Bluehill 2025

[Teeder]

Not sure about zone 3, but TP's one of the better growing varieties I have, along with Yates. No apples yet. Pretty sure Im going into year 4 for my first BH trees.
October Crab and Goldrush produced last year.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Seedling rootstocks with various varieties grafted to them are slower to produce than some of the genetically-engineered rootstocks, generally speaking. It also depends on the variety of apple or crab. Some are more precocious than others. We have a number of varieties on Antonovka, but some varieties grew faster & produced much earlier than others - even though the rootstocks are the same.

 

[bigboreblr]

Not sure about zone 3, but TP's one of the better growing varieties I have, along with Yates. No apples yet. Pretty sure Im going into year 4 for my first BH trees.
October Crab and Goldrush produced last year.

Turning point was founded maybe 25 miles from my camp. Guy on here nicknamed Chainsaw was the person who found it.

Wanted to try a variety of rootstocks at camp. Antonovka I got most of them on. Have some siberian, a b118 or two, and few dolgo seedlings, but no grafted on dolgo. Debating graftng some 30-06 to the dolgo seedlings I got last week in grow pots. Using 30-06 and franklin cider as test subjects for different rootstocks. known varieties and have them at home too. Liberty is one I use at home to compare rootstocks M7, B118, M111, and this year G890..

Wish bluehill had hewe's crab, supposedly its good down to zone 3. I also wanted to try hewe's seedlings as rootstock. IT was a prefered roostock source during the 1700's and 1800's here on the east coast. Hard cider was like bottled water back then.


We all have a need for a few basic September apples to feed the herd. Those seedlings would be fine for that. I planted 2 or 3 antonovka seedlings for that purpose. Also gave away 1 or 2 to friend's backyards too. Im sure bluehills wild crab and dolgo seedlings would be great for that. Nice to have a surprise tree or two.

 

[Teeder]

All the grafts that I've done have been on dolgo. Planted the rootstock one year and grafted to them the next. Most of those have caught up to the grafted trees from the year before.

 

[Derek Reese 29]

Turning point was founded maybe 25 miles from my camp. Guy on here nicknamed Chainsaw was the person who found it.

Wanted to try a variety of rootstocks at camp. Antonovka I got most of them on. Have some siberian, a b118 or two, and few dolgo seedlings, but no grafted on dolgo. Debating graftng some 30-06 to the dolgo seedlings I got last week in grow pots. Using 30-06 and franklin cider as test subjects for different rootstocks. known varieties and have them at home too. Liberty is one I use at home to compare rootstocks M7, B118, M111, and this year G890..

Wish bluehill had hewe's crab, supposedly its good down to zone 3. I also wanted to try hewe's seedlings as rootstock. IT was a prefered roostock source during the 1700's and 1800's here on the east coast. Hard cider was like bottled water back then.


We all have a need for a few basic September apples to feed the herd. Those seedlings would be fine for that. I planted 2 or 3 antonovka seedlings for that purpose. Also gave away 1 or 2 to friend's backyards too. Im sure bluehills wild crab and dolgo seedlings would be great for that. Nice to have a surprise tree or two.

one thing about Hewes is its a pretty early popper..one of the earliest to break leaves out for me here in Northern PA...love the fruit and the growth it shows though..got one from Whitetail crabs and one from Adams county maybe?

 

[Charles Clear]

Mine are about 5/8" and turned to mush by November, holding tight until I knocked them off. Im grafting all mine over, including one I bought last year.

I was considering grafting mine over as well. Great growing tree and I am sure they will get eaten, but not what I was looking for.

 

[Teeder]

Exactly. Im not complaining, just not what I want these trees to do. Plus, my apple focus has shifted to a late November-early December drop since I bought these.

 

[Diesel5610]

How quick did blue hill sell out of dolgo rootstock?

You guys would plant turning point again? Any other varieties good for zone 3.

I don''t think he has had any dolgo rootstock for sale for a few years. Still listed on his site but I am signed up to be notified if back in stock and have not been notified in 3 years. I always check when his new stock hits his site and have not seen any dolgo in stock. Shame because it was great rootstock for grafting.

I have several Turning Point and they are just starting to produce and they appear to be everything Chainsaw reported. Thinking it is going to be a winner.

 

[Diesel5610]

Anyone have any Gram's Gift from Bluehill? I have 3 that produce annually and very heavy, problem is they never drop, mummies on my trees right now. Has been my experience the last 2 years. I was expecting a tree that dropped Oct-Nov from the description but that has not been my experience. Pretty sure all 3 are getting top worked unless someone has had a different experience.

 

[J B]

Question for you blue hill guys....Do any of you have October crab? Everything I have gotten from Blue hill has grown great, but both of my October crabs produce very small crabs. Maybe the size of a dime at the most, not the 1 1/2 inch their crab that their website describes. I was wondering if anyone had a similar experience. All the others I received are on par with the descriptions, but not October crab.

I have one Oct crab that’s been in the ground here for two year now. It had a good crop of 1-1.5” bright red apples on it last year. I just shook the last one off pruning it the other day. It seems to be a winner here.

 

[Charles Clear]

Anyone have any Gram's Gift from Bluehill? I have 3 that produce annually and very heavy, problem is they never drop, mummies on my trees right now. Has been my experience the last 2 years. I was expecting a tree that dropped Oct-Nov from the description but that has not been my experience. Pretty sure all 3 are getting top worked unless someone has had a different experience.

Mine are the same, they don't really drop. I had raccoons climb up and eat most of them. It is a very tasty crabapple if you dare try one. I may leave mine alone for a couple more years and see what happens. I think they'd make a tasty cider