Is it just me OR ----

I am pretty new to this forum and haven't posted much at all. Mostly because I don't have much to contribute. I do check in quite a bit and I do appreciate all the knowledge you guys share.
 
I check in just about every day, but don't post enough. My favorite things to read are the simple reports of guys heading afield. I love to hear what others are doing and when so I stay on track. I've learned a lot. In 2014, my first year grafting, I was 4/25. Last year, maybe 37/43. Huge improvement due to advice from others on the forum. Can't thank you all enough. I will plan to post more frequent updates in 2016 to be a more active contributor.
 
I check in just about every day, but don't post enough. My favorite things to read are the simple reports of guys heading afield. I love to hear what others are doing and when so I stay on track. I've learned a lot. In 2014, my first year grafting, I was 4/25. Last year, maybe 37/43. Huge improvement due to advice from others on the forum. Can't thank you all enough. I will plan to post more frequent updates in 2016 to be a more active contributor.
Great improvement. Take some pics. We all love seeing photos of success and even a pic of something gone wrong!!! We are all still learning
 
Been following this forum for a long time.... Awesome content!

I bought a place 1-1-14 in SE MN, found about 30 mature apple trees buried in the woods/brush, 20 of which were salvageable and have since been released. Many of the most prolific producers are early droppers but a few are real gems! One is a crab that produces 2-3in apples that dribble out of the tree from October 1st thru Thanksgiving. The longer they hang the sweeter the become. The deer flock to this tree over all but 1 on my property.

I found a bi-annual producing crab with 1.5in apples that is still plumb full of fruit.

The #1 tree on the property is a full sized Apple tree that starts dropping apples by the bushel early October and runs dry around Nov 15. The apples are sweet & tangy.

I'm gonna head down this weekend and trim trees. If anybody wants scions let me know. Can't promise any level of expertise but I'm good at taking direction.
 
i havent posted in a while cuz its been a crazy busy year for my new little family. in the past year... got married, welcomed a baby boy to the world, moved, got new jobs... its just starting to settle down... perfect time for getting back to the forum!
 
Been following this forum for a long time.... Awesome content!

I bought a place 1-1-14 in SE MN, found about 30 mature apple trees buried in the woods/brush, 20 of which were salvageable and have since been released. Many of the most prolific producers are early droppers but a few are real gems! One is a crab that produces 2-3in apples that dribble out of the tree from October 1st thru Thanksgiving. The longer they hang the sweeter the become. The deer flock to this tree over all but 1 on my property.

I found a bi-annual producing crab with 1.5in apples that is still plumb full of fruit.

The #1 tree on the property is a full sized Apple tree that starts dropping apples by the bushel early October and runs dry around Nov 15. The apples are sweet & tangy.

I'm gonna head down this weekend and trim trees. If anybody wants scions let me know. Can't promise any level of expertise but I'm good at taking direction.

Hey Coop, Welcome to the forum! Sounds like you have a great set of established fruit trees - any luck with identifying the varieties? What zone are you located in? It would be great to see photo's ;)
 
Been following this forum for a long time.... Awesome content!

I bought a place 1-1-14 in SE MN, found about 30 mature apple trees buried in the woods/brush, 20 of which were salvageable and have since been released. Many of the most prolific producers are early droppers but a few are real gems! One is a crab that produces 2-3in apples that dribble out of the tree from October 1st thru Thanksgiving. The longer they hang the sweeter the become. The deer flock to this tree over all but 1 on my property.

I found a bi-annual producing crab with 1.5in apples that is still plumb full of fruit.

The #1 tree on the property is a full sized Apple tree that starts dropping apples by the bushel early October and runs dry around Nov 15. The apples are sweet & tangy.

I'm gonna head down this weekend and trim trees. If anybody wants scions let me know. Can't promise any level of expertise but I'm good at taking direction.
Awesome find!
 
Hey Coop, Welcome to the forum! Sounds like you have a great set of established fruit trees - any luck with identifying the varieties? What zone are you located in? It would be great to see photo's ;)

I'm in 4b. Don't have any good pics nor do I have any idea what varieties they are. They must have some great genetic disease resistance though. Most of the wild apples on my place struggle with CAR to various degrees. The couple trees I mentioned have been completely unaffected.
 
Coop... we have the same situation. There are about a dozen wild apple trees all over our property, plus the 70 or so young ones I planted that are not bearing much yet. But the deer have one clear favorite.
 
I'm in 4b. Don't have any good pics nor do I have any idea what varieties they are. They must have some great genetic disease resistance though. Most of the wild apples on my place struggle with CAR to various degrees. The couple trees I mentioned have been completely unaffected.
Take some pics of those trees and maybe some of our eagle eyed experts can give you some ideas as to what they might be or at least what kind of parents they might have. I am so dumb I forget to mark my grafts the. When planted I look for the tag to out the permanent tag on and duhhhh I don't see a marker and will have to wait until it bears fruit oh well welcome and keep posting
 
Here is a great article about collecting and storing scionwood.

http://www.seattletreefruitsociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/gregs-scionwood-storage1.pdf

If you have any extra scionwood I wouldn't mind trying a stick or two of your favorite and best trees. Those sound like some cool trees. Snap some pics next time you see them, it's always great to see those trees still holding.

My father is a hardcore birder and he was just telling me tonight how when he finds birds this time of year it is usually on crabapples. They can be magnets, he gets some great photos. He is making a trip up to Vilas county this weekend for some rare birds, of course they will be shooting right downtown because the small towns are littered with ornamental fruit trees and crabapples.
 
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vilas county! up in my neck of the woods. im in rhinelander(oneida co)
 
Coop - Very good find on the wild apple trees !! Opening them to sunlight is the best thing to do. I found that out with 2 old trees at my camp.

Jaximus - Congrats on the marriage and the new little guy !! Always good to get fresh input here. Good to see both of you on here.
 
Here is a great article about collecting and storing scionwood.

http://www.seattletreefruitsociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/gregs-scionwood-storage1.pdf

If you have any extra scionwood I wouldn't mind trying a stick or two of your favorite and best trees. Those sound like some cool trees. Snap some pics next time you see them, it's always great to see those trees still holding.

My father is a hardcore birder and he was just telling me tonight how when he finds birds this time of year it is usually on crabapples. They can be magnets, he gets some great photos. He is making a trip up to Vilas county this weekend for some rare birds, of course they will be shooting right downtown because the small towns are littered with ornamental fruit trees and crabapples.
Hey Matt did you notice my scions I sent you had the ends sealed!! :) Somehow I had that article before and that's where I learned that trick!!!
 
image.jpg Got down to the property today to plow 12" of snow in driveway. Took some time to cut up welded wire. Determined to have it all pre -cut and in the location of each tree before busy planting season arrives. I use 100' rolls of 48" wire cut into six pieces per roll at 16'8".
 
View attachment 8388 Got down to the property today to plow 12" of snow in driveway. Took some time to cut up welded wire. Determined to have it all pre -cut and in the location of each tree before busy planting season arrives. I use 100' rolls of 48" wire cut into six pieces per roll at 16'8".
image.jpg
 
Very nice work. I am cheap I get 7 cages from each 48" X 100' and the last one may be a little short but still good for most whips and if you graft you can always reuse that cage when the whip gets laterals
 
We gotta have at least '60 fence round these parts...snow packs, deer get taller...lol!


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Well I am very glad Aero, Maya, Greyphase and some of the others that responded to this thread are still here!
 
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