# Apple Tree Suggestions (Disease Resistance)



## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

If any of you are in the Zone 7 growing area for fruit trees, I would appreciate suggestions for apple trees that are disease resistant, espcially to Cedar/Apple rust. I've located a local nursery that has a good supply of disease resistant trees, but it would be great to hear from people who are actually growing/using/eating apples (especially if you have red cedars nearby). A wide variety of apples is needed/wanted (cooking/drying/eating/freezing), and I'm trying to go as organic/chemical free as possible. The orchard will have about 100-120 semi dwarf trees when completed, and it will eventually include peaches, pears, apricots, nectarines and maybe some cherries...but the apples are first on the list. Thanks for any suggestions you can forward.


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## Beergeek (Sep 14, 2005)

RW-
I just put in a dozen or so fruit trees (Zone 5) mostly cider varieties. I found the folks at Cummins Nursery (out of NY) to be most helpful (no affiliation). They are very responsive to individual questions, and very knowledgeable regarding tree/root stock hardiness:
http://www.cumminsnursery.com/
The Useful Information link is very.......Useful.


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## woodspirit (Aug 3, 2005)

Miller's nursery in canandaigua ny is a good source of info, as well as the co-operative extension office. 
I'm not sure if any apples are resistant to cedar apple rust.


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## Paula (Jun 3, 2002)

Stark's catalog has at least 3 varieties they say are resistant. We planted two of them last year and they both got it.


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## woodspirit (Aug 3, 2005)

Paula said:


> Stark's catalog has at least 3 varieties they say are resistant. We planted two of them last year and they both got it.


The catalogue stated that they were resistant to rust, or cedar apple rust?
The other thing to remember is resistant doesn't mean rust-proof.


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## kabri (May 14, 2002)

I don't know if it will do well in your zone, but here's a suggestion. I planted an Enterprise apple about 5-6 years ago. I think we're in zone 5? (near Seattle) We have a braeburn very nearby, about the same age. The braeburn gets either scab or rust (i'm not sure which) so bad, the apples are un-edible. The enterprise has gorgeous fruit every year! :dance: We have never sprayed either tree. Hope this helps!


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## Paula (Jun 3, 2002)

It said they were resistant to cedar apple rust. I know that doesn't mean they're immune to it. I was hoping they would be a little more resistant though. Maybe when they're older they'll do better. 
We just planted the third kind Starks says is resistant, the Enterprise, in the spring. Hopefully that one will do better. It's tough here, there're cedars everywhere.
I was thinking of trying the Surround on them next year, it's supposed to work as a barrier for fungal diseases.


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## sue currin (Aug 28, 2004)

Fedco Seeds PO Box 520 Waterville, Maine 04903-0520 They have alot of fruit trees. organic seedlins. here is the phone number so you can get a catalog. there web sight is www.fedcoseeds.com It is a great company, They have 2 catalogs one for seeds and one for trees. They are all grown here so are adapted for colder climets.


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## dahliaqueen (Nov 9, 2005)

I second the referral for Fedco- a wonderful co-operative run by truly dedicated and knowledgable folks.
Another great nursery is-'treesofantiquity.com' in Pasa Robles, CA- good web site, lots of info and fantastic variety of hard-to-find antiques and cider apples.
There is a variety called 'Redfree" that is said to be resistant, altho i cannot vouch for this personally-i torture myself by growing mostly antique varieties, some of which are prima donnas like 'Cox Orange Pippin"- have yet to get an apple off this girl! And i grow organic, use Surround and have strange looking apples that taste great.
I grow some pears that do not seem to be bothered by anything-Summer Crisp, Vermont Beauty and Seckel are workhorses.


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## woodspirit (Aug 3, 2005)

Seckel is very sweet but smaller than some like bartlett. It is supposed to be self-pollinating too but most often when they are they would still do better with a pollinator. You may want to plant a crabapple to help pollinate your apple cause have tons of flowers. They have flowering seasons too though so check the season on your cox orange pippin.


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## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

Thanks to all. I reviewed the Fedco site, and they have some great trees, but mostly for zones 4-6. From your other suggestions and various site searches, I think I've found 16 tree varities that MAY work. A lot of the trees that appear on my final list are off-springs or otherwise related to "Arkansas Black". Almost all the disease resistant varieties are reds, which is OK. I do like "Golden Delicious", so I may try a couple and see how they do. 

As a side note, I had to take down one big red cedar in the middle of orchard....which was hard for me. I really liked that tree. Six sawable logs came out of it, so I'll try to line a couple of closets with the wood.


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## warrior (Nov 22, 2005)

May I suggest creating a distance barrier by cutting all red cedars within 300'+ of your apples. I have heard of cedar apple rust all of my life and never seen it first hand. We always had apples on the place as well as red cedar and never had a problem with rust, fire blight though is a different story. The only thing I could see that helped us was that the cedar was out in the pasture and the apples were near the house. The varieties we grew were Red Delicious, Rome, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious and several generic june apples (small pink to yellow jelly apples). Some of these showed more resistance to fire blight than others with the june apples leading the way (I guess because these were just a local sprout type apple, heirloom type). The Golden was very suseptible with the others falling somewhere in between.


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