How to grow apples in Canberra gardens

We can be either "cup half full" or "cup half empty" in our thoughts about the apple season. Frosty weather in late September did not allow some varieties to set fruit very well. Then we have had weeks of very hot and dry weather over summer which caused a lot of trees to shed some of their crop. It has been hard work keeping up the required amount of water to all of our trees in the orchard. But thankfully we began the year with a large dam that was nearly full.

Some varieties have done better than others. In fact I should sing the praises of the local varieties. The Bonza and the Granny Smith are both very local apples and in summers like the one just past they seem much hardier than others that originated in gentler environs. Bonza has its home just across the range in Batlow. It does have the Jonathan apple as one of its parents but it has some unique benefits of its own. It is a disease-resistant apple, so it is not affected by the apple scab fungus which badly affects many other varieties. It is much easier to grow than the Jonathan and is not susceptible to powdery mildew either (one of the reasons Jonathan apples now seem to be a rarity).

The Bonza is a very reliable producer, easy to pick and able to be used in many ways. Its flesh does not brown off so you can serve it in salads, naturally dry it and turn it into delicious sauce.

We also have a heavy crop of Granny Smith apples this year. Some of the branches are weighed down by the crop, and the windstorm of 10 days ago broke off a leader branch that was already bending. We had not counted on such strong "late winter" winds in early autumn.

As many of you know, the Granny Smith apple first grew from a seed thrown onto the compost heap behind a cottage in Eastwood. It was promoted by the Bathurst Agricultural Research Station within a few years and within 25 years of its discovery it had become a major export for Australia.

So it is a true blue Aussie apple and when you take care of the tree, it can yield literally cases and cases. Our pioneer neighbour Macks Southwell related how the 1950s orchard of Charlie Butt had one large Granny Smith apple tree that would produce up to 15 cases of apples (close to 180 kilograms) in a good season.

Scions of our best apple varieties have been taken overseas. The Granny Smith is now widely planted in Europe, North America and in South America. It is strange to see these days, cases of Granny Smith and Pink Lady apples in England or even in the capitals of Asia that have the "grown in Chile" sticker.

With some pears, and apples, a slight variation of the main crop can appear on one branch of a tree. This can just be a case of a "sport" that ripens more quickly, or a sport that produces a fruit with more colour.

In one orchard in central France, a grower noticed that one of his Granny Smith apple trees was producing an early maturing "sport". This has been named Earlismith and cuttings have been brought through Australian quarantine and made available to local orchardists. I took up the option on a few of these trees through the Australian Nurseryman's Fruit Improvement Corporation.

Another well-known apple variety that has produced several sports with slight variations in taste and maturity times is the Golden Delicious. This is a wonderful apple to pick and eat straight from the tree when fully ripe and juicy.

Golden Delicious first arose in an orchard in Clay County, West Virginia in1890. It was a chance seedling from the old Grimes Golden. In its own right it has been crossed with other reputable varieties to produce some of the best new-breed apples, including the larger Mutsu from Japan, and the Jonagold, which was a cross between a Jonathan and the Golden Delicious.

But back to our main story. Golden Delicious is the now most widely grown apple in France. In an orchard in northern France a crisp, golden yellow sport was discovered. This New Gold apple has a very rich taste.

North America has thrown up several excellent sports of Golden Delicious. Ginger Gold is one of the earliest in the family, being mature in mid-February. It was discovered as a seedling tree growing near old trees that had been demolished by a hurricane in Virginia in 1980. As with the other members of the Golden family it is wonderful to eat fresh off the tree, served in a salad, baked made into an apple pie or made into apple sauce. The Smoothee​ Golden was discovered in an orchard owned by a Mr Gibson in Pennsylvania in 1958. It is generally firmer than the standard variety, lovely when eaten fresh and when cooked it keeps its shape. Firmgold​ was a product of breeding between the red and golden delicious at the Geneva Research Station in New York State. It retains the texture and colour of a Golden Delicious but it is a little elongated and has a very crisp flesh. The latest-maturing variety that has made it to our shores is the Goldrush apple that came out of a major university research breeding program 20 years ago. It matures even later than the Granny Smith and has a crisp tang.

Apple Day Festival at Loriendale

Loriendale Orchard is hosting its 26th annual Apple Day festival next Saturday afternoon, April 2. It starts at 1.30pm and ends at 5pm. For early comers, there is the opportunity to enjoy a barbecue lunch featuring organic meats, and coffee.

There is no entry fee but visitors are asked to make a donation to charities being supported on the day. This year the two main projects are the urban farm in Nairobi and Fiji's post- cyclone rebuilding program. Oasis Africa have been securing funds from Loriendale Apple Day and the Australian Government to establish a peri-urban farm for the slum peoples of Kibera​. The afternoon offers city folk the opportunity to take a short drive into the country and soak up the ambience of one of the region's larger orchards. The will be close to 30 varieties of apples available, along with pears, quinces and other organic vegetables. Apple pies, French crepes with apple sauce, Devonshire teas and freshly pressed apple juice add to the offerings.

Travel out along the Barton Highway into NSW and take the first road to the right, Spring Range Road. There will be signs to guide you to the orchard.

Moist Apple and Carrot Cake

2 Golden Delicious apples

1 cup plain flour

2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp cinnamon

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup raw sugar

½ cup vegetable oil

2 large free-range eggs

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 ½ cups grated carrot

1/3 cup sultanas

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line a loaf tin.

Peel, core and slice the apples then cook until soft. Sift the flour with the bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon. Mix in

the brown and raw sugars. Stir in the oil, then lightly beat the eggs and add to the mixture, along with the vanilla essence. Gently mix in the grated carrot, the sultanas and the apple. Bake for 50 minutes. Serve warm with King Island cream.

This week in the garden

Plant out a selection of the multi-coloured chards from the silver beet family.

Sow green manure crops where you would otherwise have fallow beds over the winter months. This can include peas and broad beans which will greatly assist with enriching the soil.

Begin to plan what fruit and nut trees, berries and long-life vegetables you might wish to plant during the winter months. Place early orders to ensure your preferences can be met.

Turn your compost and add some fresh manures and green lawn clippings to boost the decomposition process while there is still warmth in the sunshine.

Take the opportunity while there are still warm days to revamp tired garden sections, improving drainage and mixing in lots of compost. Consider constructing some raised beds if your back or knees are giving you trouble – it is a very good investment for future years.