Crabapple timeline

[buckvelvet]

I second/Third @sandbur and @Bowsnbucks that tree is a real nice specimen and should live on. Graft that sucker @cavey !!

 

[cavey]

I will have to take a closer look at that clump by the ditch,,,. I assume your talking about those as root suckers ... good call - I overlooked those being fixated on all the dropped and hanging crabs... from the way I approached it on the road it looked like a solid pillar of crabs, I saw those first and when I saw all the dropped fruit I was like "Jackpot" ( we had a good year last ... Im going to assume its not grafted the secondary trunk comes up right out of the ground assuming it was a sucker and it is identically loaded with fruit.

I feel some areas are full of gems with these wild crabs. If this is a wild tree and not grafted, those root suckers away from the trunk look interesting.

Watch for blooming trees in the spring and take a picture of them. The picture helps you remember the location and periodically check the tree during the summer and fall for fruit size/ drop time/ even suitability for cider/ sauce.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Funny you mentioned the "some areas are full of gems" just down the road is a whole pasture full of fruit trees with a number of more apple sized fruit still hanging.

I try and take a pic and have tossed in a note book to hand draw the locations with notes as to size and volume... Im glad I ended up grabbing some rootstock... I would have missed grafting this spring.

 

[buckvelvet]

I see a headlamp, some snips, and some puzzled neighbors in your future. :)

 

[cavey]

Sandbur... do you find your crabs to, in general, be strong annual producers or are some bi-annual. I know the crabs I have pretty much run steady year to year with an occasional outstanding year but unlike some of my apples really dont have completely off bi years.

 

[cavey]

I see a headlamp, some snips, and some puzzled neighbors in your future. :)

I do have a back up plan!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[sandbur]

Cavey, post #56 - WOW. What a find !! I'd LOVE to stumble onto a tree like that.

Bur - I'm guessing Stu found the yellow crab still holding ??

You bet.


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[sandbur]

Sandbur... do you find your crabs to, in general, be strong annual producers or are some bi-annual. I know the crabs I have pretty much run steady year to year with an occasional outstanding year but unlike some of my apples really dont have completely off bi years.

Many are every other year and the trees receive no care.

Late frosts or bad winters can throw them into this cycle. Sometimes it is just a very small crop and a great crop the next year.


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[sandbur]

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[sandbur]

From the pix, it's clear the deer know where all your crabs and apples are !! Great job on the pictures and timeline. You have a really good selection of crabs there, with some good late season hangers too.

They still remember the chestnut crab.

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[sandbur]

With a bit of wild cucumber.


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[Bowsnbucks]

Those crabs you Minn. and Wisc. boys have possess the genetics to survive those tough winters. You gents can drive down the road & find these gold nuggets anytime. Around my neck of the woods, the only older existing trees along country backroads are regular apples of some sort - not crabs. Very few hang past mid-October.

 

[sandbur]

Those crabs you Minn. and Wisc. boys have possess the genetics to survive those tough winters. .

Yup, some of those old crabs sure do. That’s why she has put up with me for over thirty years.

Oh, were you talken ‘bout apples?



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[Bowsnbucks]

^^^^^ - I'm on year 32 myself !!! I read ya loud & clear.

I wish we had those kinds of crab apples here along the backroads. I'd be a busy boy !!

 

[sandbur]

There were at least three partridge (grouse)
In this tree yesterday. Can you find the third one?

There were no apples left on the tree. Do grouse eat the fruit Spurs?


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[Rubee]

There's one directly above the top circled one

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

That's cool. Isn't your area mostly open fields? I wouldn't think grouse would be too common there. That's pretty cool.

When I leave corn on my wi property the grouse eat the kernels in winter just like pheasants would. Do you see them in your corn plots too?

 

[bwoods11]

Great pictures!! Impressive farm

 

[sandbur]

That's cool. Isn't your area mostly open fields? I wouldn't think grouse would be too common there. That's pretty cool.

When I leave corn on my wi property the grouse eat the kernels in winter just like pheasants would. Do you see them in your corn plots too?

I don’t see them in the corn plots very often. This tree is along the edge of a neighbor ‘yard and road ditch. I think I see another partridge (4) in the picture.

My neighbor says his wife has seen up to six in the tree.

When I took the picture, I did not roll the window down on the pickup as I thought it might scare them.


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[j-bird]

Burr, Do you have any experience with Callaway Crabs? I have access to some 3 gallon trees and am considering a purchase. I already have Dolgo and Chestnut on the places as well as some "people apples". I prefer the larger fruiting crabs....

 

[sandbur]

Burr, Do you have any experience with Callaway Crabs? I have access to some 3 gallon trees and am considering a purchase. I already have Dolgo and Chestnut on the places as well as some "people apples". I prefer the larger fruiting crabs....

I have no experience with Callaway or it’s hardiness for my area.

I had my first centennial and Trailman last summer and like the taste.
Norland is slightly bigger than a crab and I had a bag of those from a friend.
Kinderkrisp is great for eating.

Taste might be different if you do not have the chilling hours we have.


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