Bragging...feel free to skip

[brianwadley]

Just excited to get two new, year old Anna's to start my desert orchard and wanted to share the excitement.



Probably a good three to five years before any cider gets made from them.

 

[LeBreton]

Very cool! Probably not too many choices for growing apples in Phoenix, but if something can thrive in that climate it'll be Annas. Good luck too ya!

 

[Hello]

Real nice. I never even thought apples could grow in Phoenix. I learn something new every day.

 

[Randzor]

If you are looking to grow them for cider, remember that you will have to cull the flowers to produce a more consistent fruit crop. Alot of homeowners fail to do this, and get the 2 year cycle.

 

[brianwadley]

This seemed like a good overview of culling/pruning/training.

How to Prune Young and Bearing Apple Trees

Any thoughts regarding changes I should make to desert growing?

 

[LeBreton]

That's a well written introduction to pruning. Definitely worth it to invest in a good pair of secateurs and a lopper.

I don't thin the flowers personally, but prefer to thin the fruit itself once it has set.

 

[Linda]

Way cool! I was thinking about planting a few apple trees myself (Central AZ). Now is the time to get them in the ground.

 

[thirsty4cider]

I've got a 2 year old golden dorsett thats doing good in phoenix. If you've got the time, you should check out the rare fruit growers. I've learnt a lot about growing fruit from them.

 

[brianwadley]

I've got a 2 year old golden dorsett thats doing good in phoenix. If you've got the time, you should check out the rare fruit growers. I've learnt a lot about growing fruit from them.

Thanks for the reference! I'll check them out. I'm intending to add a golden dorsett next year. I wish you the best of luck with yours! I keep seeing the big box stores selling golden delicious here. I hope people don't buy them for the fruit out here. We'd have to have a few exceptional winters to meet their chill hours.

 

[thirsty4cider]

Yeah, they meet at the maricopa county cooperative extension agency on the second thursday of every month. and to be honest, you dont have to wait until next year to start with your dorsett if you graft it onto your anna. another apple that grows here is sundowner. what I've heard is that the more varieties of apples you have in your cider the better the flavour. I *think* I saw that on a british documentary.

 

[brianwadley]

I've never seen a sundowner. I'll have to look into them. Thank you again!

 

[thirsty4cider]

Sure I really frickin love apples lol.

 

[brianwadley]

Hey thirsty, I checked out the sundowner and I think I'll try to add one or two as well. I didn't know that it was a cripps that grows out here. That's awesome.

I've only been in AZ a few years and I'm still adjusting to what I can grow out here. Back home in Kansas, the crabapples just grow wild. I'll check out the next azrfg meeting and tree sale in October.

 

[Hoptimistic]

Real nice. I never even thought apples could grow in Phoenix. I learn something new every day.

haha i didnt think anything could grow in arizona. I though it all looked like this:

 

[jakenbacon]

Hey Brian, check out a book called "extreme gardening" by David Owens. Lots of good info in there in referencing to growing fruit trees here in the desert. Good Luck!

 

[brianwadley]

Hey Brian, check out a book called "extreme gardening" by David Owens. Lots of good info in there in referencing to growing fruit trees here in the desert. Good Luck!

Thanks, Jake. I'll check it out. I'm always looking to learn.

 

[ryane]

I have an ~6yo anna tree in my back yard that has been regularly producing bumper crops of apples. Ive juiced them, eaten them, and baked with them. They are sort of a bland apple, sort of like a slightly more sour golden delicious. I dunno how good of a cider they would make, but the juice is pretty decent.

And I really do suggest thinning, the tree is prolific, if I didnt thin I'd probably have about thirty thousand mini apples


One fruit tree that Ive been exceptionally pleased with is my earli grande peach tree, I didnt let it fruit for about 2yrs to let it get established, but after that the peaches have been amazing!! I was turned on to the variety when I picked some of the variety as shnepf farms in the east valley

 

[SPR-GRN]

great now you've got me interested in planting apple trees, the wife is going to be thrilled