2014 Grafting Adventures of CrazyED

[CrazyEd]

I like where your heads at CE. You think Dipper would look to get a refund from the gly company on the account of the applicators stupidity?

As far as i'm concerned, there will never be 100% success with this stuff, there are margins for error. Certainly nothing worth getting all worked up about. If you buy a lb of clover seed, some seeds wont germinate. I'm not going to try and throw the book at the guy who sold it to me. Negative attitudes and being angry at the world wont get you very far.

 

[buckvelvet]

Exactly, i screw up all the time. Little triumphs are welcome in a world of chaos.

 

[buckvelvet]

Failures/mistakes are simply learning opportunities

 

[sandbur]

Failures/mistakes are simply learning opportunities

I am about due to be the smartest guy in our county if that was true!

 

[CrazyEd]

My nursery is going gang busters. Great soil, plenty of moisture, pretty good temps = great results Should have some beautiful trees to plant in spring. While my trees are spaced closer than i'd like, that doesnt seem to really be impacting them from what I can tell. Everything is putting on tons of growth. I've sprayed them with Sevin 3 times now to keep the bugs off them, that seems to be working wonders. If I don't spray I see leaves getting eaten up by Jap beetles and other things. When I do spray everything looks great. It's fun to look at the tags on them and see whats what. It's hard to keep track of all the different varieties I have but there are a lot of them. Can't wait to get them moved to the farm where they can really take off.

 

[greyphase]

WOW Matt. I'm all shades of green with envy.:) That's one great looking bunch of trees. My grafts are struggling this year and I can't figure out why:mad:.

 

[buckvelvet]

Looks fantastic man, you should be pretty proud of yourself from how far you've some since that AT thread.

 

[Turkey Creek]

That is some solid looking growth!

 

[CrazyEd]

Thanks guys! Been a good year. I'd say for the trees I grafted this year I maybe had about 60% success. More failures than i'd like but in most cases the rootstock is still growing so whatever didnt take the first time will hopefully take with a tbud in about 2 weeks.

The only thing thats really been a thorn in my side is i've had a few trees that were slow to wake up or for whatever reason some of my smallest trees have been victim to the #$#@!%# tree rats. They get in my nursery and for the really short trees they will nip off the top. They wont even eat the whole damn part they bit off, they just nip the top off and it lays on the ground. Luckily most of the trees are tall enough it's not an issue any more but the damn tree rats drive me nuts.

 

[buckvelvet]

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Great batch of trees you have growing there Ed !! Lots of apples in the future. Good luck with your furry friends !!:eek:

 

[sandbur]

Looks great, Matt.

How many trees can you plant in their final location in the spring and take care of?

I did 25 or so this year and it is a struggle. I'm glad I have not had to haul too much water. About 7 are on good soil and in a location whee I am pretty much ignoring them and hoping all goes well.
I'm going for 12 or 13 next year.

 

[CrazyEd]

The most we have done at once is about 25. However we also planted 1000 Itasca conifer plugs the same day. My goal will probably be around 40. I think it's manageable if we have a group of 4-5 people helping it shouldn't be too bad.

 

[sandbur]

The most we have done at once is about 25. However we also planted 1000 Itasca conifer plugs the same day. My goal will probably be around 40. I think it's manageable if we have a group of 4-5 people helping it shouldn't be too bad.

My group is one!

What varieties are on next year's list, Matt?

 

[CrazyEd]

What varieties are on next year's list, Matt?

Grafting, planting or both?

From a planting perspective, size will probably dictate that the most. Largest trees will go, smallest will stay behind and continue to nurse. I haven't really taken a close look at everything out there to put together any kind of list. I do know I have a bunch of Zestar!, Florina Querina and Galarina that have really good size to them that are for sure the most likely candidates. Those were grafted in 2014. Beyond those I just have to take an inventory in fall.

As for grafting next year, not sure yet.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

My 2014 grafts are doing great in the ground in final spots and about 35 of my 2015 grafts as well I still have 12 grafted trees to plant before winter as it looks like all are healthy enough to go in the ground. Most are on P18 roots and doing very well in roottrappers and were grafted last. The roots were compliments of chickelittle

 

[NY_Terrence]

I have 8 planted in root trappers this year and would like to plant in the spring. Any advice on how to store them over the winter?

 

[NY_Terrence]

Ok that's what I thought. Thanks for the quick answer.

 

[CrazyEd]

Apple Porn / Farm Tour over here.

http://habitat-talk.com/index.php?threads/the-adventures-of-crazyed-the-beach-sand-guy.369/page-11

 

[CrazyEd]

Just ordered 600 bags of composted manure and 400 bags of pea gravel for my next rounds of planting. You guys with good soil don't ever take it for granted. 55 pounds of watersorb too.

I'm all in!