braeburn in the ground
i didn't think friends were coming to help me plant my tree today. but i misunderstood their RSVP, and had to jump off the couch, throw on a bra and yesterday's t-shirt. s'all good. shannon and andy and their baby eleanor came along with dan who's visiting from manhattan. too bad andy stayed behind the camera.
BRAEBURN APPLE from New Zealand. Superb late season fruit: very crisp and tangy, more flavorful than Granny Smith. Excellent keeper (like me!). Green with dark red blush. October-November harvest. Self-fruitful.
M-111 ROOTSTOCK Excellent all-round rootstock for apples. Tolerates wet soil, dry soil, poor soil. Resists woolly apple aphids and collar rot. Induces bearing at young age. Unpruned tree height 15-25ft. Trees on M-111 may be held to any desired height by summer pruning.
i plan on pruning the tree to keep the fruit in reach.
not that i'm suffering over it, but i'm suddenly aware of how much instant gratification i'm accustomed to -- this tree won't bear fruit for a few years. i won't get to bring friends and coworkers its bounty until maybe 2010, and i'll be almost 40. that's a little scary. but that's why i'm putting fruit trees in the ground during my first year in my house in berkeley -- get 'em growing!
