I don't have older PM ziggro, but appreciated hearing about your success with it. In the early spring of this year I planted one each of Norland, Red Baron, and Vista Bella. Ordered them from St. Lawrence Nursery - wanted a Carrol (and had Prairie Magic on order form as my second choice), but they must have been sold out, as I got Vista Bella as substitute. My new apple trees seemed to do fine this first year and am looking forward to the season I begin to get some fruit. Thinking about placing an order for Carrol this year. Last year I ordered late, so that is probably why I got Vista Bella as a substitute. Are you finding that Carrol ripens later than PM? Anyone out there growing Vista Bella?

eatsivy,

Carrol ripens earlier than Prairie Magic here, maybe by a week or two. I love Carrol, but my Carrol tree is not very productive. I haven't tried Vista Bella, although it's on my list to try--I plan on grafting some VB onto one of my apple trees. I'm interested in Red Baron, too, as I hear it might be a good pie apple, and I think it might actually mature in my short growing-season climate.

I'm hoping my Prairie Magic will become a productive tree. It would be great to harvest a bunch of those apples!

Ziggro, I just found your post from last year - I am wondering where you are and where you found the Prairie Magic apple trees from please? Just curious to see if I can find them in the Calgary area! Thanks.

I live in Montana...Prairie Magic was offered at a local nursery here. I think it comes from up your way, so I would think they would be available in the Calgary area. However, you have many other prairie hardy apple cultivars in your area--more than we do down here, I think. I have heard good things about Prairie Sensation. A hardy tree with fruit that is large, firm, crisp and juicy, and stores very well to boot. In taste tests, it was regarded akin to Gala. It's a University of Saskatchewan release that is sold in Canada, but not in the U.S.. If you can get hold of one of those, you might want to give it a try. Good luck!

prairie sensation is a biennial bearer for me,
even with judicious fruit thinning
the taste is not as good as september ruby

m360 is a large tasty, tart apple, that bears consistently

UOS is making a big hype, ...on cherries too. I.M.O ..nothing outperformed the Evans, nothing has outperformed the Norkent Apple in taste! I have a UOS best pear growing for about 6years now, it keeps freezing back, ..a disappointment, if it will ever fruit I don't know, if it does I'm prepared for another set back.

i agree 100% Konrad
they are master marketers
i lost respect for them when they stole the name 'haskap', from the ancient Ainu people of Hokkaido
none of their honeyberry contains any genetic material from true haskaps
but as a marketing ploy they use that name
i'd love to see one canadian grower in all this time that has sold to japan

intotheark,
Thanks for the info on Prairie Sensation and M360. Can't get either down here in Montana. I did get some M360 scions from Nick Botner, but they don't seem to want to take. Had success with grafting 5 other varieties, but no luck on M360 ):

Konrad,
Thanks for the tip on UOS...I have a Norkent apple growing but is a long way from producing fruit. My Evans cherry is very nice, though, and seems to give me a healthy crop about every year.

Norkent and September Ruby I find one of the best growing trees here, it takes about 2 years to establish a good root system, after that she takes off! Good to plant small, a large calipper tree sits in the ground and don't want to do much for 2 years,.. also prone to get sick.

i am a terrible grafter, so i have not gotten an m360 to take either
i tried about 10 this year, and i will continue to try

but i have successfully grafted several sept ruby's on an old crab
(another reason i like that tree)

Hi Ziggro. Just wanted to catch up on your Prairie Magic tree. I saw your message from Sep 2011 on GardenWeb about the prairie Magic. What are your comments since then. Still satisfied? Good producer? Still your favorite? We just bought one today from a tree farm and these ones actually produced some fruit last year. Looking forward to a taste within the next couple of years.

ezystr - What pears and apricots do you have? Coveting them..

Scout apricot, (zoned as 3) in bloom now but were planted Spring of 14 so pretty young, Early Gold and Comice (zoned as 2) pears are in bloom now, planted spring 14, but I am not sure about good pollination,,no insects and lots of rain

ezyxtr-Some of your information is very similar to what I heard at an Oct., 2014 apple meeting in Staples. Two of us who were at the meeting and some friends have been discussing pears in Minnesota. We have tried several varieties of pears with almost constant die back and blight problems. Has anyone had somewhat reliable luck with pears in the Staples area?

I see some large old pear trees once I get well down into USDA zone 4. The line seems to be about below state highway 55. Struggles anywhere above that line. Suggestions?

I recently saw post about the use of calcium sprays in the pacific northwest that migth help pear hardiness....

not sure how the Comice and Early Gold will do long term, time will tell but they are very vigorous after two winters, this last winter no snow and the previous winter very very cold for long durations.....I have 2 pear trees at my home in AZ and blight took the the nicest this spring, see if it recovers They say they need a pollinator..I have 2 of everything there its amazing what they do.. I need to find some survivable blackberries for here?????

ezystr-do you see a difference in hardiness of haralred and haralson?

St. Lawrence Nurseries has offered Norkent during the last 2 seasons, but the primary operator has reitred. I would try and contact them. It is hoped that a younger member of the family will take over the operation.

not enough experience, have one surviving Haralred and several Haralsons, in this area I suspect the Haralson is a 50 percent tree, most have died back then recovered but still lose to much wood...it may depend on the rootstock....with a bit of luck Gemini and Norkent will be coming... For sure tho the Prairie Magic and Zestar that I have grown have so much nicer fruit

Got my first few this year, agree with Ziggro, probably put this one right behind Norkent in taste. Nicely repaired some of the hail damage. How well does it store for you?

Lovely apples.

I planted my prarie magic Apple tree in July 2016. It's now got about 30 apples after 1 year! I am very happy with this tree! I can't wait to harvest in 2 weeks. I have heard to wait until mid September.

Am in Northern MN, I harvested my 2 Prairie Magics last week, 3 inch average... I personally wouldn't let them get over ripe on the tree.. They cook up like a sauce apple but quite flavorful...I have about 50 trees that I planted in April that should do something next year and a bunch more later on.. I am into grafting and did bud graft 10 or so on anto novka root stock but mostly prefer the Zestar by a wide margin, maybe a week or two later but still by Sept 1st here...don't cook up into mush and are just one of the best all around apples.. I planted 50 of those as well and will graft up another 50 or so. I would recommend that anyone in a tough climate get familiar with grafting so when a tree sends shoots up from the rootstock it can be grafted to the variety you choose.. Those shoots are prolific

Prairie Magic is a good apple for our area. We like them a lot.