Choosing an apple tree variety

There are so many wonderful apple tree varieties to pick from, it is hard to choose which one to plant in your own garden. Here I take you through a few of my favourite varieties.

Recommended:
Early dessert - Devonshire Quarrendon, Katy
Mid season dessert - Adam's Pearmain, Spartan, Rosemary Russet, Red Windsor, Rajka
Late dessert - Ashmead's Kernel, D'Arcy Spice, Ribston Pippin
Cookers - Bramley, Howgate Wonder, Newton Wonder
Cider - Court Royal, Dabinet, Kingston Black

But there are many, many others worth trying!

[aarons]

Awesome tour of your trees. I agree everyone should have an apple tree in their yard

[alexwhittaker]

I loved this video. Made me laugh out loud when you took a good old bite out of that Spartan! :)

[WilliamThePayne]

You've convinced me. We're to going to get two small apples trees now for the front garden and try them in big pots.

[theallotmentkitchengarden]

I am waiting for a Howgate Wonder to be delivered for planting this winter to add to my collection. I already have four stepovers, and one dwarf red flesh apple tree. Russets are my favourites for eating. Would love to have more space to grow more varieties!

[naomimcshea]

You have hugely inspired me ! And I, after many months of dithering over varieties have just ordered 11 Apple trees and 3 plums! I aim to create a mini orchard in my field... pears next year hopefully. I am also planting a little woodland and shelter belt which should grow up nearby it to make the plot ideally sheltered. I'm so excited and have so much to look forward to. Ashmeads kernel is among them!

[ButterflyLullabyLtd]

🌿🍎🍏Thank you for sharing your amazing knowledge of apple trees and flavours 🌿🍎🍏. Your books look beautifully illustrated. I love Bees, Butterflies and Dragonflies.

Did you know in the USA there is a Japanese Knotweed (Bamboo) HONEY 🍯 that won an award? Bees love Knotweed as it flowers when nothing else does. Overseas they are making Japanese Knotweed paper and saving trees.

[yesihavereadit]

Grafting, have more than one variety on a tree, I have 4 and am adding more, it's surprisingly easy.

[SiggyPony]

Once I own a property I'll definitely plant apples, and also quince. Quince is the best :) That said once I lived at a house with a apple tree and its apples were wonderful.

[justlaughatlife]

I’ve got a mini apple orchard on my allotment with a mini wildflower meadow underneath and shortly followed with a bit of luck with a honey bee hive I’ve got a secure fence around it with a gate and padlock no scrumping haha 😛

[rallekralle]

i've grafted and planted a few apple trees this year. mostly old swedish varieties, excited to see how they do.

[suewright]

Another really great video, thanks Dave. I first thought the Spartan ..."all dark coloured fruit and veg is good for you". However, after listening to all you had to say about the Ashmead's Kernel, it really sounds delicious! I know one thing, I couldn't arf do with an 🍎 right now. ☺️ Very many thanks indeed

[karenannaluisa]

At 12:48 min you'll find the list of recommended apples.

Dear Dave, could you maybe enlargen the list or put it in the decription as well? Thx!

P.S.: Great video by the way! 😊 Living not in GB it inspires me to look for some of your varities and for local ones as well! Thx!

[geoffreyjones]

Great video, thank you (I have serious garden envy :)).

I’d just like to add that if planting a dwarfing variety, e.g. one on an M27 or M9 rootstock, it will need more looking after than those in Dave’s garden - permanent staking and watering during dry periods throughout its lifetime. From experience I’d recommend an M26, semi-dwarfing, rootstock for a smaller garden, as you can forego the aforementioned staking and watering after a couple of years, apple trees grafted on it only grow 8’ - 10’ and it can be kept more compact via pruning if required, and you get a decent crop of apples.

[runefagereng]

So now I want an apple tree, as well. ;)

[kingjames]

thank you for preserving these old heirloom varieties.

unfortunately most of the old heirloom apples aren't hardy enough or have too late of a harvest window for my climate :/

[SarahsGarden]

Hi Dave! 👋 Have found you today and loving the channel 🎉
What varieties of cooking apple do you think are good for home gardens? I have bramley already but want to add some others and they all sound so good 😂 i think i can fit 6 different varieties in my garden as it stands (but am also not opposed to creating more space for others! 😊)
1/3rd of my garden is for fruit/veg growing so we have also plum, pear and cherry trees along witb strawberries, blueberries and raspberries and just love having fresh, organic, home grown fruit outside our door 😊 xx

[pollywaffledoodah]

Do you ever wassail your lovely apple trees? It's an ancient British custom, to bless your trees and to give thanks for the harvests past and for those to come. It's a great community gathering for your family and neighbours to get together. I don't know if your scientific side would approve of this old pagan ritual - but it is a charming custom, and a real hoot! Apples seem to thrive when you wassail them - and it's a good excuse to drink the trees' health with lots of warm cider by lantern light!

[nickmclaren]

Have you considered thinning your fruits for even bigger and tastier apples? It would be a pretty big job with so many trees so I can understand why you wouldn't. Also, for anyone reading the comments, it's important not to build mulch up against the bark as it can rot the bark and potentially kill the tree or introduce disease, always leave a gap around the base. If you inherit an old apple tree which isn't on a rootstock then it's important the 'root flare' 'root collar' 'root crown' (lots of videos on YouTube) is not buried and is above ground for the health and longevity of the tree, and this should really go for any tree you plant. Believe me, I've had to do this to almost every tree we inherited when we moved house and the difference in health to every tree is remarkable. Thanks very much for the video.

[markveganism]

Just purchased a James grieve apple tree ..this was recommended by a lady who owns one and said the apples are her favourite...looking forward to its journey

[blueberry]

Thanks for another great video, Dave. As someone who has been growing apples for several years, one thing I would strongly suggest that people do before purchasing apple trees is to thoroughly research a variety's susceptibility to diseases. Speaking from experience, it can be heartbreaking if you get it wrong after waiting 2-3 years for your first apples. For example, Braeburn and Spartan are prone to the disease, scab. With Braeburn also mildew liable .