Backyard herbs and edibles - Part 2

The Kiwi backyard is a space for bringing people together to play, relax and eat. In Part 2 of this series, Rebecca Hughes looks at apple trees – an all-time favourite for adding life-enhancing sustenance to outdoor spaces

There are a wide variety of edible fruits to pick from, but none as dependably delicious as the apple (Malus domestica). Apples first came to New Zealand with the missionary Samuel Marsden in 1819 and now there are thousands of varieties available. While only a few are cultivated for mass production, a far wider range, including heritage varieties, can be planted in backyards.

If you are planting apple trees for your client, depending on the time of year, they may either be ‘bare root’ trees or already bagged up. Late autumn/early winter is an ideal time to plant.

Apple trees need a rich, well-drained soil with winter chilling, followed by a warm spring and an abundance of summer sunshine and, ideally, dry weather. Pests and diseases can be more difficult to control when the growing season is wet.

Work with your plant supplier to choose the right apple variety for the site and location. Select

a sunny, well-drained spot, ideally plant in winter, and understand the plant’s pollination needs.

For example, orchard favourite Granny Smith is self-fertile and an excellent pollinator for other apple varieties.

Ensure your client knows how to provide ongoing care, including watering, staking, pruning and potential disease management, which are all important for a successful apple harvest.

Right plant, right site

There are dwarf trees or tall and narrow columnar apples available for the smaller backyard. Landscapers can also espalier these varieties to suit clients’ spaces.

Apple trees are typically grown by grafting or budding the ‘scion’ wood of the chosen variety onto the roots of another variety, known as a ‘rootstock’.

Rootstocks help to control tree vigour and size, which is very useful when growing trees in a smaller space. Rootstocks also influence other qualities like fruit quality and disease resistance.

Some good options to consider include:

Apple Ballarat

A heritage apple dating back to early 1900s in Australia, bearing large, sweet fruit. Great for cooking and keeps well.

Apple Ballerina Polka  

This tree produces round, medium sized fruit with red blushed skin. The flesh is crisp and juicy with a very good flavour.

Apple Ballerina Waltz  

Medium to large round-conical fruit with a solid red skin on areas exposed to the sun. Crisp and juicy with a slight tang. Suitable for fresh fruit, drying and cooking.

Apple Bramley’s Seedling  

Mid-season dessert apple that is crisp and juicy with good flavour. Ht 3m. Deciduous. (Semi dwarf).

Apple Cox’s Orange  

Good proven Central Otago eating apple.

Moderate height.

Apple Fuji  

Popular eating apple. Very good keeper. Medium size pink stripes over green-yellow skin, sweet.

Apple Golden Delicious  

Great taste, texture, aroma and appearance. Honeyed flavour. Very sweet when tree-ripened. Self-fertile. Late season. Award of Garden Merit. Deciduous. 3m.

Apple Granny Smith

Late, large, green and crisp with juicy white-fleshed fruit ideal for deserts and cooking. Ht 3m. Deciduous.

Apple Graverstein

Apple crisp and juicy with good flavour Deciduous.

Ht 3m.

Apple Kentish Fillbasket

Orange pippin. Old English type with large cooking apples that are streaked red. Very edible fruit. 3m.

Apple Lady in Red

This apple has fruit that is pink-red blushed with pure white flesh and is capable of producing fruit that meets the high-quality standards of Pink Lady plant variety rights (PVR).

Apple Lobo

Large, red eating apple. Also good for cooking

and juicing. Mid-season.

Apple Montys Surprise

Very large cooking apple, one of the best for pies and other culinary delights.

Apple Peasgood Nunsuch

Good proven cooking apple. Moderate height.

(Semi dwarf).

Apple Red Delicious

Red Delicious is a heart-shaped fruit with a striking bright red skin that is sometimes striped. The flesh is crunchy and very juicy with a mild, sweet flavour.

Apple Royal Gala

Early eating apple. Crisp and juicy with good flavour. Deciduous. 3m.

Apple Splendour  

Good proven Central Otago eating apple. Moderate height. Bright red over yellow fruit, sweet juicy flesh. Good keeper.

Apple Sturmer

Winter apple with good keeping qualities. Eating or cooking. Deciduous. 3m.

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Rebecca Hughes has a Botany BSc with Honours and has been National Training Manager for the Horticulture Industry Training Organisation (ITO) and General Manager for the Community Support Services ITO.

She is currently co-director of Blue Mountain Nurseries, a

family-run wholesale and retail plant nursery established

in Tapanui in 1932.