Crabapple timeline

[rocksnstumps]

Nursery grafted dolgo is ripe and a few are falling right now



Whitney is a bit hard, not ripe yet


The self named EMS Crab (Emergency Meal Supply) is going to hang well into late winter and get taken out by the birds and turkeys in March if we have a hard winter/lotta snow. During a really mild winter these basically go untouched. Nothing eats em early, must be bitter pills until a couple freezes does its magic.



No pics but Ranetka crab are not ready either

 

[Tree Spud]

Nursery grafted dolgo is ripe and a few are falling right now
View attachment 36665


Whitney is a bit hard, not ripe yet
View attachment 36666

The self named EMS Crab (Emergency Meal Supply) is going to hang well into late winter and get taken out by the birds and turkeys in March if we have a hard winter/lotta snow. During a really mild winter these basically go untouched. Nothing eats em early, must be bitter pills until a couple freezes does its magic.
View attachment 36667


No pics but Ranetka crab are not ready either

Looks great RocksnStumps, my dolgo & whitney are about 3 years behind yours.

 

[sandbur]

Looks great Sandbur, my dolgo & whitney are about 3 years behind yours.

Those weren’t my pictures, but I agree that they are nice looking trees.


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[sandbur]

Deer nibbling on this crab? It looks like teeth of that size.


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[Teeder]

My one and only seedling is now about 8 inches tall, speaking of last fall’s seedling planting.

In other years, when I had good growth, I thinned seedlings based on keeping faster growing varieties and bronze leafed varieties.

One fairly knowledgeable person said that there is a genetic link between slower growth and later blooming time. He is in a northern environment and felt the later bloom might be better suited for areas with late frosts. It seems like he was from Canada. True or not, I have no idea. Just his observation.


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Silly question here.
What's the deal on "bronze leafed varieties"? Do they have some special attributes?
Thanks

 

[sandbur]

Silly question here.
What's the deal on "bronze leafed varieties"? Do they have some special attributes?
Thanks

It appears to me that bronze leafed varieties tend to have a darker red color to their fruit, sometimes a bit of red flesh, and sometimes a dark red blossom.

Some of those red fruits have a berry/cherry flavor when very ripe.


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[PatinPA]

Wasn't sure where to put this but Ryan at Blue Hill Nursery is starting his sale the 3rd week of September. Says he has a lot to go through yet which sounds good for everybody that wants to buy trees.

 

[Teeder]

Thanks. I hope to actually get in before he's sold out this time. I just hope it's after the 20th. If all goes well I'll be back from newfoundland then with a moose!

 

[Bassattackr]

Anyone have a good resource for identifying the best type of crab apple trees for the area? What diseases to be resistant to etc...

Thanks!

 

[sandbur]

Anyone have a good resource for identifying the best type of crab apple trees for the area? What diseases to be resistant to etc...

Thanks!

Wild crab apples all ready growing there are a place to start. I have found some wild crabs here that are smothered in CAR, so those wouldn’t be a good choice.

Identify your region and perhaps someone can help you. The state or region doesn’t show on my phone.


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[Bassattackr]

Yep my bad - Central MO, zone 6A

 

[sandbur]

Yep my bad - Central MO, zone 6A

My advice on varieties would not be worth much. If you have red cedars, you want cedar apple rust resistance.


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[sandbur]

Most of my apple varieties are dropping early this year. Chestnut crab is running about ten days ahead of schedule and the deer stop nightly for a treat.

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[Bowsnbucks]

Dropping early due to lack of rain there?? We've had so much that orchard owners are telling folks the apple skins are splitting because of too much rain = rapid growth. Apple trees are still dropping fruit though. ( ??? )

 

[sandbur]

Dropping early due to lack of rain there?? We've had so much that orchard owners are telling folks the apple skins are splitting because of too much rain = rapid growth. Apple trees are still dropping fruit though. ( ??? )

We have had more than the normal amount of heat units this summer as well as a severe 2.5 month drought. I had a hard time sorting out drop from drought versus ripening, but go by the seed color. Then, in 10 days time, we had 7.5 or more inches of rain and a bit of hail.

I feel what I am seeing now is from the heat units. We had lots of cloudy weather from smoke. Apples have not gotten as much of the red color, maybe sunlight involved?

Weather data has indicated that our nights through the drought were warmer than normal, probably due to the smoke. Perhaps this had an effect.

So for all of my rambling answer, I don’t really know except for heat units are increased, if apples follow the pattern for corn.


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[sandbur]

We have had more than the normal amount of heat units this summer as well as a severe 2.5 month drought. I had a hard time sorting out drop from drought versus ripening, but go by the seed color. Then, in 10 days time, we had 7.5 or more inches of rain and a bit of hail.

I feel what I am seeing now is from the heat units. We had lots of cloudy weather from smoke. Apples have not gotten as much of the red color, maybe sunlight involved?

Weather data has indicated that our nights through the drought were warmer than normal, probably due to the smoke. Perhaps this had an effect.

So for all of my rambling answer, I don’t really know except for heat units are increased, if apples follow the pattern for corn.


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Tomatoes have seemed to progress more this year, also.


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[Bassattackr]

My advice on varieties would not be worth much. If you have red cedars, you want cedar apple rust resistance.

Have I got cedars... A cedar logger is due out this winter.

 

[Tree Spud]

Anyone have a good resource for identifying the best type of crab apple trees for the area? What diseases to be resistant to etc...

Thanks!

Most nursery suppliers such as Northern Whitetail Crabs & Blue Hills Nursery will state disease resistance on individual tree description.

Also look at USDA hardiness zone rating and for cross pollinators based on bloom times.

Good starting crabs are Chesnut, Kerr, & Dolgo. Chesnut is a good cross pollinator with many crab & apple trees.

Good apple trees for for deer are Enterprise & Liberty.

 

[sandbur]

Dolgo seedling I call Clowns Nose is ripe and starting to drop.

Drop times are 2-5 weeks earlier this year. Drought, extra heat, cloudy, smoke filled skies are all causing unusual drops and in some cases loss of red color in apples.


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[Tree Spud]

Dolgo seedling I call Clowns Nose is ripe and starting to drop.

Drop times are 2-5 weeks earlier this year. Drought, extra heat, cloudy, smoke filled skies are all causing unusual drops and in some cases loss of red color in apples.


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That is a great stop at your deer buffet!