Crabapple timeline

[Bowsnbucks]

Look for caterpillars crawling on the tree leaves. Those webs look like what tent caterpillars make - but the leaves would most likely be eaten to the stems. Webs = insects of some sort. I'd spray with Sevin to kill whatever the pest is.

 

[Barker]

thanks all for the tips. I'm going to hit the tree with Sevin and trim the clover short around the trunk to discourage anything going on at the roots


There were definitely some caterpillars in there. I hit it with Sevin, hopefully that will do the trick.

 

[sandbur]

The last two years, I have been raising the scaffold and making cages smaller in diameter on some of my older trees.

B118 has responded with more apples than previous years. Violi’s also has fruit for the first time.

 

[sandbur]

Violi’s

 

[sandbur]

My older chestnut crab trees throw off shoots from 4-10 feet from the trunk. This one has been mowed off several times.

In my younger days, I dug these up with a piece of root and they grew into trees that produce a 3/4 inch dolgo type fruit. I suspect the rootstock s are dolgo or Siberian seedlings. These trees came from Bailey’s who supplies most nurseries in Minnesota.

I do not see this happening with Anty or B118 rootstock .

Most of those rootstock trees from sprouts have now been topworked.

I have decided that it is time I stop planting trees, at almost 70 years of age.

 

[rocksnstumps]

Almost 70? Plenty of time. Just look at this guy

 

[sandbur]

Almost 70? Plenty of time. Just look at this guy
View attachment 65808

I plan on continuing to hunt. Most of my habitat work is strictly maintenance and I have to accept that I can’t do all of the things I used to do.

 

[bigboreblr]

You throw in the towel, they throw the towel on you............

Age 70........ M7 is appropriate.

 

[rocksnstumps]

^^^Ha! Grows fruit quicker and not very tall so hardly any climbing on ladders. Good call.

 

[sandbur]

I have probably mentioned this in the thread before. These are some sort of farmstead plum that was here when we bought the farm. There was something similar on my Grandfathers farm and on other farms from at least 70-80 years ago, if not longer.

The plums are sweeter than wild plums.

 

[sandbur]

This plum forms a thicket and throws root suckers, but neither is as aggressive as the wild plum rootstock I have. The thorns are also shorter.

I have transplanted or potted some of these rootsuckers and planted them later. I would prefer they be slightly shorter.

Deer have rarely fed on this plum here in farm country. I see more use by deer in areas without the other summer feed sources. I do have 3,4,maybe more of these planted and scattered along the swamp edge.

 

[g squared 23]

I really like planting wild plum; they grow very quickly, provide good cover, and are easy to graft over.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[b116757]

I have many native plum thickets I like them for the most part there are times they are a nuisance to get rid of in areas I don’t want them like a lot of things we do for habitat improvement some is great a lot becomes a nuisance.

 

[bigboreblr]

Vwey early in a crabapples timeline. 2 parts my clay soil 1 paet potting soil and a agriform tablet. Almost pushing 4ft growth. Crossbows are doing good. 1 violi's took. And wibter wildlife has 1 survivor.

 

[sandbur]

Vwey early in a crabapples timeline. 2 parts my clay soil 1 paet potting soil and a agriform tablet. Almost pushing 4ft growth. Crossbows are doing good. 1 violi's took. And wibter wildlife has 1 survivor.
View attachment 66307

Great growth!

 

[rocksnstumps]

That is impressive growth. Have only seen that type of growth from being inside a tube or older trees resprouting after a calamity. Whatever you are doing ...seems to work

 

[KY wild]

MY first spring grafted apple tree poked out of its 5 foot tube this week, it was a Redfree tree. Many others is approaching the top of the tube. I have watered these trees three times this year but we have received pretty good rain in Western Kentucky this year. I have not fertilized them at all but have been considering it, I direct planted them in the permanent spots in mid April. Some on this site sent me scion wood and I really appreciate it. Grafting is a great sport that I enjoy

 

[sandbur]

Hansens Red flesh that I planted this spring. It was a very nice 8 foot feathered tree that I pruned back to a single stem and about 40 inches high. I feared I had over done the pruning before planting, but am happy with the way it looks now.

You old timers from the various deer forums may remember George Clifford. I can’t remember his handle, but he recommended this for bare root tree planting.

In a month or so, I will paint the trunk white with the usual mix and put aluminum window screen on the trunk up until the first limbs.

 

[sandbur]

Buckman Crab grafted by Small Chunk on B118 . Planted in 2019.

 

[sandbur]

ABC from Small Chunk. Planted the same year. These trees have done well and are on good soil.

I have these trees within sight of our kitchen table as the mature trees are outback. Hopefully, an old man can sit in the house and watch deer eat Buckman Crabs during the winter.

ABC will be close by for some jelly or applesauce.