Apple : KEEPSAKE Semi-Dwarf (G969) (Orchard Grade)
$37.95
An 'orchard grade' is a tree that may be somewhat shorter, slightly crooked, or a bit scratched, or for some other reason is not a perfect front lawn specimen. These trees will work just as well in an orchard as a first or number one would, since they still produce the very same fruit.
The same satisfying Frostbite X Northern Spy combination that made Sweet Sixteen a success is also what produced Keepsake. Although neither have quite the intensity of Frostbite’s flavour, this is certainly where the sweet complexity comes from. While on the topic of famous family members, we should also mention that Keepsake is, in turn, one of Honeycrisp’s parents. So despite Keepsake’s unassuming appearance, it offers much of the explosively crisp texture which is now considered as Honeycrisp’s trademark. The Keepsake name attached to this University of Minnesota release highlights it’s superior storage attributes. It's fine flavour mellows and improves with peak fresh eating quality attained by mid-winter and lasting til May. The tree remains quite compact with above average disease resistance.
NEEDS A POLLENIZER | ZONE 3 | HARVEST: MID OCT.
Growing Tips
Besides selecting the most disease resistant varieties, there are
a few simple things to do to have better apples.
- Fertilize under the outer edges of your trees. There are no feeder roots next to the trunk. A well fed tree stays healthier. (Adequate calcium in the soil also helps so that apples keep longer.)
- Pick up fallen fruit and compost, dispose of, or feed to livestock (where possible).
- Rake up leaves in the fall and compost them away from the orchard.
- Prune trees to encourage light and air to reach the inside of the tree.
- Provide bird nesting sites near your orchard. A variety of orchard companion type plants will attract native pollinator insects and also encourage birds to come and eat insect pests.
