Apples are the easiest fruit to succeed with in our climate. The hours listed after the descriptions refer to the amount of accumulative hours under 45 degrees while the tree is dormant. We have plenty of cold weather for apple trees in the Sierra foothills.

Rootstocks are as follows…

Domestic Apple Most rugged rootstock for apples. Vigorous, deep-rooted, cold-hardy. Tolerates wet soil, dry soil, poor soil. Unpruned tree height of standard varieties 18' to 30 feet. Trees on apple seedling may be held to any desired height by summer pruning.

M-7 Dwarfs to 65% of standard. Induces early and heavy bearing. Resistant to fireblight, powdery mildew, moderately resistant to collar rot. Good anchorage. Very winter hardy, widely adapted. Disadvantages: prone to suckering.

M-111 Excellent all-around rootstock for apples. Induces early and heavy bearing. Tolerates wet soil, dry soil, poor soil. Resists woolly apple aphids and collar rot. Trees dwarfed to 85 % of standard. See the end of Apple descriptions for a definition of EZ Pick pruning system!

Varieties we’re stocking for 2012

Arkansas Black EZ Pick on M-111. Dark red skin, high quality even where summer nights are warm. For dessert and cooking. Keeps many months. 800 hours. Partly self-fruitful. $26

Fuji on M-7 Introduction from Japan that quickly became California's favorite apple. Sweet, very crisp and flavorful, excellent keeper. Dull reddish-orange skin, sometimes russeted. Ripe mid-September. Excellent pollenizer for other apple varieties. Chilling requirement apparently less than 600 hours. Self fruitful. $26 Also available on Standard Root stock and EZ Pick M-111

Gala (Original Gala) on M-111 Wonderful dessert apple from New Zealand. Crisp, nice blend of sweetness and tartness, rich flavor. Skin reddish-orange over yellow. Early harvest, 2-3 weeks before Red Delicious. Good pollenizer for other varieties. 500 to 600 hours. Self fruitful. $26

Granny Smith on M-111 From Australia. Large, late, green, all-purpose. Crisp, tart, excellent keeper. Requires long summer. Thrives in hot climates. 600 hours. Prolonged bloom: good pollenizer for other apples. Self fruitful. $26

Gravenstein (Red Gravenstein) on EZ Pick M-111 Famous for sauce and baking, also used fresh. Crisp, juicy, flavorful, tart. Green with red stripes. Early bloom, early harvest. 700 hours. Pollen-sterile: pollenized by Empire, Fuji, Gala or Red Delicious. $26

Honeycrisp on EZ Pick M-111 Winter hardy tree from the University of Minnesota. Fruit is crisp and juicy with an aromatic flavor. Striped red over yellow color. Stores well. Ripens from late September to late October $26

McIntosh Double Red on Common Apple Rootstock Large, round-oblate. Thin tender smooth skin deeply blushed with bright red. White flesh, sometimes veined with pink, firm, fine, crisp, tender and juicy. Excellent for cooler areas and home use-especially applesauce. Trees are extremely hardy and productive. Partially self fertile. Pollinate with Gala, Red Delicious. 900 hours Ripens September $26

Pink Lady (Cripps Pink) on M-111 Hot climate apple from Western Australia. Very crisp, sweet-tart, distinct flavor, good keeper. Skin reddish-pink over green when ripe. White flesh resists browning. Harvest begins late October in Central CA, about three weeks after Fuji. Self-fruitful. 400 to 500 hours. Pat. No. 7880. $28

Red Delicious (Bisbee Spur) on M-111 Sweet, crisp, flavorful — perhaps the best Red Delicious. Early fall. Small, compact tree. Good pollenizer for most other apples. 700 hours. Pollenized by Liberty, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Fuji, Gala $26

Sierra Beauty Favorite late apple in No. Calif. Yellow with red blush, rich sprightly flavor, moderately sweet. Excellent fresh or cooked. Good keeper. 700 to 800 hours. Self-fruitful. $25

Sundowner on M-7 A sister plant to the Pink Lady! Sweet, crispy white flesh and excellent flavor .Considered a late harvest variety ripening from October well into winter in most areas. Self Fruitful $30

Yellow Delicious on EZ Pick M-111 Large Golden yellow. Crisp, firm and DEElicious! High quality apple for all purposes. Excellent pollinizer for most apples. 650 hours $26

4 in 1 Apple Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious and Granny Smith on M-111 Root Stock $50