Hi, I'm bringing this question over from a previous thread I started (apple dropping preventable?). I'm looking at planting a hardy (zone 2-3, winters can be -40, Canadian prairies) apple that my kids would enjoy fresh, I can bake with, and will keep in the cold storage. I'm looking at Honeycrisp because my favorite commercial apples are Gala and Jonagold, and the description sounds good. Does anyone have any experience with growing Honeycrisp in similar conditions? What about flavor (I don't necessarily believe _everything_ the catalogs tell me!), fruit production, dropping, disease resistance? Also, the spot we have for it would be protected from winter winds but only partially sunny - would that be a concern? I guess we'd have to plant two trees, right? We just moved into our first house and this is our first planting season, so we're very excited but ignorant! Any help is much appreciated!
Honeycrisp as grown in northern Michigan are quite delicious. If you like Gala, you would probably love a properly-ripened Honeycrisp. Some growers are finding bitter pit, a physiological disorder related to insufficient nutrient uptake, a problem when there is a light crop of large fruit. A common remedy is to apply foliar calcium sprays as the fruit ripens. Here is a webpage with other tips to help prevent bitter pit. You would want to plant at least 2 trees (different varieties, like 1 Honeycrisp and 1 Haralred,) to assure good pollination and fruit set. Partially sunny could be a problem, depending on how partial; could you elaborate? Here is a useful webpage with descriptions of many hardy apples: http://www.ext.nodak.edu/county/cass/horticulture/fruit/fruittreevar.htm
'Honeycrisp' was one of the apples we purchased at last year's Apple Festival at UBC. Unfortunately, from what I've read online, it seems zone 3 is borderline, and it won't survive in zone 2.
I've been buying Honeycrisp at the farmer's market and really enjoying them! Northern Michigan appears to be zone 4-5, while, as pointed out, your area is zone 2. I've attached a link to a nursery in Manitoba; the catalogue should give you a very good idea of the apples that are hardy in your zone. Very much to my surprise, I see they are now offering Honeycrisp! I assume therefore that they have tested it and found it hardy, as it is my impression that all of their stock is field grown on their property. (If you are not into experimentation, it may be worth calling them to discuss.) http://www.boughennurseries.net/ (And by the way, I have no affiliation with Boughen, but we have ordered from them many times, and always received very good quality bare root stock with very large root systems. The catalogue is very...umm, what should I say, basic?... with few latin names provided, but after 95 years in business, I guess they're not going to change - I was surprised to see that they now have a website!) If you chose not to try a variety that is relatively new to the prairies, the other varieties they offer are certainly proven. I'd recommend Norland for a hardy apple that good eaten out of hand. (It's a warm zone 3 here, but my mother also grows Norland successfully in Humboldt, Sk., which is also zone 2.)
Thanks so much for the information! To clarify our sun/shade situation, we have one space in between our house and the neighbors. There would be reflected sun from the walls, and during the winter the space gets morning and later afternoon sun, while our house blocks the low midday sunshine. During summer I assume it would be sunny all the time, because the sun is much higher and for many hours a day. I assume the soil might be warmer from the heat of the two houses; right now there's about 3 feet of snowcover. I'd like to plant both trees there, space permitting, but one may have to go into the front yard, meaning less wind protection but possibly more sunshine (because the angle of the sun changes so much seasonally here, and we've only been here in winter, I'm not sure). I'm dearly hoping these spots will encourage our trees to think they're in a warmer place...say, Michigan?? ;) Would it matter whether we planted two of the same variety or if different, which variety? I've read that blooming times can vary within other plants, causing fruit set problems; would apples have the same problem, and if so, how will I know which varieties bloom together? Norland and Goodland both seem good, thanks for the advice - would it affect what kind of fruit each tree set? Thanks for the Nursery link, we've been using T&T, also from MB, and it's nice to have another prairie catalog to compare! Again, thanks for helping us newbies - I have to say, I'm very impressed with these forums and the quality of help people provide! =D