Oh wow, those look so big and delicious!

All I have are crabs ;(

Stupid me moved a beautiful Norland Apple tree five years ago in the middle of August because I didnÂt like where the previous owners planted it. After seeing your photos, I will be definitely buying some Norland apple trees next year.

Homemade apple pie, hmmm, my favourite ;)

Way to Grow!
Sharon

I would only get 1 Norland tree, and get another kind(s) if you want more than 1 or if no one nearby has apple trees. I say this because even though the Norlands seem to be the quickest to give a good yield, there are other northern apples that I prefer. For example, even though my State Fair doesn't always yield well, the flavor of the apples is exquisite--like a 'sweet tart'. I don't know how well they keep, because we rarely have so many that we can't eat them. This year we only have about 16 on the tree (thank the moose for that). They will be eaten quickly.
The Norlands go very quickly from not quite ripe to overripe, and they don't keep well once picked. Or maybe I just haven't figured out when the best time to pick them is. I made a lot of applesauce and dried apples from them last year, and both were delicious. I keep getting the other apple types mixed up (whether they're better for pie or for eating, and which ones store well)...I'll keep you posted when I pick them.
The Norlands are always the first to ripen. The wind blew one State Fair off, and it was a little on the green side (and I prefer tart apples!)

We have Parklands and we picked all of them almost 3 weeks ago. At that time, they were almost past their prime. They also do not keep well, so I made lots of applesauce. They are not nearly as large, red, and perfect-looking as your Norlands.

What a difference a few miles can make, Sherry. My parents have a Parkland down Knik Road. It's not ready to pick yet. I always pick it after they leave for the winter, usually the first week of Sept.

Last year, I got some really nice sized Norlands. I've also found they don't keep well, so ended up sharing the bounty with a neighbor who like to make applesauce.

I don't know what type of yellow apple we had (trees were there when we moved in), so in the house we just moved to I put in another Norland and a yellow type again. I don't feel like running out the rain to see what type.

Since I didn't plant the other trees I guessed that there were around 15 years old. How long until these new ones might produce? They are each 6'. I also put in a plum and cherry.

Gloria

Depending on how old it was when you got it, the norland should produce within 2 years, maybe even next summer.

I have two types of apples, a Norland, and a September Ruby. It works out really well because the Norland ripens about the first week of August here, and the Sept Ruby ripens later on, actually this week.

I find the same thing with Norland. They go from "almost ripe" to "over ripe" fairly quickly. I read one source that said for best use and storage, pick just before they are fully ripe. I like them at that stage because they are a bit more crisp and juicy. This year I sort of waiting and before you knew it, they were overripe and falling off the trees. It probably doesn't help that I put a park bench right under the apple tree, people might get hit in the head with an overripe apple.

The September Rubys are definitely more crisp and juicy, a longer keeping apple, one source said up to 12 weeks in storage.

They are sort of the opposite of Norland: I like to pick norland before they get fully red, but with September ruby they do need a bit more red on them to be considered ripe.

Still, both apples are very good for eating and baking.

I find the size of my apples vary by year. Last year, my largest apples on my tree were about the size of a small MacIntosh that you buy at the store. This year the crop of Sept Ruby's is plentiful, but the fruit is smaller. Maybe because it put it's energy into producing lots of fruit and small sized?

Glen

Both types, however, are excellent for fresh eating or pies.

I'm picking my Norlands before they are fully ripe, [if I want to keep them] the seeds have to be still white, [done it yesterday] then you can store them about 2 month.
Also, when they are this nice and red like the pic shoes, they are perfect for processing, but are not a keeper.
I have made over 100 liters of Juice today, mostly from Norlands [not mine] from outside Edmonton, mine are about one week later.

My Parkland is ready about one week after the Norland.

Konrad

Konrad, how do you make the juice? I have more than enough Norlands myself, but I also have 2 trees of my parents to pick. Even taking friends out to help pick (and they get to keep all they pick) and giving many away, I'll still have plenty to do something with. Juice would be something different.
I also have 2 September Ruby trees to pick, a Parkland and a Harcourt. I didn't really like the Harcourt last year (who knows--maybe not enough water last summer), but this year they are good.
I made some apple-cranberry meat sauce tonight that went great with turkey. Would go with any meat, though.
What else do all of you do with your apples?

>>>how do you make the juice?

It's homebuilt, I'm a machinist, so it came handy for this project, except the stainless steel hopper housing, that I gave to a sheet metal shop. It uses about 48 sawblades, running at table saw speed, it grinds a 5 gal bucket of apples in about 15 seconds and the mush goes into a old fashioned, modified spinndryer, lined with a pillow case, then spinning the juice out in a matter of 3 to 5 min. running at app. 2000 RPM.
One load of apple = [one pail 5 gal.] = app. 5 liters of juice.

I have 2 Harcourt and wish I wouldn't have them, just don't like the taste.

My best is still Norkent, Norda, second... Ruby red, Collet, Fall red, Summer red, Norson, third...Zaychuck #1, Lee 17, Carrol, Norland, Parkland

My worst....Harcourt, Garland, Battleford, Goodland

Konrad

Wow, Konrad, I'm impressed by your machinery for making apple juice. Fortunately, I found directions before you responded, or I might have been intimidated! :-)
I just used my food processor to chop them up and then hand-squeezed. I made a whopping 2 1/2 cups of juice! I was only trying to use up the apples that had fallen. The next batch I'll make cider. And if that is successful, I'll try hard cider.
Today I picked Norlands, Ruby Septembers (not quite at their best yet, but getting there), Harcourts (taste way better this year than some years) and Parklands. Haven't decided what to do with all of them yet. The State Fairs are almost ripe...can hardly wait to eat those.

I donÂt know what type of tree I have as it came with the house when I bought it.
I could smell the apples getting ripe so they had to come off. I donÂt want to get bears around.
If the rain keeps up I will be making apple jelly and apple butter from the leftover pulp. My sisterÂs kids really like the apple butter.

To keep from getting a lot of little apples I have to thin the fruit aggressively.
Ian

Is it possible to plant just one Norland apple tree as I have a couple of Malus baccata Siberian Crab in the proximity, will this help with the pollination?

Konrad, your juicer sounds efficient, machinists are masterminds ;)

Sharon

Konrad - an amazing and incredible juicing machine! I hope you don't mind, but I had to chuckle when reading your description. It conjured up thoughts of the 'home improvement guy"! I read your post to the Tractor Man and he immediately made that Tim Allen Guy sound. "Aurgk, Aurgk, Aurgk"

Have you considered a patent?
Jan

Konrad that sounds like a great machine! What a genius. For those who don't have a Konrad, the small home juicers are reasonably affordable now. My mom has one and I don't think it cost much more than $150. It's efficient too, pumps out a lot of juice and what's left looks like barely moist sawdust.

Thank you all!

I don't deserve all the credit, it has been around for many many years, have picked up the idea from a farmer, [just slightly improved it a bit] where I have gone for some years for juicing, before building my own.

>>Is it possible to plant just one Norland apple tree as I have a couple of Malus baccata Siberian Crab in the proximity, will >> this help with the pollination?

Yes, all crabs will help pollination.
Konrad

Hi I only have one apple tree it's a harcourt and also live in winnipeg ,Mb. I am just wondering that i am the only one on my street that has an apple, would this effect my blomming if it would what should I do?

Thanks tasty

It shouldn't effect it, I'm pretty sure, there are ornamental crab apples in your neighbourhood to care for pollination.
Konrad

Hi folks!
Great looking apples. My vote is also for Norkent as an all around good quality apple. September Ruby can be good but tends to overload here and we do not have water so it aborts a lot. Still a good quality apple. We have others here such as a Parkland and some crab apples as well. We made and froze 24 raw apple pies last fall. This year there are 4 apples on the Norkent and I don't see any others so it is go hunting from others.
Is anyone growing Honeycrisp as I understand it is a good apple?
Clayton

Here is a link that might be useful: Honeycrisp

I have Parkland, Westland, Heyer #12, and Patterson, as well as a yellow crab and a red crab my Dad gave me, originally from his mother's garden. The apple size really depends on how many apples I have, except the Patterson is the size of a very large crabapple - it makes good jelly though. We had good-sized apples this year, because my garden was seriously damaged by drift from a spray plane. My apple trees dropped almost all their fruit. Dad offered me apples - I said I'd take about 5 bushels, and he brought 9! Lots of juice, applesauce, and fruit leather. My Dad has remarkable apple trees. Every time he sees a good-looking apple tree, he gets a couple of branches, takes them home, and grafts them. He has trees with 3 or 4 kinds of apples on them, but we don't actually know what kind half of them are.
Connie

I have one Norland tree and am looking for advice pertaining to spraying. Is it done? What product is used and when would I apply it?

Thank you.

How surprising to see my old thread on the front page again!

Mike, why are you wanting to spray it, and with what? And where are you? Answers to those questions won't help me answer you, as I have no need to ever spray mine, but it might help someone else answer you. Or maybe the answers to my questions are obvious to everyone but me!

>>Is anyone growing Honeycrisp as I understand it is a good apple?Clayton
I wouldn't consider trying in zone 2, here zone 3 outside of Edmonton I have not had a apple in 10 years trying, in the city I heard that sometimes it's not too bad, but sometimes the season is not long enough to ripen properly.

Connie,
Your Dad sounds like me,....trying all kinds of things.
Too bad on your trees this year, hopefully they bounce back!
Was this from your field or neighbor, you might need to ask for
compensation.

Honeycrisp didn't do well for me in my location, either. It would flower annually, and set fruit, but the fruit never matured properly...it stayed small and didn't really ripen in time. Too bad. I'm still waiting for my Zestar trees (I have three of them) to produce fruit, as I hear they are an excellent alternative to Honeycrisp. But after 8 or 9 years, I'm beginning to get impatient--they've never even bloomed yet! I'm beginning to Zestar is a dud in this locale.

I live near the Manitoba border in northern Minnesota. I wanted to know if I should be spraying my Norland trees to keep the insects from eating into them (that is what happened last year). Also, how can I tell when they should be picked? I think they are ready, but I don't want to rush it.

Would appreciate any advice.

Mike

As far as telling when they are ready, nothing works better for me than cutting into one. If you're planning to store your Norlands, harvest while seeds are still white, or maybe just beginning to get a hint of brown around the edges. If you want to ripen them for immediate eating, wait until the seed is dark. But they won't keep long if you harvest them in that condition.

As far as spraying, I don't do it...don't have problems with bugs eating apples here, only birds. They like to peck into them when they color up.

Hello from Southcentral Alaska. Please share how you determine that the apple seeds are white or dark.

From the original post...

>>but of course it knocked off my largest apple that I was thinking of taking to the fair next week.When the first one's fall down it is time to pick.
Norland can get from nice & crisp, especially when this red, [picture] to soft in 3 day's.

>>how you determine that the apple seeds are white or dark.Cut open and see if white or just darkening to brown,..or brown.

Question i just bought 2 Norlands because I have alot of pasture land and I've heard so much about them. Question..now that I already bought 2 I ready on one nurseries site that Norland and Norland do pollinate together?! It doesn't say it.on the care guide and I can only find it on the one site....is there anyone out there that can confirm this 100%

Austin, you will need to obtain another apple variety to pollinate your 'Norland' trees, such as a 'Goodland' or whatever you might wish to select.