by Ruth Lively
Kitchen Gardener magazine
from issue #17

Ripening times are for central Virginia, which is in Zone 7a. In cooler areas, ripening will be later. Read Antique Apple Varieties for information on how to find and grow these heirloom apple trees.

‘Arkansas Black’
Ripens in October
Hard, crisp, juicy flesh; aromatic flavor; ripens in October.
Uses: Cider, dessert if stored first to develop flavor
Comments: Resistant to cedar-apple rust; sterile pollen, though not a triploid

‘Ashmead’s Kernel’
Ripens in late September to early October
Russet; crisp, juicy flesh; both sweet and acidic flavor
Uses: Dessert, especially good after storage
Comments: Good pollinator  

‘Bramley’s Seedling’
Ripens in early October
Large, greenish yellow;  juicy, too acidic to eat fresh
Uses: Cooking 
Comments: Bears heavily every other year, with light crops in between; triploid
 
‘Calville Blanc d’Hiver’ 
Ripens in October
Pale green with red dots, matures to yellow; creamy white flesh; sweet, spicy flavor; tastes
best if stored for a few weeks
Uses: Dessert, cooking, cider
Comments: Resistant to scab  

‘Cox’s Orange Pippin’
Ripens in September 
Small, streaked orange-red; tender, crisp flesh; sweet, spicy, slightly acid
Uses: Dessert 
Comments: Heavy annual crops; good pollinator

 ‘Fameuse’ or  ‘Snow Apple’  
Ripens late September
Red or yellow flushed with red; pure white flesh is sometimes streaked red; tender, juicy, subacid flavor
Uses: Dessert, cooking, cider 
Comments: Heavy annual crops; very hardy    

 ‘Grimes Golden’ 
Ripens late September
Green to yellow, sometimes russetted; crisp, tender flesh; sweet, spicy flavor
Uses: Dessert, cooking, cider 
Comments: Stores well; self-fertile, good pollinator

‘Rhode Island Greening’
Ripens September to early October
Yellowish green, sometimes blushed and russetted; fine-textured, firm, juicy flesh; rich, acidic flavor
Uses: Dessert, cooking 
Comments: An exceptional keeper; triploid

‘Roxbury Russett’ 
Ripens late September to early October
Green, russet; flesh slightly coarse; spicy, rich flavor
Uses: Dessert, cooking, cider 
Coments: Good pollinator
   
‘Westfield Seek-No-Further’
Ripens late September to early October
Greenish-yellow flushed orange, striped red, light russetting; flesh crisp, tender, juicy; flavor slightly subacid, aromatic
Uses: Dessert, cider Comments: Stores well; very hardy, vigorous tree
  
 ‘White Winter Pearmain’
Ripens early October
Light green to pale yellow; flesh fine-grained, crisp, tender, juicy; aromatic, rich flavor
Uses: Dessert 
Comments: Stores well; vigorous; good for low-chill areas

‘Yellow Bellflower’
Ripens late September to early October
Pale yellow dotted white or russet, red blush; crisp, tender, juicy flesh; aromatic, sweetly subacid in flavor
Uses: Cooking, cider, dessert if stored first
Comments: Tends to bear biennially

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

A.M. Leonard Deluxe Soil Knife & Leather Sheath Combo

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

MULTITASKING DUAL EDGES: a deep serrated edge and a tapered slicing edge ideal for tough or delicate cuts. DURABLE 6-inch stainless steel blade withstands 300 lbs of pressure. TWINE CUTTING NOTCH, DEPTH GAUGE MARKINGS & spear point - no need to switch tools when using this garden knife. LEATHER SHEATH: heavy duty, protective, clip on sheath to keep your knife convenient and secure. LIFETIME WARRANTY.

Buy at Amazon

Berry & Bird Rabbiting Spade, Trenching Shovel

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Ideal Tool for All Gardeners Use: Our heavy duty trenching shovel is designed by a professional gardening tool designer. Lifetime Durability: This heavy duty drain spade is made of high-quality stainless steel, it is very strong and durable, even if it is used for high-strength work, it will not bend. Ergonomic Wood Handle: The handle of this planting spade is made of ash hardwood harvested from FSC-certified forests and has an ergonomically streamlined design, making it very suitable for everyone's hands. Multi-Use: This digging shovel is generally used for digging trenches, digging holes, transplanting, edging, moving compost, cutting thick turf and furrowing. The sharp blade allows you to cut, scoop, dig, lift and dice in hard soil.

Buy at Amazon

Gardener's Log Book from NYBG

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

This weatherproof five-year log book includes the following features: · Sturdy waterproof cover to protect pages from rain and muddy soil · Lined pages and gridded paper for plotting beds · Five years of 12-month bloom and harvest grids for recording what you planted and when · Authoritative appendices on composting, pruning, pest and disease control, and container gardening · Useful reminders by season on fertilizing, mulching, and transplanting · Space for listing your favorite sources and suppliers.

Buy at Amazon