A superb RHS AGM variety that makes a fantastic cooking apple and a delicious dessert apple too! Harvest the fruits in early September for refreshingly sharp apples that hold their shape well during cooking. A few weeks later fruits mature, taking on a sweet flavour and soft texture that makes the perfect dessert fruit. This versatile variety is also renowned for its juicy flesh which ideal for juicing. This variety is partially self-fertile. For the heaviest crops it is best grown with another variety. If you only have room for one three then make sure that a neighbour has a tree close by that can act as a suitable pollinator. Plant apple trees in any well drained soil in a sheltered sunny position. Prior to planting, incorporate plenty of well-rotted manure or garden compost into the planting hole and drive the stake into the ground to support the tree. Staking after planting may result in damage to the root ball. Plant fruit trees at their original soil level and firm them into the ground. Fasten the tree to the stake using a tree tie, and water well. Fruit trees do not suffer weed competition well. Keep weeds and grass clear from within a 30cm radius of the base of the tree. In spring, while the ground is moist, apply a mulch of well-rotted manure or garden compost around the base of the tree, taking care not to mount it up against the stem. This will help to retain moisture throughout the summer. Feed and water apple trees during particularly dry periods. Pruning apple trees begins immediately after planting. Remove the central stem to just above the highest side branch. For the following 3 years, prune only the tips of the remaining main branches by one third in winter. Aim for about six main branches which will form the frame of your tree, with fruiting sub branches growing off of them. From the fourth year, some sub branches can be pruned out at the union where they join the main branch, to allow new sub branches to take their place.