Urban Orchard 101: Which Apples to Grow

Choosing which heirloom apples trees to grow is an ongoing dialogue of trial and error, even for highly experienced growers. We talk to each other, we talk to our customers, we ferment things, watch how the trees survive pests and diseases and revise our plantings over and over again.

I am now planning the varieties for Blue Bee Cider’s second urban orchard in Richmond, Virginia. Like the first one, there will be a total of about 15 trees surrounded by hotspots (concrete and asphalt). If I don’t have a serious think about rootstocks, my default is M-111 or a semi-standard sized tree which is big enough to stand on its own but small enough to start bearing after about four years.

For apple varieties, I plan to go with eight Hewe’s Crab, three Winter White Pearmain and four wild cards. The first two varieties have proven themselves to be hearty and happy in our climate in the Manchester orchard. Hewe’s Crab has been a no-brainer from day one. It was originally cultivated in James City County, located one hour south (hotter and more humid) from Richmond. Winter White Pearmain was a wild card apple that I loved and wanted to test out four years ago. As luck would have it, just as this little apple tree was proving itself to be a strong performer in our orchard, Virginia Historical Society sent me a 19th-century era orchard planting list from Appomattox Plantation, located 20 minutes south of Richmond along the James River. This planting list prominently features Winter White Pearmains. Thanks to the archivists at VHS we continue to learn about the orchards and ciders of Virginia prior to Prohibition and keep finding new possibilities that will fuel the renaissance of cider here. So which wild cards will we choose? Smith’s Cider? Nickajack? Red Streak? Swaan? Give us and our friends at VHS a couple more months to work that one out.

-Courtney Mailey