Anyone can tell me which are the best varieties of apples for zones 2A & 2B considering: a) zone hardiness b) fungus resistance c) best long term conservation d) Which is the best M106 versus M111 for best production. e) Procedure on starting an apple orchard Thanks!
Well, absent any comments from anyone else, I'll throw in a few words. Unfortunately, I can't answer your questions directly, as I lack the knowledge. Try to find a local orchardist society to help, particularly to learn about successful local varieties and establishing an orchard. You might have some success with the attending a Seeds of Diversity event (it looks like the 2008 list of events will be posted very, very soon).
Any assistance available from the province? Down here we have the state extension service with regional testing stations and locally targeted publications.
Howdy Ron, You folks are indeed very blessed. Our Department of Agriculture says there is absolutely no potential for fruit growing in Alberta and had yanked the program. If you can find retired old employees who are not bitter about the whole deal, you maybe able to ply some infor otherwise gardeners in Alberta are left high and dry. Howdy Daniel, Please refer to my posting on apples to PJRM on his other posting 'Plum Orchard'. You will find some recommedation on plums and apples. Peace Thean
We order from Boughen Nurseries on the prairies. They have listings for zone 2A hardy fruit trees. We ordered some bush cherries (they have them all over the Ucalgary campus-so they have to be hardy-watch for mice living in any mulch nearby...) Years ago, I ordered a Minnesota 447 and it has proven hardy and tasty and they do keep! Last year ordered several more trees, one was a September Ruby, which even gave us an apple, but unfortunately tastes like a delicious. (ie not!) Also ordered a Schafer crab and it was tasty. Will give the Ruby one more year to produce less mealy fruit on a branch or two, but am going to try and graft some branches on from a seedling that grew in the flower bed. Those apples are the best!! I thought crab apples would grow anywhere. Rescue or some others?Or Saskatoons? Siberian Pears? From my limited fruit tree experience, small, young specimens seem to adapt better to adverse conditions than larger, older ones. Our fruit trees also survive drought-like summer heat waves better with a bit of water...even I am watering several times a summer now. I think we are zone 3, but subject to some prairie conditions like winds, chinooks, percherons etc. Good luck with your fruit!
Heres a good site to check out different apple varieties. Hardiness is listed as well. http://www.maplevalleyorchards.com/Pages/AppleTreeDescriptions.aspx?page=A I've heard that Honeycrisp is one of the more hardy apples but I cannot verify this. Also you may want to experiment with different varieties in an experimental plot to see what happens. You want to see if the trees produce before going ahead with the orchard.
Just a little something more to add. I was talking to a friend of mine, who is a plant scientist and has worked in orchards, and he tells me that some good hardier rootstocks are B9 and Ottawa3. Apparantly they can withstand freeze thaw fairly well and are used in places in Alberta where it gets pretty cold. Good snow cover will also help insulate your rootstocks for the winter so depending on how much snow you get will also play a factor in your chances for survival.
