Apples in Cornwall

[Taff]

I'm looking to plant apple trees in deepest Cornwall next year, not far from Land's End.

I would prefer a mix of eating, cider, and dessert.

Any and all, advice, tips, types, or warnings would be welcomed.

Feel free to treat me as an idiot, as I am one.

[Green Aura]

There are various considerations but I suppose the first one is - how much land do/will you have? Are you looking at a grafted family tree that will produce 2-3 different varieties on one dwarfing rootstock in your tiny back yard or acres of full-size trees? Pretty much any apple variety will grow well in Cornwall so that doesn't narrow you options much.

How do you like your eaters - sharp or sweet or a bit of both? There are fewer cooking varieties - Bramley would always be my first choice but there are others. I'm sure there are specific cider varieties but I'm sure any windfalls would make a good beverage (can you tell I'm not much of a cider drinker? )

Once you've narrowed down your options a bit then you need to look for varieties that flower at similar times - some need one or two others for pollination and they all have different flowering times.

It's quite a big subject

[Odsox]

cooking varieties - Bramley would always be my first choice

I would have agreed with you until recently, but I personally think that Blenheim Orange has a far superior flavour and for keeping qualities you can't beat Red Boskoop which keeps until May.
But as you say, it's a personal thing and depends a lot on space available and the pollination group unless you are surrounded by orchards.

[Green Aura]

I don't think I've ever seen or tasted Blenheim Orange.

[diggernotdreamer]

I bought some fruit trees and I took a bit of a punt on them got them on MM106, I have one called Scotch Bridget which I am really taken with, a good cooking apple, keeps very well into March and mellows into a nice eating apple,, Discover is a great little early eating apple and I have another called Charles Ross which fruited this year and was a very pleasant surprise. I got all mine from Walcot Organic Nursery and they were very helpful

[Taff]

Thanks all. Plans are very vague at present, until I'm back I cannot really give any detail.

Looking at 4-5 trees, probs.