Apple Trees for Deer

[sandbur]

These are the trees I would recommend for feeding deer from August and well into February. This location is where USDA zone 3 and 4 meet.

We can get into the specific discussions a bit later if needed. The trees are hardy and relatively disease free. I have lots of CAR here.

Chestnut crab would be a great choice for the Wisconsin and Minnesota bow openers.


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[silver_yummies]

And they are the tastiest crab apple ever!

 

[sandbur]

And they are the tastiest crab apple ever!

Not necessarily, unless you are talking about the chestnut crab.


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[silver_yummies]

Yes, chestnut crab. Your pic isn’t loading for me. What variety is the pic of?

 

[sandbur]

I favor applecrabs for deer. Norland is the earliest to ripen and usually drops in mid August or even earlier. It is extremely hardy and just a bit larger than the applecrab (2 inch) definition.

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[sandbur]

Trailman and Centennial apples are about the same size. The Centennial tree tends to be a bit short for a deer tree.

Trailman is a better choice. It has been disease free for years, but in 2020, it had a bit of fireblight.

Chestnut Crab is not ripe in this picture. It usually starts to fall about the first week of September and drops for a 3-4 week period. It will occasionally hold fruit into the winter.


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[sandbur]

Yes, chestnut crab. Your pic isn’t loading for me. What variety is the pic of?

Do you see the list in the original picture?


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[silver_yummies]

Now I see the pic - great list as I have many of them.

Curious, why not Kerr on B118?

 

[sandbur]

Grafted dolgo starts to drop about Labor Day. It is extremely hardy and about 1 inch in size. It has a heavy drip early and can carry apples into the winter.


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[sandbur]

Haralson has been extremely hardy and has shown little disease. It is larger and not an apple crab. Still worthwhile to plant.


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[sandbur]

Here is a picture of Kerr with one of my seedlings. Kerr starts to drop about mid October and has held apples well into the winter for me.

I have had troubles getting Kerr on B118 to a large enough tree for deer purposes. I would suggest trying another rootstock and maybe even stripping all blossoms off for a few years to encourage taller growth.

I stripped the blossoms off of the central leader and tied the leader up as the heavy fruit load was tipping the leader.


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[sandbur]

Here is a picture of Kerr with one of my seedlings. Kerr starts to drop about mid October and has held apples well into the winter for me.

I have had troubles getting Kerr on B118 to a large enough tree for deer purposes. I would suggest trying another rootstock and maybe even stripping all blossoms off for a few years to encourage taller growth.

I stripped the blossoms off of the central leader and tied the leader up as the heavy fruit load was tipping the leader.


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Kerr central leader tied up.


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[sandbur]

Now I see the pic - great list as I have many of them.

Curious, why not Kerr on B118?

I was posting. My Kerr on better soil is taller. I would also think a rootstock that does not encourage fruiting at a young age might result in a taller tree.


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[sandbur]

Big Dog usually starts to drop fruit about October 25 and feeds deer into the winter.


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[sandbur]

The Buckman Crab drops late and also feeds deer throughout the winter.


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[sandbur]

The Buckman Crab drops late and also feeds deer throughout the winter.


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[sandbur]

Golden Hornet has held fruit well into winter. As I was pruning today, March 4, I knocked some fruit off of it.

It appears to be a great winter food source.


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[sandbur]

This list is approximately the same as one I prepared for Ryan at Blue Hill Wildlife nursery.

I am not financially involved with Blue Hill in any way. He provides some of these trees.

Just to be clear, I do not profit from sale of these trees.

I have been working on a shortened list that skips the August drops and Haralson. For some reason, I can’t get the picture to load.


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[sandbur]

Got it!


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[sandbur]

Grafted dolgo starts to drop about Labor Day. It is extremely hardy and about 1 inch in size. It has a heavy drip early and can carry apples into the winter.


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Heavy drop, not drip. Dang spell check.


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