High-Chill Apples in Low-Chill Orange County 

We're growing high chill apples in coastal Central Florida and people think we're nuts, but they're healthy and thriving beautifully in heat, bugs, and humidity! I follow tropical apple culture from Africa. Plants are amazing!

Here's Kevin Hauser's comments on this apple experiment. TL;DR: ""Dixie Red Delight, Golden Russet, Red Fuji, Sierra Beauty, and Belle de Boskoop blew your head off. The hand’s-down favorite was Hudson’s Golden Gem, and exceptional flavor and crunch. By the end of the morning most of the pruning was done and we all ended up with bags of apples to take home."" =============================================== Tom Spellman from Dave Wilson Nursery held a pruning day at the high chill apple orchard in Orange County at UC Irvine’s South Coast Field Station, made famous by the RU-vid video ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-oiEEHRfAEWY.html My wife and I were invited, along with about 15 Master Gardeners and members from the Orange County chapter of the California Rare Fruit Grower group. This orchard has 30 varieties of apples listed between 800-1,000 hours of chill requirement, specifically: Yellow Newtown Pippin Bramley Seedling Ashmead’s Kernel Melrose Belle de Boskoop Waltana Hudson’s Golden Gem King of Tompkins County Mutsu Golden Russet Arkansas Black Gravenstein Cox’s Orange Pippin Sierra Beauty Liberty Jonagold Akane Honeycrisp Snow Golden Delicious Empire Zestar Scarlet Sentinel Red Fuji North Pole Braeburn Tom had told me previously that he had a good fruit set despite lack of thinning, but we were all shocked at the size, quality, and quantity of apples still left on the trees, not to mention the pile on the ground under each tree. This orchard is 10 miles from the beach, next to the Orange County Great Park, the former El Toro MCAS, and surrounded by avocado groves on two sides. This research station is used mostly for testing semi tropic crops like dragon fruit, avocado, cherimoya, and persimmon, and is watered exclusively with reclaimed irrigation (much to the stress of the avocados). It gets at the most 200 chilling hours, and last winter was extremely warm. Once we got past the New Year’s Day freeze (8” of snow killing thousands of avocados in Temecula), we had weeks straight of temps in the 80s and 90s through February. We had a lot of work to do and not much time, and so we started pruning immediately, grabbing what apples we could out of the branches and off the ground. Some were past their prime this being January and all, but Dixie Red Delight, Golden Russet, Red Fuji, Sierra Beauty, and Belle de Boskoop blew your head off. The hand’s-down favorite was Hudson’s Golden Gem, and exceptional flavor and crunch. By the end of the morning most of the pruning was done and we all ended up with bags of apples to take home. There are two trees of each variety, and they didn’t get a lot of training while growing. An eastern transplant to the field station who had extensive apple experience at WSU had recommended to Tom that he convert the trees to tall spindle, which I concurred, and so he decided to convert over one of each of the two trees per variety, and the other one to remain an open vase shape as to preserve some production for next season. He also resolved to thin the fruit hard this spring for the best size. The orchard could have easily supported a roadside stand, if it wasn’t situated in a highly developed area of Orange County on land probably worth hundreds of millions of dollars (2BR 1 BA single story homes start at $1 million). Being this close to the ocean, high temperatures are moderated to a max high of about 105F, but lows rarely get below 40F. It was interesting to compare the apples here with the ones at my house farther inland in Riverside. Braeburn and Ashmead’s Kernel turn to mush in our heat, but in the moderate climate of Irvine they were both fantastic. I also have one tiny Arkansas Black tree that never produced, but the two trees of it in Irvine were loaded, showing that it isn’t the lack of chill that’s preventing mine from bearing. I supplied some of the scionwood to establish the orchard, and so it wasn’t a surprise to me that the trees were bearing, but I was surprised at the crop load so early in the M111’s lifetime. The farming conditions there are perfect; a deep sandy loam with good fertility, no pests or disease, no frost, and timed irrigation. Tom had been discouraged by DWN staff and the Field Station management from trying this experiment, as all said it would result in embarrassing failure. I remarked that this is why most low-chill apple research is done by private individuals, who do not face ridicule or loss of funding if a trial doesn’t work out. I run into the same thing with Tropic universities, with much of the research done and risk taken by poor tropic farmers rather than academia or government organizations. The staff at the field station and the researcher from back East are bowled over by the results of the orchard. I’m thankful to Tom for both the visit to the orchard, and also to the load of scionwood for our Uganda nursery he generously granted. DWN in general has been hugely supportive of the Africa nursery project, and I’ve freely shared the results of our low chill trials and recommendations for new varieties for their lineup.

So... Comparing apples in Orange? Love it.

This is great info! More options, means more diverse plantings in our neighborhoods. Exciting work, thank you!

I appreciate explanation of tree irrigation. That's my weak point in my garden and orchard. Keep that info coming please!

This is an amazing video.

Thank you very much for sharing this project with us! Here in central Europe we don't have this kind of problems but it is so interesting to hear about it! Kep up the good work!

10* Glad to hear about this. Lived in Irvine area, and now SanFran, so happy to see same comments about my WA state and ability to expand apple territory.

I'm doing a similar experiment on trying to grow high chill hour gooseberries in low chill southern California. This gives me hope.

Any information or trials on pears being able to produce in areas below their chill rating?

Thanks for this info. I would imagine some varieties though wouldn't tolerate high heat as well, which isn't a problem in California as opposed to here in Texas. I've also heard that high chill varieties can be grown in low chill areas that are also higher in humidity. Unfortunately it's drier here than the Californian coast. However next winter I'll be getting five or so heirloom apple trees, more as an experiment than anything else. I'll have to see.

very cool project...

nice videos. thank you for what you do. my family has many of your trees.

Everyone watching this should note that the bark on a lot of these trees has been painted white for protection.

This is great info. I live about half an hour away from Irvine and there are some apples I'd love to grow but thought there was no way I could do it.

Great video! Thanks!

Hi Tom...Would be nice to see a follow-up pruning after fruit picking and then winter pruning. Maybe the OC Chapter of The CRFG could help 🤔😊😉

I LOVE this idea. I can't wait to see more of your results. I've been doing some informal trials with some carefully selected (and uncommonly grown) varieties down here in Texas. Out of curiosity, how many of each variety did you elect to grow for your study (i.e. to confirm that your Gravenstein results aren't a fluke and to provide central tendencies for yields and other quality measures)? Only one thing really bothered me all throughout the video (you mentioned it briefly): Too much bare soil. Best wishes. Thanks for this exciting video! I hope you keep us up to date.

Some people think that chill hours means less than 45 degrees. In reality, less than 55 degrees will do also. If you live next to water, aka a river, the ocean, then your chill hours will be higher than your surrounding areas since water brings in the cold air and frost.

SUPER interesting... so much to wrap our heads around. Without going into detail about low vs. high chill genetics and the coinciding behavior, growth and production blah blah blah... it makes sense.

Been getting rouge bloom on summer planted dorsett golden, fuji, pears, and I've picked off about 50 flowers from a summer planted flavor king pluot which is only about knee high. Must be the stress of the heat this summer.

Most varieties have never been tested, classifying as high chill seems to be the default.

What is the cause of white stems? Thanks for nice apple tree garden 🌱🌱😍😍

Thank you,Sir.And I will be happy if you make a video on this.

Tom Spellman, sorry to change subject from your great view, but can you tell us where you got that great hat???? Thanks!

Sir,I'm a student, studding on Agriculture.I like your videos very much.I have seen one of your video on Apple tree harvest for shipping. It made me curious about a thing.Its 'YOU GROW APPLE TREE WHICH IS GRAFTED BUT HOW YOU GROW THE ROOT STOCK TO GRAFT?'Waiting for the answer SIR.

I live in zone 8b in Louisiana, I would like to try growing the O'Henry peach tree in my area. It is rated at 750 chill hours and we get 400 maybe up to 600 chill hours. Is it possible it would fruit? I planted one about three years ago and it fruited with about 60 peaches the first spring, but I sprayed it with liquid 7 and all the fruit fell off. I was told the fruit fell off because of spraying them with the liquid 7. Could the fruit have fallen off because we didn't get enough chill hours? After watching this video with high chill apples, I would like to try planting another O'Henry peach. What is your suggestion on that? I watch many of your videos in your orchard and your fruit trees are beautiful. What is the name of the fertilizer you use? You mentioned in one video that you use tree and vine fertilizer, but I can't seem to find it nor a low Nitrogen and high Potassium, Potash blend. Where to purchase the tree and vine fertilizer or what fertilizer do you recommend?

My low chill apples don't go fully dormant. I ignore it and there is no problem. I still get good crops and have minimal disease problems.

l love this video. when are you making the follow up video on these apple trees?

I planted a Zaiger Ghost 👻 apple recently.

How did you prune these trees to get them to form that shape in the end? I'd like to replicate that shape for the apple trees I planted this fall. Can other fruit trees be pruned into that shape as well? Great video!

What are the most popular apple varieties grown in the USA?

hi tom, have you visited paul gautschi's orchard yet in washington?

😂😂 nothing worse than hearing people chew.

7:15 notice the apple dropping to the ground.

Can you provide a link to those sprinkler emitters? Great video as always.

During the hottest part of the summer . . . how many gallons of water are you putting on your trees per week?

what brand of mini emitter sprinklers are you using? The ones they sell at LOWES throw way too far from the tree. thanks!

I know this is an Old video, but I heard you were irrigating with reclaimed water. Is that safe for Edible crops?

What about cherry is it possible to grow it in zone 11 i have 700 of chill hours cherry is the project just for apple

Chill hours, ok I get it. What about heat. I life in the Mesa AZ area. That's my main concern out here with 115 heat very common in the summer months.

MacIntosh Was it included? How did it do? I am in Zone 8b in North Central Florida. Gee I sure wish I could grow my favorite apple. Thank you for this experiment and for sharing your knowledge

My question would be What does it produce yearly over ten years. Lucky this year but not next kinda thing. Its hard watching anything from CA.

Sir, apart from Anna Golden Dorsett and tropic sweet are there any lowest chill hours varieties which are red in colour which are more popular and demanding in market. Also I would whole heatedfully solicit your views on how they stand before their cousins in temperate regions Welcome and heartiest regards Sir.

Should delve into Dragon fruit. Harvest 3-4 times a year in SoCal. Check it out...

Now we know the high chill apples with 900Hrs or so can fruit in So Cal, have you done similar experiment with peaches/nectarines? Very curious. Probably trees just need a little extra time to adjust and adapt to different climates.

Now two years later how is it doing?

I was wondering about that report, could you please link it in the description if it has been written?

Were the trees at the beginning pruned with a knee high or lower trunk cut at planting? Looks like they were and then another pruning to outward facing buds? Hard to tell if they are open center or maybe modified central leader

I live in North FL. I have ordered DWN trees from Grow Organic, and all except my Sundowner (which kept being knocked over) are doing well. Supposedly we are in the 400 ~ 600 hour range... But it is mid November and we havent hit the 50's yet... I was wondering how the Honeycrisp did? I didn't hear you mention it, and since I want to get one I was curious how they did.

What is the white painted material on the trees? I planted 5 bare root fruit trees from you and my almond tree is doing well. Just hoping that my peaches,apples and apricot will flourish in Las Vegas. I’ve put lots of wood chips around all off them.

Is Mallings - 111 the same as MM111? and is there a name in the USA for this variety: www.google.it/search?q=roter+mond+apfel&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjSjpCpxMvSAhXCaRQKHVVPCfsQ_AUIBigB&biw=1280&bih=726&dpr=2 Its red in color in the inside and the leaves are red when young. Its originally from Russia and I would like to plant some in the US.

I am in Lake Forest. can I buy a tree for small area?

Is it possible to get a Gravenstein from Dave Wilson in Minnesota? I looked but didn't see if I could order one on the website or not and no retailers here. A Midwest branch of Dave Wilson Nursery would be great. I bought a 3 in 1 blueberry locally here this year, maybe a bit of influence spreading this way.Thanks

Anything can grow in southern california

How has your stock been in terms of the drought/water restrictions?

What is the white substance on all the trunks and what purpose does it serve ?

It's 2018 can you post the link to the report on them? How's the project going now??

Will they grow in the bahamas though?

Have you done the report yet?

Has their been a similar test with cherries?

Can I grow apples in South Texas?

So, Tom. Can we now determine that "chill hours" are useless now?

Have you completed the study?

Does this mean I can grow apple trees in Hawaii and they will give fruit ?

what mean hi chill and low chill?