Sweet Sixteen

Sweet Sixteen is in my top ten. The most important feature of this apple is the fact that it wins in any and all kid's taste tests here at the farm. That means apples over crap snacks for children when mom's not around. If you ripen it well, there will be no mistaking the cherry candy flavor. The fruit can be very large, attractive, and good for all purposes. Excellent in sweet cider. Very cold hardy. They do suffer from bitterpit if the calcium is low, particularly in the early setting years. Foliar sprays is the way to go for this one. The growth pattern is also problematic, as in reaching straight for the heavens. Limb spreading is crucial, or you will be hacking at it forever. A big and vigorous grower here. The fruit keeps fairly well. An added bonus is it blooms later, so in theory is more frost resistant. Despite what is printing out there, it is actually a bit tardy to bear...but well worth it.

Walden Heights Nursery & Orchard
Zone 3 in Vermont

Sweet 16 is one of my favorite all time apples for all the reasons Todd outlined above. However, this year a gorgeous crop is dropping to the ground too early. After a wet and rainy summer we have had a few weeks of above average temperatures here, and in the last few days close to half the fruit has hit the ground. The flavor is not yet developed and they still have a starchy texture, so I don't know if they will ripen well off the tree or not. A heartbreaker though, as I've been proudly eyeing this tree all season.