Apple tree dormancy times (forum)

Scope starts with ...
Is it normal for Sundowner, granny smith and gala to break dormancy so late? My ones have still yet to break dormancy (Sydney location).

I also have Anna and Tropic Sweet and understand that they break dormancy earlier but these two broke dormancy long time ago and are already fruiting.


Time: 3rd October 2013 12:37am

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Jason says...
My understanding is that they break dormancy as soon as the chill hours for that particular apple have been met. That's why Ana is so early in traditional apple growing climates. Granny Smith has started flowering here now but most other varieties haven't still moved. Of course I have millions more chill hours here in southern vic than Sydney

Time: 3rd October 2013 1:11am

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Original Post was last edited: 3rd October 2013 1:14am

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Scope says...
Thanks for your input!

Time: 5th October 2013 2:07am

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MJ says...
My pinkabelle, dwarf granny and dwarf sundowner haven't put out leaf or flower yet. I've scraped a bit of the "skin" and they're green inside so hopefully. My Anna and Golden Dorset have fruit on them already, but the Golden Dorset has put out a few new flowers.

Mine are spending their first season in pots before I commit to their final position. I've been slightly concerned about them not getting enough sun, but now I'm slightly concerned about them not getting enough chill! We did have a mild winter, though.

MJ

Time: 5th October 2013 9:36pm

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MJ says...
And Sundowner is meant to be low chill too, though perhaps not as low chill as the two that are fruiting now. Am in Perth, a few kms from the coast.

Time: 5th October 2013 9:37pm

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Inahdi says...
All but two of mine failed to fully lose their leaves at all over winter. The Anna and Dorset both have lots of flowers and fruitlets, and several others have started new growth. It's been a very underwhelming winter in Perth.

Time: 7th October 2013 11:13am

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MJ says...
I thought the first month of spring was more wintry than winter was! Warmer now, though.


Time: 7th October 2013 5:39pm

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Brain says...
I've read another source that sundowner is high to very high chill, around 800-1000 from memory.

anyway, my sundowner flowered at the same time with pink lady and anna.



Time: 8th October 2013 10:59am

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Scope says...
I've read about Sundowner normally being a higher chill apple too but have heard from people having success with Sundowner in low chill environments.

My Granny Smith (Sydney) has a tiny bit of green showing on the bud.

Time: 9th October 2013 11:44pm

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MJ says...
The label on the Sundowner says low chill, but I guess time will tell. It has a flower starting to open.

Pink lady/pinkabelle is still thinking about it; granny still has the few leaves and no other movement.

Time: 10th October 2013 12:48am

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Brain says...
hey peeps, my pink lady apple has one single fruit the size of a malteser. Obviously it's early days but am chuffed that pink lady (mid chill) actually flowered and fruited in Brisbane!

on more apple chill notes, Fuji starting to flower, Royal Gala is starting to form flower buds. Only Red delicious hasn't flowered but I beleive it's because it's young wood.

The improbable dream continues!



Time: 14th October 2013 12:26pm

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starling says...
Brain is it a trixie variety or the standard pink lady?

Time: 14th October 2013 12:32pm

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starling says...
Brain is it a trixie variety or the standard pink lady?

Time: 14th October 2013 12:32pm

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Brain says...
It's a standard but on dwarf rootstock - from Daley. I thought about buying the trixie but it wasn't available at the time. Those Flemming sourced trees are hard to get hold of. Though they do multiple grafts so it may not be a bad thing.

Time: 14th October 2013 2:00pm

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Inahdi says...
Still just the Anna and Dorset flowering / fruiting out my way. For anyone interested, I have had these non low chill varieties set fruit (but not mature, I removed it) after a Perth "winter" last year: Devonshire Quarrenden, Egremont Russet, Freyberg, Lord Lambourne, Summer Strawberry and Vista Bela.

Time: 15th October 2013 11:14am

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Jason says...
One of my apples hasn't flowered this year, only a handful of flowers, oddly. The rest are flowering as of this week.

Time: 15th October 2013 6:16pm

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Brain says...
methinks because of the warmer winter and lack of chill hours, the apples (and other stone fruits) is flowering all over the place. The difference between an early season and a late season apple might be just be a mere week or two. Anyway, it helps with the polination to have a few varieties opening up at the same time.

Time: 16th October 2013 4:57pm

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Scope says...
My sundowner and gala (in Sydney) has yet to break dormancy :( My granny smith has broken dormancy. It has flowers but not many leaves for some reason.

Time: 26th October 2013 9:40pm

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Original Post was last edited: 26th October 2013 9:41pm
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MJ says...
My Sundowner is starting a few flowers. Granny and Pinkabelle are still thinking about it. :) They kind of look like they're budding, if you kwim, but nothing yet. The Anna is flowering again, despite carrying fruit.


Time: 27th October 2013 1:37am

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Chris says...
My Braeburn has flowered and set fruit (relatively low chill and one of the few that is truly self-fertile).
My other heritage variety tree has some sporadic leaves, but is showing all the signs of lack of chill. Zero flowers.

Time: 27th October 2013 10:50am

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Original Post was last edited: 27th October 2013 11:35am

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Brain says...
My red delicious also has flowered. So all my apples has now flowered in Brisbane. Some are even doing a 2nd set of flowering but so far only pink lady has fruit.

Time: 28th October 2013 1:51pm

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Anonymous says...
My pinkabelle and dwarf granny are starting to flower in the last few days. The sundowner still has a few flowers on it. That's all of them now.

Time: 14th November 2013 7:40pm

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sandy31 says...
My Dwarf Gala, standard gala, fuji, dwarf pinklady all have broken dormancy, But Pinkabella and Dwarf Grany smith have not?
Any idea why ? Do they break very late dormancy ?
I live in Western sydney ( Quakers Hill) and get approx 500 chill hrs.
Thanks


Time: 4th September 2014 2:25pm

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BenW says...
Apples varieties can vary by a month or so. I have a cider apple that I used to assume was dead every year :)

Excessive delay, or deviating from what is normal for that variety can be a sign of collar rot. Worry if it has a redish edge to the new leaves. Otherwise, all good.

Time: 6th September 2014 10:19pm

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