I have four mature (over 10 years old) apple trees - Liberty, Spitzenberg, Granny Smith, and Golden Delicious. I also have two crabapples - Transcendent and Whitney. Liberty and Golden Delicious are excellent for fresh eating, and yes, Liberty seems to have fewer "worms" (not sure if they're apple maggot or codling moth - I've never looked that closely) than the other apples. The Granny Smith also has fewer worms, but there are tastier cooking apples. If I'd known better 10 years ago, I wouldn't have planted it... but it's so stinkin' healthy that I'm going to use it as a base to graft other varieties rather than remove it entirely.
I had a bumper crop last year with far less worm damage than past years. I don't know if it was switching to a holistic spray regimen or getting aggressive about fruit thinning (last year I thinned out about 70% of the fruit set). I'm willing to accept some level of worm damage; I make cider, so wormy apples just go in the press. Repeating the process this year, since one data point doesn't tell me anything.
I have more trees that should bear first crops this year: Ashmead's Kernel, White Winter Pearmain, and Redstreak. Plus two baby trees just starting their third year- Pink Pearl and Golden Russet.
One use I found for green apples that I didn't particularly like the flavor was as a pectin source for jam. I'm definitely a fan of not having to buy special ingredients. I tried one recipe last year blackberry-apple-sage jam, and it was really good.
All of my apples were bagged with organza bags this year and not one insect. But that method is going to be a bit much when my trees start producing more copiously.
It's interesting how the pest pressure changes from year to year. Last year in particular I didn't notice any cabbage white butterflies, but nearly every other year I've had them pretty bad.
I have four mature (over 10 years old) apple trees - Liberty, Spitzenberg, Granny Smith, and Golden Delicious. I also have two crabapples - Transcendent and Whitney. Liberty and Golden Delicious are excellent for fresh eating, and yes, Liberty seems to have fewer "worms" (not sure if they're apple maggot or codling moth - I've never looked that closely) than the other apples. The Granny Smith also has fewer worms, but there are tastier cooking apples. If I'd known better 10 years ago, I wouldn't have planted it... but it's so stinkin' healthy that I'm going to use it as a base to graft other varieties rather than remove it entirely.
I had a bumper crop last year with far less worm damage than past years. I don't know if it was switching to a holistic spray regimen or getting aggressive about fruit thinning (last year I thinned out about 70% of the fruit set). I'm willing to accept some level of worm damage; I make cider, so wormy apples just go in the press. Repeating the process this year, since one data point doesn't tell me anything.
I have more trees that should bear first crops this year: Ashmead's Kernel, White Winter Pearmain, and Redstreak. Plus two baby trees just starting their third year- Pink Pearl and Golden Russet.
I'm looking forward to hearing how your trees do!
One use I found for green apples that I didn't particularly like the flavor was as a pectin source for jam. I'm definitely a fan of not having to buy special ingredients. I tried one recipe last year blackberry-apple-sage jam, and it was really good.
All of my apples were bagged with organza bags this year and not one insect. But that method is going to be a bit much when my trees start producing more copiously.
It's interesting how the pest pressure changes from year to year. Last year in particular I didn't notice any cabbage white butterflies, but nearly every other year I've had them pretty bad.