I went to the Apple Day at Lotherton in September and brought a few less common varieties home with me so I thought I'd have a go at using the pips from them to grow a new tree. In autumn, I planted some pips from the Edward VII and Ashmead's Kernel varieties. Apple tree seeds need to undergo a period of stratification, a chilling period, in order to germinate so I left them in the cold greenhouse over winter in order for them to stratify in the soil during the cold temperatures.
It worked. I have two Edward VII and one Ashmead's Kernel seedlings.
They've now been pricked out and are tucked up in their own pots in order to grow on.
Edward VII is a dual purpose apple, it can be used in cooking or eaten raw. It was first recorded in 1902, the year of the king's coronation, hence the name it was given. Ashmead's Kernel is an even older variety dating back to the 1700s. It's supposed to have a unique pear drop flavour but we didn't detect it when we gave it the taste test.
I wonder how long it will take for these little seedlings to go on and produce fruit.
That's so exciting! I've got two small saplings myself - one from a conker and one from an acorn which we collected on our walks. I'd love to try somehing else. Your little apple trees look good and strong. I do hope they continue to thrive. X
ReplyDeleteI didn't think they were going to grow, it took quite a while for them to break through the soil. How lovely to have an acorn and a conker growing, it's always exciting to see new life and watch it grow.
DeleteI think you will have to wait years for fruit, I read somewhere the apples may not be the same as the apple the pips were taken from. I have Kiwi, Pomegranate and a walnut growing in my green house, they are about the same size as yours. Plus a bigger lemon tree, and a sad looking orange twig. I love the challenge growing from seeds and pips.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the fruit, it we ever get any, would come true. Apple blossom is fertilised by a different variety of apple and so the fruit would be a mixture of the two. It's all a bit of fun though. You're very successful with your fruit trees, you have quite a variety growing.
DeleteWhat a great idea, It will be interesting to see how these turn out, and they will taste all the better because you have truly grown them yourself :-)
ReplyDeleteIt would be fun to think that we'd get fruit from something we grew from a pip. I know we grow vegetables from seed but growing a tree from a pip is definitely more of a long term goal.
DeleteYou may even end up with your own variety as I'm not sure they come true to variety. You could be Yorkshires answer to Johnny Appleseed or Granny Smith.
ReplyDeleteI could indeed. Who knows what discovery I'll make.
DeleteOooh, that is exciting, Jo. Hopefully, in a few years time, you might get some fruit from them! :o)
ReplyDeleteI hope so, it'll be fun seeing if I can get them to the fruiting stage.
DeleteWhat a lovely thing to do. I have this is on my Day Zero Project list too, I was thinking of growing a lemon tree, apple hadn't crossed my mind. How lovely to think these trees could go on to grow for years and years...
ReplyDeleteI think a lemon tree would be lovely but I'm sure it would take more looking after than an apple tree would. I quite fancy having a go at something like a pomegranate too.
Deletepomegranate? I like that idea...
DeleteThe great thing is that there's so many different fruits about these days than there were looking back to my childhood, though I always remember my grandma buying me pomegranates and giving me a pin to pick the seeds out with.
DeleteI like to get all the pips into the bowl and then eat them, rather than eating as I go (then I can stuff them in without any need for patience, or manners!).
DeleteWhen I first met my husband he'd never eaten a pomegranate. I promised him that they were delicious, and prepared one for him. Honestly, it was the rankest thing I have ever tasted, I don't know what happened. I haven't been able to convince Andy to try another one. I certainly wish I hadn't peeled the entire thing before trying it that time!!
Ha ha, stuffing them in, that made me laugh. Oh no, you must get Andy to try another, he doesn't know what he's missing. Saying that, Mick won't eat pomegranates either.
DeleteThat's brilliant to get 3 little trees to monitor. I wonder if they will need other trees nearby to help with the pollination, some varieties do, I think. Exciting to watch their progress.
ReplyDeleteThe pollination of apple trees can be quite complicated. There's usually three trees involved, though different varieties, and they must be from the same group. We're quite lucky here, most of the gardens have apple trees in them so I haven't had any problem getting apples from the two little trees I have in the garden.
DeleteGood for you for doing this, and well done on using unusual varieties as you have. Do keep us updated on their progress periodically. xx
ReplyDeleteI really hope they do well, they're strong little seedlings so they're looking good at the moment.
DeleteHow exciting, I hope they continue to thrive.
ReplyDeleteI do too, it will be fun watching them grow.
DeleteI'm always amazed at how many different kinds of apples there are; I've never heard of either of these. I hope they do well for you, please keep up posted.
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame that different apple varieties aren't more widely available, it's always the same ones we see in the supermarkets yet there's some really interesting varieties which are still being grown.
DeleteThey really have done well haven’t they. We have a little tree planted from an apple pip, though I have no idea now what type of apple it was xx
ReplyDeleteThey're such sturdy seedlings. I wasn't sure they'd even grow so I'm really pleased to see how well they're doing.
DeleteHow fascinating! Yeah...they grew, and such fabulous varieties too! I can't even begin to imagine how long it will take for them to bear fruit, but what a wonderful time you will have watching them grow!xxx
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it'll be years until they bear fruit but I think the fun is watching them grow and knowing that they've been grown from a pip.
DeleteWhat a fun thing to do, I thought I might do something like this with the Grandchildren. Sunflower seeds is something we do every year to see who grows the biggest.
ReplyDeleteSunflowers are such fun things to grow and I remember Daniel and Eleanor being sent home from school with bean plants to nurture, they grow quickly so they're a good plant for children to watch grow, and they have the added benefit of providing something they can eat too.
DeleteI did manage to grow an apple tree from a pip when I was a child but haven't tried it since. When we lived in Lincolnshire you often saw apple trees at the side of the road on the main A52 & A17 routes which I now realise have come about from people throwing their apple cores out of the car windows.
ReplyDeleteMitzi
I've heard about apple trees at the sides of motorways before from the cores being thrown from cars. I think I must have been too impatient as a child to grow an apple tree, I didn't know the seeds needed a period of cold then so I suppose I gave up too quickly.
DeleteBrilliant, how exciting and fulfilling. In 2016 I managed to germinate 6 lemon pips which all took and are now about 2ft tall. Year ago my Mum germinated a date stone and kept it in the airing cupboard, she managed to keep it going for several years. Very satisfying. xcx
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing what you can grow from seeds, isn't it? I'd like to have a go at some other fruit now.
DeleteGood Luck with your seedlings can't wait to see them growing up.xx cuddle for Archie.I have emailed you Jo.
ReplyDeleteI think they'll be pretty slow growing but it will be fun watching them all the same. I've received your email, thank you, I'll drop you a line soon.
DeleteOoh, how exciting! Hope they keep on growing well. I'm on catch up due to an exhausting few months, & I really need to catch up with you. Perhaps over the weekend I'll have some time. Take care.
ReplyDeleteThey look healthy enough so I think it's just a watching and waiting game now for them to grow.
DeleteWhat's the old proverb? The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago? I hope you get apples within a few years. Do you have space in your garden for them?
ReplyDeleteThat's so true. There is space in the garden, though I doubt I'd plant all three, especially not knowing what the fruit will be like.
DeleteWhatever the seeds it is so satisfying when something grows.
ReplyDeleteWell done Jo, you must be pleased ...they do look healthy specimens too.
All the best Jan
It is. I still get that same thrill when I see a little seedling push through the soil. I hope they carry on growing now.
DeleteCongrats on the achievement, another one crossed off the list.
ReplyDeleteThose ticks are appearing slowly but surely.
DeleteGood luck! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you.
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