An elementary school teacher in Richmond wants to grow apple trees in large planters in the school courtyard. The courtyard gardens are tended by students in a club whose purpose is to teach children about growing plants for beauty and food as well as environmental stewardship. Her criteria for the apple varieties are trees which: -can thrive in a large pot ( easily 2.5 ft all dimensions) -require little shaping or pruning -do not require much thinning of apples at set -in fact, production of numerous small apples is good because each child can have one and it won't go to waste after a few bites. - do not require spraying beyond the routine oil/lime-sulphur winter treatment -are not subject to scab, splitting, blight - produce annually - 3 different varieties with different ripening periods such as one that ripens mid September, another in mid October, and a third in late Oct or later - fruit do not have to be winter keepers - would be nice if one or more varieties can be good for cooking as well as fresh eating I have suggested 3 apple varieties which have produced well in my garden and which could be suitable for her purposes but I would like to know what others' experience is with these trees and whether other varieties of apples might be better suited to her goals. The apple trees I have suggested are Colonnades (registered name). Emerald Spire- green with a bit of red blush- this is the one that has produced the most. The tag says it produces in mid September but we have always picked them the last week in August, beginning of September. The fact that ours seem ripe and start falling from the tree this early may be that we have it situated against a brick wall which faces southwest and thus gets exceptional heat all summer. Very good, tart flavour. Large quantity of small - medium sized fruit. Consistent production. Crimson Spire- tends towards producing in alternate years if fruit are not thinned ( this is quite common in many varieties) definitely produces later September Ultra Spire- A deep red apple picked in October.
