JAMES GRIEVE APPLES WITHOUT CROSS POLLINATOR

A couple of years ago I bought a miniature apple tree, a Coronet Family Apple Tree that had two types of apples on it: the James Grieve type grafted on at the top and lower down the trunk grew the Cox's Orange Pippin type of apple.  Unfortunately, the Cox's Orange Pippin part was not doing very well and I made a radical decision to cut off the branch on which the Cox's apples were growing.  The fruit was split, remained small and ugly, and there was a clear sign of disease. I had already lost my lovely Prunus avium 'Stella' cherry tree to a bacterial disease which affects fruit trees so acted early rather than lose the whole tree.  The James Grieve apples were, however, crisp, sharp, and delicious.



James Grieve apple blossom

Then it occurred to me that James Grieve might not self-pollinate and, indeed, information on the internet told me that it is self-fertile but that a cross pollinator is desirable.  Anyway, I left things as they were, didn't buy another apple tree to cross-pollinate, and this year transplanted the miniature tree from its pot into the garden border.  It flowered profusely and I thought, well, even if I don't get any fruit it is worth growing the tree for the flowers.  So I waited and I watched the bees (save our bees) being busy and am happy to say that the tree is now loaded with embryo apples, tiny things that show great promise.  Fingers crossed that they keep on growing.  I shall have to thin them out somewhat but I shall leave doing that for a little while to ensure I don't go and remove the wrong ones.  By the way, I read that James Grieve is good for cooking or as a dessert apple.  It's true. 

James Grieve baby apples - 28 May 2018

The apple tree looks healthy now and I am just hoping that it stays that way.  Meanwhile, my lovely Polka raspberry canes (which I grow as double-cropping raspberies) are busy making fruit for me. 

How to get a double crop from Polka raspberry canes.

Below, diseased branch of Cox's Orange Pippin removed

Just below the label on the left of the trunk, the severed diseased branch of Cox's Orange Pippins

James Grieve apples looking beautifully healthy



Diseased branch of Cox's Orange Pippin, removed