🍎Taste Testing NEW Red Fleshed Seedling Apples!🍎

Tasting the first round of the more than 50 apple seedlings that are fruting this year, in my apple breeding project. Some new red fleshed apples, and not so much
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[@lagoya]

"This is me, being excited... 😐" 😂😂😂 Thanks for the vid. Inspiring as always!

[@ClaySTurner]

I don't grow any food, I don't know anything about it, but I subscribe because you explain your opinions excellently for a lay person to understand. It feels like I am learning something new every video and I hope I can get a small plot to grow something someday. Thanks for posting.

[@SkillCult]

Thanks Clay, that's a great comment :)

[@ScurvySander]

Thanks for the Apple Update! This apple breeding project is the best fruit based reality show on KZbin. Some of these seedlings have so much potential

[@SkillCult]

I hope so. If none turn out really as major improvements, at least we are all one step closer to better red fleshed apples.

[@ScurvySander]

@@SkillCult totally! They seem like good candidates for a red fleshed pollen medley. I'm definitely interested in growing my own red fleshed seedlings once my trees start fruiting

[@SkillCult]

@@ScurvySander I probably will throw some of these in the medley depending on if they flower enough, but that could be a while too. For now what I need to do is keep updating notes so I keep track of what is what.

[@jim8577]

Always interesting! Thanks for the ride-along Steven.

[@88manta88]

The curly leafed seedling is amazing! If only I were to live close to you. I'd immediately graft this for an ornamental tree

[@SkillCult]

It is somewhat interesting I guess. I have a lot of apples on it this year. I'm hoping they are at least decent, but I don't think they have been very impressive so far.

[@the_sharp_carpenter]

Reminds me of some of the best times from my childhood, walking through the orchard with my grandpa, and pressing cider. Love your Apple tastings. Keep up the good work.

[@SkillCult]

:)

[@jackofalltrades5904]

Not many people liked this comment bcus they didn't have the luxury of an orchard as a child, I didn't either but I hit like bcus that sounds like an amazing time for a child and I'm not a hater that sounds bad ass. Haha

[@the_sharp_carpenter]

@@jackofalltrades5904 okay, wasn't ever fishing for likes, was simply stating my appreciation for what Steve is doing, in the most meaningful way possible.

[@jackofalltrades5904]

@@the_sharp_carpenter If you re-read what I wrote then you'll see I'm stating that. I was only saying you deserved more likes bcus it was meaning especially as a child.there was a few of other comments hating and talking smack bcus he has land to grow apples "just bcus he chooses to when people people don't have homes or food"(their words).so chill bro I wasn't talking down on ur comment.hahaha

[@the_sharp_carpenter]

@@jackofalltrades5904 not wound up, and yeah the communist mindset that is taking hold is a little unnerving (ie some don't have therefore no one should have) I wish I lived closer to where I grew up and had more time to revive that orchard and work with breeds like Steve is doing.

[@zokowawa]

Yes! Fantastic! I have been looking forward to this video for 5 years or more! Almost as excited as you are at the beginning of the video, haha! What a beautiful place and what beautiful fall colors. I think you are the first person I know that gives a truly good peek inside the breeding process, and it is amazing. The apple seedling jungle looks like a small garden of Eden. I hope you can get some good selections out of this generation already. I will be growing out the seedlings of your crosses in the years to come.

[@SkillCult]

Yes, it's been a long road eh? And here we are actually getting signficant amounts of fruit. Significant results? We'll see :). Well, results yeah, but desired results...

[@jesusv.5828]

I love this kind of video keep them coming please .Thank you

[@sempi8159]

Very interesting! More please!

[@panchonorthmann6408]

Lol, you're the guy I've been planning and saving to become! Fabulous! Subbed, broski, beautiful work.

[@SkillCult]

Careful what you wish for lol.

[@henchman_ben3725]

That was really enjoyable. I know nothing about Apples and I thought that this was super interesting.

[@SkillCult]

Well that is good feedback. Thanks :)

[@dezandloper6838]

a mix of applejuice can be very tastefull...also when you make wine of them!

[@ts694]

Polite and pedestrian apples. Too much fun. You’ve got more apples on the ground than I’ve got growing in trees. Envy. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I liked the chicken shot at the end too.

[@SkillCult]

I need to do a pressing to use them all up.

[@ciarfah]

So exciting to see! Can't wait to buy some young trees and rootstock in December. It's been, what, 4-5 years since these were planted?

[@SkillCult]

Most of these say 2011. I think that is when the pollinations were made, so seed planted the following spring, then grafted and planted out in place in 2013.

[@MistressOP]

good fodder apple if you got a scabby tree that produces like that. apple finished ham

[@SkillCult]

Good point. The scab can get really bad here on very susceptible trees though, so you really get a low yeild and quite a few will rot before they are ripe. But lots of these apples are very sweet and could be good fodder apples. Especially the ones that ripen in winter.

[@hobartfloyt6820]

Thank you for the update. I have been following your breeding project for years. I understand your time is limited but I would suggest you try to hold on to as many of your "pedestrian" cross offspring as possible. For important recessive tracts, the good traits are often hidden in the first generation. But when you cross the first generation offspring of the original cross together the good recessive traits become visible once again. However, I am in the same boat as you as far as having too many seedlings and too little time and space. I wish someone had introduced me to plant breeding when I was about 14yrs old then I would have enough time to see my projects thru :) .

[@SkillCult]

Yeah, I'll keep the pedestrian stuff, just not much of the bad stuff. I'll keep the best quality apples from each cross. There are multiples of most of them. I"m just not going to keep the ones that show really negative traits, unless possibly that is all there is. I think Etter and Burbank both started when they were basically kids. I just try to see it as more of a community effort and continuum. I wish I could talk to Etter about his work and what directions he was trying to head in.

[@ProfKSE]

Watching you walk thru your "wild apple" orchard, tasting as you go, is fun. My deer are a lot less picky about their apple choices than you are. :-)

[@SkillCult]

Yes, deer and bears are pretty much which one is smelliest and sweetest.

[@Prairiedrifter1]

I’ve never seen you so excited before

[@SkillCult]

totally excited :-i

[@ProfKSE]

I like morning tastings when the apple are cool. But when you have to taste a lot of apples I learned to chew, swallow juice, and spit out pulp... (except for the best ones!).

[@SkillCult]

I actually rarely eat apple pulp at all. Sometimes I don't even swallow a lot of the juice for tasting like this. I'll eat the whole apple if I'm inside or eating it with peanut butter or something, but most of the time I'm outside and spit the pulp out.

[@ProfKSE]

" This one has promise. I'm going to save this one....*>toss

[@SkillCult]

I like throwing things :). it's a common theme in my videos.

[@ProfKSE]

@@SkillCult I know what you mean. Its a common theme in my life.

[@mynameisnotcory]

Absolutely pumped every appl video you upload! Heck yes!

[@SkillCult]

Good, not everyone is lol.

[@travissmith-wz5nc]

Bought trees from morse nursery and they have a double red variety. I'll let you know

[@nonyobussiness3440]

I need to get back into farming

[@newatthis50]

Love this!! Where are you located Just your state will do Thanks

[@SkillCult]

northern california zone 9

[@ProfKSE]

When I bag an apple-- to protect from insects--I just use a Ziplock bag and cut the lower corners off to drain condensate.

[@SkillCult]

I'm going to test that next year on several people's recommendations. I was hoping to find a biodegrading option this year. Tried some paper bags, but all were very slow to put on and not good for taking on and off. It turned out to be a bad year to test fruit bags as there was not nearly as much bird trouble.

[@vlanza1999]

It seems like you only grow for fresh eating, making jams and jellies taste best with a sour taste. I have a tree I inherited loaded with tons of crabapples...may try making jam this year.

[@SkillCult]

Dessert is my main focus for sure. But cooking, cider etc. apples just occur anyway, so I do select for them when they are obvious.

[@David-kd5mf]

When I worked at an orchard we used a square hydrolic press for cider. The apples went through a grinder and became applesauce consistency. Using plastic Square trays with grooves to the outside of the sheet with burlap type cloth we made an applesauce layered stack. The order was plastic tray, heavy mesh sheet, applesauce and then fold heavy fine mesh sheet excess over the applesauce. Repeat with plastic tray, mesh, applesauce till have a stack and then squash with hydrolic press. Juice flows to outside tray and into tub anx gets pumped to tank.

[@David-kd5mf]

Rack and cloth cider press seems to be the name. Here is non commercial example www.vigopresses.co.uk/Catalogue/Fruit-Presses/Rack-Cloth-Screw-Fruit-Press-91307

[@David-kd5mf]

Rack and cloth press would be useful for the apple you said would turn to apple sauce in your current cider press.

[@SkillCult]

That is pretty much like traditional pressing using horse hair mats or bags, but the press was a screw press and the grinders were big stone wheels turning in a trough. The thinner you make the layers, the more you can get away with pressing total mush. That is how olive pommace is pressed in thin layers on woven mats. But some apples will crush fine, but still press relatively clean. The really soft ones can be a big problem, especially in basket presses.

[@SkillCult]

I had plans to build one before, but never did. I remember a vid or blog post where a guy made his using plastic cutting boards for the racks. They must be a pain to clean, but imagine cleaning the old horse hair mats and wooden racks. I think the basket presses are really more suited to grapes. They work okay for apples but I always feel like I'm wasting quite a bit not pressing enough out.

[@David-kd5mf]

@@SkillCult yeah, its hard to do all the projects that are possible. I remember watching gerson therapy documentary and the juicer they use is small version of rack and cloth. It was pretty dang expensive though when I looked it up.

[@suttonelms1]

Very interesting video - thank you. Greetings from England from your fellow apple breeder! You're right - it is difficult to separate the redflesh apples from ttheir unwanted baggage - high tannin, high acid and scab.

[@SkillCult]

Have you also found that set of characteristics following the red flesh around? Any RF apples that don't seem to follow that trend too much?

[@suttonelms1]

@@SkillCult I have a couple of varieties where the acidity and bitterness have been left behind. I am now testing to see if they return in the next generation. Another 7 years!

[@MistressOP]

can you bake off a few of these apples to check how to they do?

[@SkillCult]

Not going to happen this year, but I'd like to so stuff like that in the future, like a dry off and a sauce off, juice off, bake off...

[@stanervin6108]

I used to make an apple pie with cinnamon red hots candies that made for good eating and a pleasingly pink presentation. 🥧

[@andrewhosford7308]

Great video. It’s awesome seeing the progress on this project. You look pretty healthy too. Hit me up if you head north and are in my neck off the woods. I can always find something for ya.

[@SkillCult]

thanks :). I am trying to plan the expansion of this project and might need some stuff for weed suppression and or irrigation, so I might contact you about that this winter. it's basically a combo research project for the second generation crosses, testing tree paints, bulb understories, tree training, biochar percentages and methods for speeding up fruiting on apple seedlings, all in the same rows.

[@andrewhosford7308]

SkillCult I have a partial role of 6’ ground cover cloth at my house I would give you. It’s probably 100’+ long. I’ll also start a pile of stuff that I think you might want. We always a random stuff.

[@verdantpulse5185]

Harsh sun,droughty, thready on chilling requirements: maybe you should be thinking about figs.

[@SkillCult]

We grow great apples, just need the right ones. I have some figs, though they are better in the hot valleys.

[@verdantpulse5185]

@@SkillCult Apples are nice, I prefer them crisp and spicy. Northern spy is one of the best availible promoted varieties around here. It's on the fringe, but one of the species I'm trying is persimmon. Oriental on american roots. Young, hopefully fruiting next year.

[@xxxreadxxx12]

How do you keep chickens from digging up the feeder roots around your trees? My chickens if left out will dig all the way up to the crown...

[@SkillCult]

They dig deep around one tree, but most they leve alone. And it's never been so deep that tney are messing with it really. The worst thing is they dig out bulb beds. But our feeder roots are probably deeper, because it's dry here in the summer.. Also, right now I only have three chickens.

[@mytech6779]

Crossing in some cider types might improve the sugar and firmness of the reds. I know in apples due to the time per generation and the heterogeneous nature of the specie, traditional breeding is to just make a bunch of crosses and see what sticks. However it may be useful to attempt to create a few somewhat homozygous lines that can be used in later breeding. Each only being concerned with carrying only a few of the traits you want in a final apple from generation to generation, eliminating any off-types along the way. Say you breed a line for texture, focus only on texture and keep inbreeding until the desired texture traits stabilize and consistently breed true from seed. This indicates that both sides of the diploid carry the same genes, (within the scope of the targeted traits) and gives a much higher chance of passing the desired set of genes along during subsequent out-crossings. Doing this for several lines, one color/size, one flavor, one texture... then combine them at the end.

[@SkillCult]

My approach to breeding is intentionally ignorant. I want to see if an average person plants starts doing crosses by the most basic logic, like "two reds makes more redder" what will happen. The more information I consume and try to put into play regarding breeding and gentics, the more I'll not do certain crosses that for all I know might yield something interesting. And once I choose that fork in the path, I've lost that possibility of the other path forever. I'm far more interested in what I can get away with, in the interest of demystifying the process from only special breeder people can do this using thousands of trees to lets have fun cross breeding apples and find out what happens. However, I am doing some of that regardless. I pay a lot of attention to overall quality, texture, season, scab resistance and red flesh. My approach so far is working those into lines wherever possible. So, I'm making crosses with extemely late apples all the time, but I try to squeeze a few red flesh genes in there. Pink Parfait is awesome for lateness, quality and red flesh in one package and if I work that into multiple lines using various late hanging apples, I have the opportunity to bring those together later. the adventure continues...

[@mytech6779]

@@SkillCult I get that, actual doing rather than constant planning or over-optimizing. but every action or choice will collapse the superposition and close another path forever, this is not avoidable. Fortunately there are infinitely more superpositions yet to come. I didn't intend for excess complexity with the homogeneous-line breeding, like actively trying to record/map red flesh genes and such; I just meant it more like somebody just stabilizing new open-pollinated tomato varieties and eventually using varieties those to make a hybrid or to improve some other variety. I don't really even know how practical it would be to make a stable line of apples due to the self incompatible pollen.

[@jackofalltrades5904]

Do you have any sweet n tango from seed? Or anything similar to those? I would really like to buy some clones from you. Do you sell clones?

[@zanethompson5529]

I have just started watching your video's What part of the country are you in

[@SkillCult]

I'm in Northern California. Hot summers, but I'm close enough to the coast that it's not too brutal. not too cold winters, lows about 20 degrees or higher, usda zone 9

[@bobbrawley2612]

Where do you sell your scion? Or how can I buy your scion

[@SkillCult]

Watch social media and KZbin for announcements. I can't remember when I usually put them up for sale, either jan 1st or feb 1st . I always offer them to my patrons first, and then to the general public. If all goes as planned I'll have scions, seeds and pollen.

[@malik2433]

I have a small red fleshed apple with redish leaves at my allotment that I inherited. I have no idea what the variety is but I'd love to know. It's sour with a touch of sweetness and the flavour has a cherry note. Any idea what it could be or how I can find out? I've search online but I've come up empty handed. Any help would be appreciated and I'd be happy to send you seeds or scions since I know you like red fleshed apples. Ps. I live in the UK.

[@SkillCult]

thanks. I don t' trade overseas much. There are good reasons we have restrictions on trading plants across borders and especially continents. But thanks. I have access to a lot of red fleshed apples here. More and more like that keep coming out of the wood work. You could contact Nigel Deacon. He might be interested in it. He's got a large collection of red fleshed apples, many more than I have.

[@malik2433]

@@SkillCult Thank you for your reply

[@Zelph81]

@Malik I wonder if it might be a Redlove variety bred by Markus Kobelt of Switzerland? I know he has like 5 red fleshed cultivars and there's a shop in the U.K. that sells his product line. Lubera.co.uk I've been wanting to get ahold of some as I'm interested in red fleshed apples, but sadly he hasn't opened up his market to the U.S.. At least not when I reached out to him several years ago. Maybe some day.

[@ScottyUtHome]

When you were talking at 18:20 about yellow skinned apples not being your preference, it made me wonder if it wouldn't be helpful if you had another person tagging along to get another opinion.

[@SkillCult]

Yeah, that might be good. Tastes in apples vary greatly for sure.

[@johnpossum556]

For some reason after 15 years of having an apple tree this year the squirrels decided to take them all. All. I usually got 500-700 apples. The problem is the tree is a dwarf so the squirrels can jump from the ground directly up to apple level. What do I use to keep the squirrels off it? Signed, Appleless in Minneapolis

[@SkillCult]

Get a good pellet rifle and add squirrel to the menu. Using a scope really helps. They are good eating. Otherwise, not sure, they are pretty crafty. Get a pet hawk , or a big cat :)

[@johnpossum556]

@@SkillCult A pet hawk could be really cool. Unfortunately I am right in urbania. Authorities wouldn't like pellet gun. (I used to have squirrel tails lining my bedroom walls when I was a kid. ) Neither would the buses that pass by 6-18 times an hour. I think I will dilute some sriracha sauce and spray that on there next spring. It seemed to work to keep the albino squirrel from eating my _freedom_ honeysuckles. Appreciate the response.

[@SkillCult]

@@johnpossum556 There was a long thread on Growingfruit.org about dealing with squirrels. I'd go find that. Lots of experience on that forum.

[@mynameisnotcory]

I use a 1965 red ryder bbgun and it works wonders to this day

[@stanervin6108]

You could wrap up the tree from ground to canopy with 'chicken fencing'! Nature friendly and effective. 🐿🍎

[@darkobegic]

I'm looking for a late ripening apple with high yield. The intention is to plant a few varieties to attract whitetail deer during late hunting season. My property is in zone 5. Any recommendations? And how can I buy from you?

[@SkillCult]

I don't know a lot about late apple up there, or about zone limits. If I think of something, I'll let you know. I only sell scion wood, not trees and usually list them in the fall. I will post on social media and YT when they're out.

[@AlexKoehler]

I really don't know if there exists an better late ripening apple with high yield like the Ontario apple. It originates in Ontario County, New York (late 19th century) came within short time to Europe and is still one of the latest apples (October/November) here in Germany. Very easy to store and tastes best between January an May. it's a cross from Nothern Spy and Wagner...

[@SkillCult]

@@AlexKoehler Even if apples like that don't taste great off the tree later than that, if they can hang anyway, the deer won't mind mushy apples. Latest hangers I have off the top of my head, in rough order are Dec: hauer pippin, Katherine, January: Pink parfait, pomo sanel, Pink Lady Feb: Lady Williams Not all hang tenaciously though and they have to survive the climate.

[@SkillCult]

@@AlexKoehler BTW, I have reason to believe Both Pink Parfait and Katherine could have wagener genes.

[@AlexKoehler]

@@SkillCult If I don't pick those Ontario Apples they hang all winter... Zone 5 seems a bit to cold for trademarked apples from Australia.

[@mcgeebag1]

Very cool, so it's definitely not true seedling apples are not 99% spitters. I have 5 seedlings apple trees, I planted 131 intentionally crossed seeds but the germination rate was very poor because they were completely dry when I had attempted to stratify them in the fridge. Should have payed more attention to your videos. I'm enjoying the updates keep them coming!👍

[@SkillCult]

I'm not sure I ever talked about that, but I think they soak first, then stratify. I never really use dry seed myself.

[@amandaisoutdoors]

How do we go about ordering scions from you?? Thanks!! -Amanda zone 5b

[@SkillCult]

I sell scions in late winter into spring. Best follow my blog at www.skillcult.com/blog I always announce there. The stuff I have in limited quantity gets auctioned at figbid.com the rest are in my webstore until they are sold out.

[@Shane_O.5158]

how can you judge an apple that's growing in less than ideal conditions, i think given better soil, ir more water wouldn't it make better tasting apples, also i'm wondering if i should judge apples growing on the side of the road, OR should i take scions and graft them and grow them at home before judging them to be good or bad or pedestrian ?

[@SkillCult]

This is the first stage where I can get through them once. Anything that is really bad and I don't feel I havce a use for, gets cut out, which makes room for the other trees. Anything remotely promising is kept and many of those will be grafted out elsewhere as soon as they show any promise. Many of the apples I tasted here fall into that category. Grafted out to a foundation tree they should produce more exemplary fruit than they do out here. Also, as the trees mature, they start to produce the fruit that is more typical of the variety than they sometimes do the first year. I also have the option every year to take better care of the trees, but it often gets sidelined to other priorities. The upside is that if they perform well under challenging conditions, that tells me something about how they will perform as natural un-irrigated trees here in my climate. And yes, it can make a big difference sometimes. Wild trees are often grossly over bearing one year then nothing the next. With all that competition, and less light, they can be pretty different.

[@ProfKSE]

I suppose old pantyhose would work also. Sorry, but I'm fresh out!

[@SkillCult]

That's basically what the foot sox I use are. They work okay. If the birds are determined they'll damage almost anything. Bugs are another matter, I'll keep testing stuff.

[@mytech6779]

Which bags are those, so I don't buy them. Some kind of plastic mesh? The shady side of Amazon sellers have taken to selling under multiple product numbers to stay ahead of negative reviews.

[@SkillCult]

They are the ones with the red twisty ties and are non woven fabric. probably nylon? Yes, they are sold under multiple sellers/names, but they are pretty obvious.

[@mytech6779]

@@SkillCult non-woven like tyvek or a solid plastic with a grid of punched holes? I see lots of what sort of appear to be woven bags with a red string on Amazon, but hard to tell from the pics and descrips. I should assume low quality with the non-sense product info like "High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), made of stretchy nylon," (two unrelated polymers, and PE is cheap and has very low UV tolerance) Suppose I could avoid the issue altogether and just order from a reputable orchard supplier.