This post will discuss my attempts at pollination for apple breeding. I was recently inspired to attempt this by Skillcult. He’s a guy in California whose website I stumbled upon while researching red fleshed apples. Skillcult is working to breed better apples of several varieties (including red fleshed, savory, russet, and intensely flavored). Given our climates are quite different (I’m in Iowa), I thought it might be fun to jump on the bandwagon and try to breed a better apple or two for those of us in more northern climates.
Why Breed Apple Trees
Grocery store apples are boring. They are bred to survive storage and transportation and to have a certain aesthetic. After tasting dozens of apple varieties at Seed Saver’s Exchange this past year, I have learned of the vast flavor possibilities that apples possess. I have grafted several heirloom varieties for my orchard and am excited for these. However, I believe there is plenty of room for improvement in apple flavor and variety, at least for small growers.
Many online sources, including my own state extension website, suggest that apples grown from seed will be disappointing and inferior to the parent apple. However, Skillcult claims that when both apple parents are good, around 50% of his seedling apples have been decent or better. He notes that most apple breeding is done for commercial growers, for whom flavor is likely secondary to storage capabilities. Thus, he encourages backyard breeders to create new apple varieties based on flavor and other characteristics important to them.
Sourcing Pollen
If you have several apple trees in your yard, or know people nearby with apple trees, you can source pollen from flowers during bloom. There’s no use reinventing content here, so check out Skillcult’s page and video on sourcing pollen in this way.
Rather than have only crosses from my (currently limited) own trees in bloom, I wanted to branch out (no pun intended). I sourced my pollen from Skillcult’s website. Each spring, he sells the pollen from his own trees (both heirloom and modern). Additionally, he has several experimental varieties from his own breeding. Note: his pollen is only available for a short time in the spring. He posts pollen as he collects it, so it’s kind of a mad dash to try to buy the varieties you want. I found myself compulsively refreshing his site multiple times per day. My behavior was rewarded with the opportunity to purchase the three pollen varieties I most wanted (cherry crush, pinker lady, and jellybean cider). I also managed to win an envelope of past year’s pollen to try for experimental purposes.
Pollination on Grumpy Pants Acreage
Prior to bloom, I placed mesh bags over several branches with flower buds. Each day I checked to see if any blooms were open. The first morning I noticed some open flowers, the sky was overcast. It was incredibly windy and we were under a tornado watch. I probably should have waited a day, but I wanted to make sure I did not miss my bagged blooms. I cannot say whether or not this attempt worked or if all the pollen on my applicators blew away. I will continue to try throughout bloom season and have marked any attempted pollinations with flagging tape.
Does old pollen work?
As noted above, I managed to snag a free envelope of last year’s (and older) pollen from Skillcult. I’ll be attempting to pollinate with it and will update whether or not any of these flowers produce any fruit.
Have you attempted pollinating apples to breed new varieties? I’d love to hear about your experiences!
