Apple Trees near Duluth (Carlton)

[Freeborn]

I found this place on Craig's list in Carlton with $25 apple trees. Their Crabs are on standard rootstock and their apple trees are on M7.

I thought their price was good. The crabs they have are typical varieties but I might try them.


http://theappletreeguy.com/

 

[sandbur]

I don't know their prices, but I was looking at Beier's website from Grand Rapids for hardiness suggestions.

 

[biglakeba$$]

After chatting with Freeborn a couple weekends ago...... I need to focus efforts for apple trees in better hardiness areas.
I have lost the battles trying to buy apple trees down here around the NW metro, and after learning more about some of the trees that the big box stores sell,,,,,, I am doomed from the start.
I lost 3 more again this winter. Over the last several years, I have replanted I dont know how many times. There are 5 trees that I think are solid and will survive, but its so frustrating with all the time and money wasted trying over and over.....

 

[wooduck]

Lots of excellent northern nurseries that propagate their own trees and stand behind them , Im not sure they propagate any of the trees they sell , more of a reseller similar to the box stores , order late summer early fall from some nurseries that graft their own with northern rootstock and your success will soar . m7 is not knowen for extreme hardiness lots of good contacts in old posts here on northern nurseries

 

[wklman]

I'd be careful of m7 Jerry. The ones I have are iffy at best. It may be my heavy soil but they're taking their sweet time coming along and are dieing back some after these last few winters.

 

[Freeborn]

Agree on the m7. I'm looking for varieties of crabs. I'll be looking for some deals this summer for crab varieties I don't have once the apple tree planting season ends. I'm OK with standard rootstock as I have been planting most of my trees on b118 and am OK with the slow growth.

 

[foggy]

Kinda thinking I should buy some of those wires that are used to hang Christmas tree ornaments. Then I could buy a bushel of apples each fall and hang them from my pine trees. Might be money better spent than trying to grow apples here. ;) o_O

I got about 20 apple trees that are green, fenced and growing for the past 7 years or so. I wish I knew or remembered the rootstocks and varieties. Total lack of knowledge going into the apple tree gig. I wish I had read some of the stuff here first. Lots of fencing expense, time, energy....given my results thus far. Hopefully I will see an apple this year?

Apple trees have allot of enemies: Cold, Dry, Wet, voles, mice, moles, deer, bears, insects, sun scald, disease, and calamities that have yet to be told. Always wonder why folks are so fascinated with apples? Fun to read about tho. ;) (Good Luck Freeborn! Maybe you and I and Art should visit the orchard operation at Jenkins one day? )

 

[sandbur]

^^^if your trees are alive and growing after 7 years up there...you did something right foggy ;) If they are on antonovka rootstock and you get apples in year 7 you are doing just fine. One thing I've found with fruit trees is to look around the area you want to grow them...if there are wild examples growing and fruiting there then domestic trees of the right variety and rootstock should also grow and fruit. If there aren't any wild trees in the area...then the endeavor is riskier.

I have not found a wild apple tree north of Brainerd.

 

[sandbur]

Agree on the m7. I'm looking for varieties of crabs. I'll be looking for some deals this summer for crab varieties I don't have once the apple tree planting season ends. I'm OK with standard rootstock as I have been planting most of my trees on b118 and am OK with the slow growth.

Jerry- Quite a few years ago,. I called Bergeson Nursery in Fertile,Mn and talked to an elderly Mr. Bergeson. He was an interesting fellow to visit with and he told me that Trail was an old crab variety that was completely hardy. He even thought he had a few trees growing somewhere.(He also mentioned that his sister used to run Lee nursery before it closed. I purchased 10 chestnut crabs from Lee nursery many years ago. )

It might be worthwhile to contact Bergeson Nursery and see if he is around. My last few calls to them have resulted in talking to younger people and probably the next generation.
I might have some Trailman scion for you in a few years.
Mr. Bergeson said Trail, not Trailman.

IO hope to have plenty of hardy crab scion in a few years. Hopefully no hard frosts the next 2 nights!

 

[sandbur]

I've seen apple/crabapple trees all along the I35 corridor from Hinckley to Duluth, but I have no idea whether they're wild or remnants from old farmsteads.

I think the climate is better to the east and tot he west as compared to the area north of Brainerd. The lake probably keeps the area you describe a bit warmer.

There is an old note on GRIN that the furthest north the Iowa prairie crab was found was by Nevis, Mn. It was a 4 foot tall bush that was bearing some apples.

 

[sandbur]

Could be Art...if you look at the 1990 zone map for MN, Walker, Grand Rapids and Deer Lake are 3b (as your and my area were at that time) while Brainerd/Nisswa/Cross Lake is 3a
http://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-minnesota-usda-plant-zone-hardiness-map.php

The old fruit bulletin from U of Mn. had that same swirl around Leech Lake, but the area was a bit smaller. Even leech lake must keep things warmer a bit, OR the swirl reflects lighter soils which might cool more in the winter and get hotter/drier in the summer.???

Either way, as we discussed, the light soils and summer drought might drastically reduce survival of fruit trees when coupled with cold winters.

 

[sandbur]

http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/fruit/apples-and-pears-in-minnesota-home-gardens/

The south edge does not extend quite as far as the map you had. When I think of the lighter potato grounds, it seems to follow that loop in the zones.

Jerry-where do you fit in with these maps?

 

[sandbur]

http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/fruit/apples-and-pears-in-minnesota-home-gardens/

The south edge does not extend quite as far as the map you had. When I think of the lighter potato grounds, it seems to follow that loop in the zones.

Jerry-where do you fit in with these maps?

Pears do not look real good in zone 3B, either.

 

[West Branch]

That old map is interesting. My dad always said he noticed that some years the tree leaves and even the small farms up in the area of Grand Rapids to Hibbing would be ahead of our area by 5-6 days and they are 55-65 miles north. It did not happen every year, but it happened enough to be noticeable.

We are close to the middle of these two areas that have data for freezing/frost free dates. They are 25 miles apart but vary by 5-10 days on some of the freezing temps and the freeze free period varies by up to 22 days.

1 mile SE Moose Lake MN:
http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/natural_resources/climate/normals/freeze_dates/USC00215598.pdf

4 miles NW Wright MN:
http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/natural_resources/climate/normals/freeze_dates/USC00219173.pdf


It looks like Grand Rapids is 45 miles NW of the Wright MN Data and the 90% probability of 32 degrees for Wright is May 7 and for Grand Rapids it is April 30.

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/natural_resources/climate/normals/freeze_dates/USC00213303.pdf

You find other locations here. It looks like they are all using 1981-2010 data:
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/climate/summaries_and_publications/freeze_date.html

 

[wooduck]

On the subject of the u of m ,, they have bred pears hardy thru zone 3 they are a cross of a standard pear and a Asiatic large and very hardy and no fireblight to date , have seen them at the arboretum and had discussion with the breeder and he said they have not been released to the public yet and are being trialed in several U of M locations thru Minnesota including Grand Rapids and some private orchards under agreement. Along those same lines lots of research being done and some varieties of sweet cherries are close also, these are not pie cherries but bing type sweet cherries and the are being trialed in research locations right now in Minnesota . All these crosses have been done over 15 years ago at the research center across from the arboretum and will be released in the next few years . Maybe?

 

[sandbur]

I hope they release them to the public before I am too old to enjoy them. Woodduck-what apple rootstock for a wildlife tree would you recommend in zone 3?

 

[sandbur]

That old map is interesting. My dad always said he noticed that some years the tree leaves and even the small farms up in the area of Grand Rapids to Hibbing would be ahead of our area by 5-6 days and they are 55-65 miles north. It did not happen every year, but it happened enough to be noticeable.
Could a frozen Lake Superior delay your spring, and not the Range, dependingon spring winds?

I alwys felt Grand Rapids was just about on the edge of the Lake Superior effect. Are you closer to the lake and less hills in between?

 

[wooduck]

I hope they release them to the public before I am too old to enjoy them. Woodduck-what apple rootstock for a wildlife tree would you recommend in zone 3?

There is certainly lots of knowledge for wildlife trees on these sites , Don't think you can beat the b118, m111 for hardiness and height of tree , b118 probably more hardy not sure . Drawbacks are time to fruit , we have put almost everything on m26 and find that it works well here , with water, staking , but it will never survive deer browse would need protection but you guys know that . I would not rule out standard trees and then top work for desired varieties at a later date . maybe secure some standards and plant and baby them along then t bud in august for your desired apple almost all nursery supplied trees are t budded .

Some of the most innovative tree hardiness things being done are out of Canadian research lots easier to grow a tree bred for a colder climate in a southern zone , than a southern tree in a colder zone

 

[West Branch]

Could a frozen Lake Superior delay your spring, and not the Range, depending on spring winds?

I alwys felt Grand Rapids was just about on the edge of the Lake Superior effect. Are you closer to the lake and less hills in between?

Yup, my dad always figured it varied with the winds. We are about 45 miles from the lake as the crow flies, probably 30+ miles closer than Grand Rapids. I would guess with the topography winds are much more likely to get to us.

 

[sandbur]

There is certainly lots of knowledge for wildlife trees on these sites , Don't think you can beat the b118, m111 for hardiness and height of tree , b118 probably more hardy not sure . Drawbacks are time to fruit , we have put almost everything on m26 and find that it works well here , with water, staking , but it will never survive deer browse would need protection but you guys know that . I would not rule out standard trees and then top work for desired varieties at a later date . maybe secure some standards and plant and baby them along then t bud in august for your desired apple almost all nursery supplied trees are t budded .

Some of the most innovative tree hardiness things being done are out of Canadian research lots easier to grow a tree bred for a colder climate in a southern zone , than a southern tree in a colder zone

Thank you for the information.
Have you done much t-budding?

I attempted 5 or 6 last summer with a complete failure.