Michelin Apple Trees

Malus domestica Michelin

Although classed as medium bitter-sweet, the small, green apples actually taste surprisingly sweet but still possess the astringency of an apple with lots of tannin. Its juice is aromatic, dark and very plentiful because the apples are incredibly juicy.

It bears lots of fruit on upright branches, meaning that you will always have room to squeeze in a Michelin. Even better, the fruit drop when ripe so no ladders or harvesting paraphernalia is required; remember that the sooner you juice the apples once picked, the better.

Browse our range of apple trees or the full variety of fruit trees.

Growing Michelin

You would not want to make a cider purely from Michelin, but it is a great apple to put into the mix. Bearing in mind the traditional ratio of a third each of sweet, bittersweet and sharp cider apples to make a cider, you can now have some fun choosing which sweet and sharp apple trees to combine with Michelin. We can recommend Frederick as a suitable sharp apple because it is in the same pollinating group and crops at the same time as Michelin. For the same reasons, another bitter sweet, Sweet Alford would be good.

Features

• Height: bushes to 3m. Half standards to 4.5m
• Use: Cider. Very juicy medium bittersweet.
• Pruning: Spur bearer
• Pollination: Partially self fertile
• Picking: October-November
• Apple colour: Green
• Pollination Group D

Have a look at our quick guide if you are new to brewing cider at home.

Did You Know?

The Michelin apple was around in France in the late 1700s, and was introduced into England in 1872. It and became popular for its ability to produce buckets of juice that could be used to bulk out some of the less prolific croppers like Kingston Black.

Clear and weed a circle at least 1m in diameter (and keep it weeded after planting your Michelin).

Make a square hole that is comfortably wider than the treebs roots but only 5 cm deeper. The hole should be at least 30cms from any wall.

Bang in a tree stake off centre and to the south west if the tree is free standing.

Soak the roots in water for at least an hour.

Mound a little soil in the bottom of the hole and settle the tree roots on it until the soil mark on the trunk is at the same level as the surrounding soil and/or the grafting scion is at least 5cms above soil level. Remove the tree, sprinkle Rootgrow in the hole, wet the roots again to ensure good contact with the Rootgrow and return to the hole.

Backfill slowly, treading down gently as you go. Use a tree tie to attach your tree to the stake if freestanding.

Fit a treeguard. Water in with about 2 gallons/9 litres of water. Mulch the whole area. Water again the next day and then weekly afterwards through the first summer.