Best crabapple for pollination in north Texas.

[Ikeman]

I got six 6-gallon Winesap apple trees (that weren’t in the greatest shape) for free last year from a friend at a local landscaping nursery. I re-potted them into 30 gallon RootTrapper bags and kept them well watered and fertilized. I was planning to plant them this winter, as I don’t think they would thrive for a second year in the 30 gallon bags.

I am planning on planting them on the 90° corner of two sides of a half acre food plot. I want to ensure decent pollination, so am looking for a good crabapple variety or two to plant with them.

My area can have VERY hot and dry conditions, and I basically can’t give them any regular care in the summer, so would be interested in something that can hold up well to drought.

What would be some good variety options that the deer would also eat, and where are some good sources to purchase from?

Also, how many crabs should I plan on? What kind of proximity do I need between them for adequate pollination?


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[bigboreblr]

i believe winesap is triploid. IT needs 2 different sources of apple pollen to produce. So expect to get 2 or 3 varieties. Some of those triploid varieties say on orchard site you need to be with-in 30 yards of each other. You could go on the cheap and just get dolgo and antonovka rootstock and see what lives. Dolgo is good between zone 8 and 9 depending on various sites. Antonovka is good up to 8. Both dolgo and antonovka are bloom group 3. Antonovka need about 800 chill hours, dolgo only needs 400. A second variety to consider is black arkansas. It's bloom group 3.

Im sure there's better varieties out there for texas, but pink lady and granny smith might be decent ones.

Also, you can buy the rootstocks, let them grow a year or two or three. Then, graft or topwork them into what you would like.

The important part with your tough climate will be getting the right rootstock down. Dolgo and antonovka are good large tough roots. M111 is touted as one of the best drought resistant roostocks. IF you have clay soil, I'd try M111. Sandy soil give antonovka a try. Either case put a dolgo or two down. Although not the best orchard to get from, Willis is in Georgia and has a pretty good variety of rootstocks. They may have a few grafted trees that will fit the bill too. Got my dolgo seedlings and a granny smith from them.

https://aggie-hort.tamu.edu/extension/homefruit/apple/apple.html

If you want to try grafting this site has a scion material exchange on here. Also, turkey creek nursery has arkansas black, dolgo, pink lady, and granny smith. He sells good trees and has choices in rootstock too. Yates, Kinnard's choice, and keener might be varieties to look into, whch I believe he sells. Whatever you get, I think fireblight resistance will be really important. Usually its hot n humid to make fireblight get bad.

Plenty of extra mulch and partial shading the tree for the 1st year will help you out. planting them at the end of the summer will let them grow roots before things get dry again next year. Far as shading goes, trim brush / trees around site after the 1st year. Even planting under a tree, clearance a branch or two to get some light, then cut the tree down next year. You can put some burlap over the top of the tree cage to shade too. Mulch is a loose term. Woodchips, old haybales, lining up cut brnaches to cover the soil. Anything like that helps. Knowing a local arborist, tree service, or power company lineman can be real helpful too. even sawdust can be used too. Pine thatch as well.

 

[TreeDaddy]

Dolgo

I am in van zandt co. with summers hotter and drier than Kuwait and mine do well with good production

bill

 

[Ikeman]

Awesome! Dolgo it is for sure, and possible golden delicious to match the bloom time and assist the triploid nature of the Winesap.

Thank you both for the recommendations.


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[bigboreblr]

century orchards might have some stuff too. yates can be an option too. Not sure If I mentioned it. A crabapple and another apple or two you should be ok. Dolgo, 2 winesaps, then another apple, and so on.

Golden dorset and Anna are low chill hour apple trees. Transcendent crabapple is another choice too. Get a 100ft section of 1/4" mesh 4ft tall fencing. Cut them in 2-3ft sections. Plant a bunch of dolgo and trascendent seedlings. Plant as few in the shade. Cheap way to get 25 trees going. If half survive, your doing rel good for the buck. Pretty much what I cage at camp. They survive the 1st year, put better cages or hammer branches into the ground so its hard for the deer to eat the lower branches. Next year, use the dead tree cages for a few more.