Crabapple timeline
- Thread starter sandbur
- Start date
I finally got out to cut my first scions of the year today. The temperature was +27 versus -27 last Saturday. A photo of the tree is attached. The apples are the diameter of a quarter. When I shook the branches, about half of them fell off. There were lots of deer tracks under the tree.
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Chainsaw: Unfortunately, it is not my tree. I saw that tree from the road and then used the county's GIS website to look up the contact information of the landowner. I wrote him a letter asking permission to cut scions. He phoned me back and said it was okay to do. The scions I collected are about 1/8" to 3/16" caliper.
It turns out that the landowner is planning to plant some apple trees this spring and appreciates having somebody to ask about various varieties. It is a win-win situation.
It turns out that the landowner is planning to plant some apple trees this spring and appreciates having somebody to ask about various varieties. It is a win-win situation.
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
Poor Sand ^^^^^^ -
Nice cooperation. The landowner may let you do a bit of pruning on that tree to spur some fresh, bigger scion wood for another year. If you can help each other with apple info - it could turn into a great partnership for both of you.
That tree looks crazy with apples. Super wildlife tree.
Nice cooperation. The landowner may let you do a bit of pruning on that tree to spur some fresh, bigger scion wood for another year. If you can help each other with apple info - it could turn into a great partnership for both of you.
That tree looks crazy with apples. Super wildlife tree.
Charles Clear
5 year old buck +
I know its off topic, but how do your Nankings do Art? I have one nice sized one that has not produced yet, but probably because it had no pollinators. I bought him 2 friends this past spring, so maybe I'll get to taste a nanking soon.They nibble on the Nankings and on the crab apples.
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sandbur
5 year old buck +
They produce fruit and the birds get most of them. I grab a handful when mowing around them.
They are getting old and some stems die. They seem to readily grow back from the base.
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sandbur
5 year old buck +
This seedling has been totally ignored for 10-15 years. I need to give it some care.
It has had no grass control, little pruning, and no fertilizer.
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S.T.Fanatic
5 year old buck +
Do you guys see much “deer value” in malus red splendor crab apples?
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sandbur
5 year old buck +
The tree on the right is red splendor and they stop and pick at it just a bit before going to the corn plot.
The flowering crabs (with fruit less than 1/2 inch) get some use during years when I have few applecrabs, like this year.
I mostly call red splendor and other flowering crabs, ‘bird crabs’.
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Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
Like Sandbur has noticed with his smaller "bird crabs", our couple un-named crabs have 1/2" to 5/8" fruit - one tree yellow and the other red fruit. But the deer have beaten-in circular trails all around those trees. Every little bit of food helps, and those smaller crabs produce EVERY YEAR. Grouse and turkeys eat them while sitting in those trees.
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S.T.Fanatic
5 year old buck +
Our deer hammer the wild "bird crabs" on our place. The fruit is red and about the 1/2" size. Many of them are well past prime and trees have gown up around them over time so there isn't much for regeneration.
rocksnstumps
5 year old buck +
The red splendor seedlings that remain true to the variety of 1/2 persistent fruit dont see much deer use here except browse but birds and turkey luv em. Along with 3 the darn bears have busted off and killed. But much like dolgo seedlings, u get the occasional one that has bigger fruit like 1" dia or a little bigger and drops earlier before "mummified" on tree if not taken out by birds. Those do get attention from the deer.
Apple Junkie
5 year old buck +
I visited the camp yesterday, and while there checked on some fairly new apple trees. On my last visit in 12/29, I pulled off all but two apples from a young Goldrush tree. On my return 2/26, those two apples still had not fallen.
Now, I am wondering if it is possible for some varieties to hold TOO late. I pulled one apple, and it came off easily because it was basically rotting on the tree. I left the last one on just to see when it finally will fall of on its own. Good for the bluebirds, maybe not so helpful for the deer.
Now, I am wondering if it is possible for some varieties to hold TOO late. I pulled one apple, and it came off easily because it was basically rotting on the tree. I left the last one on just to see when it finally will fall of on its own. Good for the bluebirds, maybe not so helpful for the deer.
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sandbur
5 year old buck +
I accidentally knocked a few off while pruning today and it was mush. Deer are out there every morning and night and there isn’t a single one on the ground.
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H20fwler
5 year old buck +
Last year my Golden Hornets were still holding some apples when they broke blossom.
