Crabapple timeline

[sandbur]

Been walking by my young orchard everyday. Noticing Violi's is a bit slower to wake up than other crabapples like kerr n dolgo.

Would you plant Violi's again? I think I have 3 at camp and 1 at home. Unfortunately, no scion to graft this year. Would have threw on a B118 to try out.

I would plant one or two more Violi’s if I had room. It seems like other trees might fruit at a younger age.

 

[sandbur]

Great info Sandbur

Thanks.

Deer had been spending more time on the alfalfa field lately. Green sprouts out there were about 1 inch high.


This snow seemed to move them back towards the fallen apples.

 

[sandbur]

Been walking by my young orchard everyday. Noticing Violi's is a bit slower to wake up than other crabapples like kerr n dolgo.

Would you plant Violi's again? I think I have 3 at camp and 1 at home. Unfortunately, no scion to graft this year. Would have threw on a B118 to try out.

I checked out the Violi’s this morning. Not a lot of tracks under it.

 

[sandbur]

The adjacent dolgo seedling had some action.

 

[bigboreblr]

How old you think the violi and dolgo are. I didn't think dolgo held that much fruit this late. Got 2 seedlings in 3 gallon grow pots this year. Got 2 already at camp.

 

[sandbur]

That dolgo seedling has probably been in the ground for about 20 years. Dolgo seedlings are variable for apple size and drop times.

I would need to check the tag on the Violi’s but would guess 12 years or so. Pruning and fertilization seemed to get Violi’s to start producing.

 

[sandbur]

I went for a walk between our April snowstorms to see what the deer ate overnight. The deer were feeding heavily under this flowering crab of an unknown variety. Our neighbor gave it to us over 30 years ago. View attachment 91184View attachment 91185The deer also liked the ginnala maple next to it.

Bandit and I just walked around the yard and they were quickly out there. We walked directly under that tree and I could see tiny crabs in the snow.

 

[RGrizzzz]

View attachment 91113This has to be one of our favorite apple sauces. Chestnut crab sauce may be a bit better.

Dessert consists of applesauce with a bit of Stevia and a handful of walnuts.

Those of you who don’t make applecrab sauce or dolgo jelly are missing out.

I nuked all my commercial variety apples at home and put in a trailman and a chestnut crab last spring. In a few years I'll be making these sauces!

I did add a "Highlake red fleshed" tree from Perfect Circle Farm in the fall too.

 

[sandbur]

I nuked all my commercial variety apples at home and put in a trailman and a chestnut crab last spring. In a few years I'll be making these sauces!

I did add a "Highlake red fleshed" tree from Perfect Circle Farm in the fall too.

That’s a new variety that I have never heard of. I lost two of my red flesh, but have a new one in ground. I need to check the tag, but memory says it is Hansens Red Flesh.

 

[RGrizzzz]

That’s a new variety that I have never heard of. I lost two of my red flesh, but have a new one in ground. I need to check the tag, but memory says it is Hansens Red Flesh.

Buzz Ferver is the guy behind Perfect Circle Farm. He finds a lot of road side trees to propagate. Most come from Vermont, where he lives. He offers some varieties that sound very unique. He says he doesn't spray them either.

perfect circle farm

For the past 15 years i have spent a lot time each fall sampling wild apples on the side of the roads here in Central Vermont. If you have been to Vermont in the fall you know we have 10's of thousands of seedlings apples along the roadsides and many abandoned orchards as well. Most hold no interest

www.perfectcircle.farm

 

[sandbur]

Buzz Ferver is the guy behind Perfect Circle Farm. He finds a lot of road side trees to propagate. Most come from Vermont, where he lives. He offers some varieties that sound very unique. He says he doesn't spray them either.

perfect circle farm

For the past 15 years i have spent a lot time each fall sampling wild apples on the side of the roads here in Central Vermont. If you have been to Vermont in the fall you know we have 10's of thousands of seedlings apples along the roadsides and many abandoned orchards as well. Most hold no interest

www.perfectcircle.farm

There are some real genetic gems in our wild trees. I am surprised by the amount of wild trees in extreme northern parts of Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula.

Wild trees seem to fade as you go north from my location but pockets exist in a few areas. I see far more crabs here while trees with larger fruit appear in a slightly warmer climate just 25 or so miles away.

I do know of a few wild trees with larger fruit.

 

[Telemark]

There are some real genetic gems in our wild trees. I am surprised by the amount of wild trees in extreme northern parts of Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula.

Wild trees seem to fade as you go north from my location but pockets exist in a few areas. I see far more crabs here while trees with larger fruit appear in a slightly warmer climate just 25 or so miles away.

I do know of a few wild trees with larger fruit.

Manitoulin Island is littered with wild apple trees. The more I learn to identify apple trees, the more I see scattered all over the landscape. Unfortunately they are all located on posted private property, so even investigating them is illegal without the express permission of landowners.

Next time I'm there during hunting season, I will try to track down some landowners and see if I can get scion wood and seeds. Most of the ones I have access to tend to start dropping the last week of September, which is fine for archery season, but by the time rifle week rolls around, there's not much left. I would love to find some cold hardy late hangers up there just for the sake of variety.

 

[sandbur]

Manitoulin Island is littered with wild apple trees. The more I learn to identify apple trees, the more I see scattered all over the landscape. Unfortunately they are all located on posted private property, so even investigating them is illegal without the express permission of landowners.

Next time I'm there during hunting season, I will try to track down some landowners and see if I can get scion wood and seeds. Most of the ones I have access to tend to start dropping the last week of September, which is fine for archery season, but by the time rifle week rolls around, there's not much left. I would love to find some cold hardy late hangers up there just for the sake of variety.

Quite a few Apple guys are watching for those late hangers. I often search for wild trees during the soon approaching bloom period. I tie an orange ribbon on the tree or snap a picture to mark it, or use Onyx. Start checking fruit size and drop time around the first of September. Might just as well taste it as well.

A few years ago the University of Minnesota had a trial program for some of the European cider apple varieties at different locations. Something similar needs to be done with the wild trees, imo. Of course, you don’t know what disease is present in wild trees. If surviving, they have some genetic resistance.

 

[sandbur]

View attachment 91237
Bandit and I just walked around the yard and they were quickly out there. We walked directly under that tree and I could see tiny crabs in the snow.

Eleven were there last night.

 

[bigboreblr]

I wouldn't write off commercial varieties. Galarina, enterprise, sundance, yates, and granny smith, Even heard red delicious has a good later drop time.

Hate to put up all these crabapples and not have a few regular ones around. For guys who dont enter the bulk of their property, put some liberty trees near the cabin.

Wish RE gould was on here more often. He found one about 10 miles from where I hunt. Cherry Valley. Got to get there next spring.

Does your chestnut, dolgo's, trailman, and kerr make crops every year? I got young ones at home and they all wake up pretty early versus regular apple trees. Notcing Violi and 30-06 are probably 2-3 weeks later to leaf out.

 

[Telemark]

Quite a few Apple guys are watching for those late hangers. I often search for wild trees during the soon approaching bloom period. I tie an orange ribbon on the tree or snap a picture to mark it, or use Onyx. Start checking fruit size and drop time around the first of September. Might just as well taste it as well.

A few years ago the University of Minnesota had a trial program for some of the European cider apple varieties at different locations. Something similar needs to be done with the wild trees, imo. Of course, you don’t know what disease is present in wild trees. If surviving, they have some genetic resistance.

That's a good point. Someone actually did that a few years ago on the island and made the clones available. I forget about them because the nursery is in Canada. I should stop by and have a shat with them some day.