Zone 3 trees

[chickenlittle]

A lot of people get hung up on where a nursery is located. It is not important. A cloned variety is the same wherever you buy it. That is why it is cloned, so you know what you are getting. That is true for the rootstock and the scion/cultivar.

For seedlings, it matters what what the seed is, not the zipcode of your retailer. What species or line or strain or provenance? Some seedling lines are hardier but not based on where the seed was planted.

If you buy a grafted apple tree on either cloned or seedling rootstock, the rootstock most likely was grown in Oregon or Washington. And if you buy a Chestnut Crab on that rootstock, it is still the same Chestnut Crab that was released by U of Minn in 1949. You choose a nursery based which one gives you the best quality/value on that Chestnut Crab on the rootstock you want. Not because their Chestnut Crab on Antonovka is tougher than the same tree from a nursery 2 zones farther south.

 

[buckvelvet]

A lot of people get hung up on where a nursery is located. It is not important. A cloned variety is the same wherever you buy it. That is why it is cloned, so you know what you are getting. That is true for the rootstock and the scion/cultivar.

For seedlings, it matters what what the seed is, not the zipcode of your retailer. What species or line or strain or provenance? Some seedling lines are hardier but not based on where the seed was planted.

If you buy a grafted apple tree on either cloned or seedling rootstock, the rootstock most likely was grown in Oregon or Washington. And if you buy a Chestnut Crab on that rootstock, it is still the same Chestnut Crab that was released by U of Minn in 1949. You choose a nursery based which one gives you the best quality/value on that Chestnut Crab on the rootstock you want. Not because his Chestnut Crab on Antonovka is tougher than the same tree from a nursery 2 zones farther south.

I wouldn't think a lot of southern nursery's are worried about having varieties on northern hardy roostocks though. You have to consider that in your decision.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I am in zone 3b, but I havent had any issues with them yet.

Are you planning on eating them yourself, or just for the deer?

For the deer, Dolgo, Chestnut, and Whitney crabs are all decent options. You can also eat them yourself, but they are smaller apples.

Some regular apples that I like are Fireside, Haralson, State Fair.

3b Frostbite, Zestar, Honeycrisp

 

[chickenlittle]

I wouldn't think a lot of southern nursery's are worried about having varieties on northern hardy roostocks though. You have to consider that in your decision.

Like i said, if it is a variety you want on the rootstock you want, you can buy it. Century Farms in North Carolina sells many apple trees i have or would plant here in NY. And plenty of southern growers like antonovka rootstock. If they sell what you want, it doesn't matter where they are located if they can ship you a dormant bareroot when you want to plant it.

I've bought bare root seedlings from Florida. They used a good seed source, dig them dormant, store in the cooler, and shipped to me when i was ready to plant up north.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I started buying from SLN based on reports on this forum a few years back, and on another old forum or 2 years earlier. The reason was they had Antonovka rootstock on their grafted trees. Other nurseries I researched didn't list Ant. as a choice. I liked the idea of a full-sized, cold-hardy tree, so I bought several. After seeing how they grew, I was happy enough to keep buying from them for the Ant. rootstock / full-sized trees, and the varieties they carry. ( If it isn't broken, why fix it ?? ) I never knew other nurseries had any Antonovka rooted trees to sell. SLN was the only one I could find. I have to say - I'm VERY HAPPY with their trees !!!

We also have trees from Cummins and ACN and we're very happy with those as well. MM-111 and B-118 roots on those.

Chickenlittle - I never knew any southern nurseries had Ant. rooted trees. When I started shopping for trees, I just looked at nurseries from northern states - not knowing trees from southern nurseries would grow just as well up north. I just figured cold nursery = good cold area trees. Still learning !!!

 

[sandbur]

Bergeson Nursery.. Top Ten Apple Trees for the North.
Goodland, chestnut, zestar, haralson, prairie magic, wodarz, breakey, centennial, frostbite, and honey crisp with a note that it is not reliably hardy for zone 3.


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[4wanderingeyes]

I lost my Woodarz, and Zestar! To freeze a couple years ago.

 

[sandbur]

I lost my Woodarz, and Zestar! To freeze a couple years ago.

How cold did you get?

-34 for me this winter and I will see how my Zestar does.


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[archer100]

Wow thank you all for the info. Have a lot to take in here and will check into all the trees that have been recommended. Appreciate it.

First year of managing some new property so Definantly a learning experience and will learn a lot from this forum


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[4wanderingeyes]

How cold did you get?

-34 for me this winter and I will see how my Zestar does.


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It was 2 winters ago, I dont remember what the coldest temps were. It is in NW Wisconsin, pretty much same temps as central MN gets.