We have a dwarf "Initial" apple tree growing just inside the entrance to our orchard area at the house here at Struan Farm.
I prefer growing tart heirloom cooking apple varieties like Peasgood Nonsuch, Bramley, Granny Smith, Ballarat, and Monty's Surprise, while John prefers sweeter apples he can pick and eat off the tree. We do have Cox's Orange Pippin and Akane growing on the property, which are good to eat, but they're further away in the Old Orchard Paddock near the Homestead, requiring a longer walk.
I planted "Initial" for John. It's meant to be a good apple for the "home orchard," easy to grow and good to eat. It certainly is that. The little tree has thrived in the orchard, has been laden with fruit the past two years.
Our only problem is that it's "too laden." At the moment its branches are bent and drooping, heavy with apples, and I worry about the tree. While it's been staked since it was planted four-five years ago now (dwarf apple trees are meant to stay staked), it's crying out to be espaliered. And this isn't something we can address until pruning in winter at this point. So I've issued an SOFT (Save Our Fruit Tree) directive to John. While we could take off some of the immature fruit to lessen the burden on the tree, there's another option. John has been enlisted to construct supports to get Initial through this harvest.
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