that has the russet top like my apples and the mostly green color. I know there are thousands of varieties though.

 

[dmtaylor]

The apples are starting to fall on the ground. If I compared them to a grocery store apple I would say they are firm - maybe a little less than hard but not soft. They taste "bright," a little sweet, tangy and juicy. Nothing like a grocery store apple! I know my mother-in-law baked them, and made applesauce but I don't think they ever tried cider/hard cider. That's the end goal.

If they are falling then they should be about ready. You might benefit from "sweating" the apples for about a week, just letting them sit in a cool dark place, which allows them to ripen and sweeten them more fully, and might make them a little easier to press/juice.

 

[madscientist451]

I'm skeptical its a newtown pippin.
Perhaps look through web sites that feature southern apples and see if you can find a match.

http://bighorsecreekfarm.com/apple-varieties/warm-climate-apples/

If your goal is to make cider, you'd be better off to find some cider specific varieties that suit your climate. Early season varieties aren't usually the best for cider.
Here's another source for trees:

http://www.centuryfarmorchards.com/niche/warmerapples.html

 

[Angus MacDonald]

I've done some google image searches and tried two of the apple identification websites. I'm not sure what a 'reverse' image search is though. The Newtown Pippin is the only apple I've seen that has the russet top like my apples and the mostly green color. I know there are thousands of varieties though.

Google reverse image search and there are sites that will search the web with your image for you.

 

[Angus MacDonald]

Ok I'm home now and I've had time to do a reverse image search. Unfortunately there are not really any similar images for it to work. The best I could get was Granny Smiths, which is possibly rubbish from your description of flavour as I've never associated sweetness with Granny Smiths apples.

 

[ong]

The other idea I had if you really want to keep that particular plant around is that you could take a few cuttings and root them in perlite/coir, just so that you would have some viable plants to contribute scion wood around February/March. I might try that concurrently with the attempts at bud grafting (where you’re really transplanting a single leave petiole), to improve your odds.

 

[flars]

Air layering works well for apple trees. Google "air layer apple" for the techniques. Might have enough time before the land is sold. The new neighbors may not have a problem with harvesting a few twigs if the land is sold quickly.

 

[ong]

Air layering works well for apple trees. Google "air layer apple" for the techniques. Might have enough time before the land is sold. The new neighbors may not have a problem with harvesting a few twigs if the land is sold quickly.

I just suspect he would want this topwood on dwarfing stock, for size management and disease control. But it would be a good way to ensure he’s got viable scions to graft from later.

 

[Cat Jenkins]

Ok I'm home now and I've had time to do a reverse image search. Unfortunately there are not really any similar images for it to work. The best I could get was Granny Smiths, which is possibly rubbish from your description of flavour as I've never associated sweetness with Granny Smiths apples.

Thanks for looking anyway!

 

[Cat Jenkins]

I'm skeptical its a newtown pippin.
Perhaps look through web sites that feature southern apples and see if you can find a match.

http://bighorsecreekfarm.com/apple-varieties/warm-climate-apples/

If your goal is to make cider, you'd be better off to find some cider specific varieties that suit your climate. Early season varieties aren't usually the best for cider.
Here's another source for trees:

http://www.centuryfarmorchards.com/niche/warmerapples.html

Thanks for the links. I checked through the list and I found another contender, the Devine Apple but its missing the russeting. I've probably got 50 apples or so and they all have the Russet on top. The Devine is more inline with the harvest time, however. But I will continue with the search. As far as cider goes, I'm going to try sweating the apples for another week and see if it improves the flavor. I've got a refactomer coming so I can at least get some measurements on sugar before adding in other characteristics. Still hoping it will make good cider.

 

[Cat Jenkins]

Air layering works well for apple trees. Google "air layer apple" for the techniques. Might have enough time before the land is sold. The new neighbors may not have a problem with harvesting a few twigs if the land is sold quickly.

Thanks, I'm going to try T-budding it. Now, it the optimum time to do it so I'll see what happens. I might try the air layering if this does not take.