Fruit trees for Spring 2023

[bigboreblr]

39th parallel orchards has a very wide and affordable variety of scions, not just apple either.

Sometimes it's better to know off the bat... -38 fri night in old forge NY. Gonna find out soon if whitetail crabs droptine and 30-06 on antonovka can survive up there. Might of been the last weekend to snowmobile this short season up there. Gonna prep a few spots up there next weekend weather permitting. Ordered 20 red dogwood, 10 witch hazel, ans some tulip poplar.

 

[Apple Junkie]

I like to buy local, because there is usually a winery or brewery between me and the nursery where my wife and I are picking up the trees. This year…

Schlabach Nursery – Medina, NY
Crimson Crisp / M.111
Grimes Golden / M.111
Ida Red / M.7

Wafler Nursery – Wolcott, NY
Dolgo crab / Emla 7
Zestar / G969
Crimson Crisp / G969

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I like to buy local, because there is usually a winery or brewery between me and the nursery where my wife and I are picking up the trees. This year…

My wife - a big fan of the Finger Lakes wineries - loved reading this post, A.J. !!! When I read it, I told her to come read it ......... she thinks you're a VERY smart apple tree shopper.

 

[chummer]

Anyone have any luck with any pear trees in zones 3-4? Very interested in trying some but can’t find much definitive proof of thriving pears in the northern areas. Don’t need to hold fruit that late as the deer in my area migrate by mid-December, unless it’s something that could benefit the deer when they move back in early April?

Complete disaster. They die back every winter. I have one that made it to get blossoms but the pollinators did not survive.

 

[chummer]

I got to stop reading this thread. Now I want more trees..... Goldrush, redfield, chestnut crab........ All rattling in my head.

Goldrush will not survive your temps

 

[Apple Junkie]

North of Old Forge. 680ish acre club is right off of big moose Rd next to the stillwater reservoir. MY club is litterally at intersection 150 in the snowmobile map for the old forge area.

Big Moose, Stillwater…. Brrrrrr! Now, that is some cold territory. Three trees come to mind that might make it up there, are Franklin, Frostbite, Redfield, and maybe Ida Red. U of M trees might do ok too. Crabs are tough - Kerr, Norland, Whitney, and Wickson might be worth a try. I used to love Covewood and the Big Moose Inn in the dead of winter, but it gave new meaning to the word COLD!

 

[chummer]

Big Moose, Stillwater…. Brrrrrr! Now, that is some cold territory. Three trees come to mind that might make it up there, are Franklin, Frostbite, Redfield, and maybe Ida Red. U of M trees might do ok too. Crabs are tough - Kerr, Norland, Whitney, and Wickson might be worth a try. I used to love Covewood and the Big Moose Inn in the dead of winter, but it gave new meaning to the word COLD!

I have Kerr and Dolgo that have seen -40’s

 

[ChrisA]

Anyone have any luck with any pear trees in zones 3-4? Very interested in trying some but can’t find much definitive proof of thriving pears in the northern areas. Don’t need to hold fruit that late as the deer in my area migrate by mid-December, unless it’s something that could benefit the deer when they move back in early April?

I‘ve got some young pear trees that have thus far made it through a couple of zone 4A winters, with -30+, although only a couple of pears so far…….they are Ure, Early Gold, and Patten pears that have survived. Others I have tried, Kieffer, Summercrisp, and Luscious, not so much. Not sure if I’ve simply been lucky to have the ones I have had survive, or if they will one day be kicking out significant fruit like I hope they will. At least after 3 full growing seasons and through 2 cold winters, they are still alive.

 

[bigboreblr]

Apple Junkie,

You ever use mehrabyan nurseries? Ordered some cider apples from them. They had some m7 rootstock. think it was 2 hewes and a dabinette.

chummer,

I got 3 places for apple trees. My home in hudson valley 1 hour south of albany and 1 mile away from the river. I'm actually a small blip of zone 6 on the map. I got permission to plant a few apple trees alongside a corn/bean field about a mile away from the mohawk river near fort plain / canajoharie area. On a hill overlooking the thruway. And up by old forge.

Our cabin has come a long way. Remeber in 2012 went up there with -17 nights. Only storm windows in the cabin... Replaced the windows since, insulated the roof area, and nailed the interior panels on the walls. There we tons of air gaps in that cabin. Mice hiding spots too.

 

[b116757]

I ordered a few trees from mehrabyan nursery last year they were ok not as good as Turkey Creeks trees but they had a couple varieties I wanted to try so I rolled the dice. I had a couple of their trees pass into the afterlife last summer but we where fighting a very bad drought. I also lost a Hewes from a different source so I will reserve my opinion on them so far.

 

[Fair oak]

Anyone ever delay tree shipments a couple weeks? I may need to email Bluehill and whitetail crabs to delay my shipping. My trees are coming 4-3-23 and 4-10-23 and that’s going to be pushing it I believe. 30” of snow on the ground at my property, 4-8” coming tomorrow and 2-4” Wednesday and who knows what March has in store…. Things can change fast but with remote planting locations and how I plan on planting and caging my trees, I can’t be digging through 2’ of snow and frost.

 

[b116757]

There will be no frost with that snow load but it’s definitely not an ideal situation to plant trees in.

 

[bigboreblr]

fair oak,

They'll probably be just fine with that request. How many trees are coming? IF there's not aton, shove out those spots if you can get to them. Or, go over there and sprinkle some peat moss or ashes on the snow, so they melt quicker from the discoloration.

 

[b116757]

I’d leave the snow alone until just before planting it’s what will prevent there from being frost in the ground

 

[bigboreblr]

Chummer and Apple Junkie,

What do you guys advise I put up there? I have a scion or two of redfield, not sure If I have kerr scion coming in. Was going to plant a few dolgo as is up there. There are (2) 30-06 and a droptine on antonvoka up there right now. No white or red cedars I have seen up there. Sure fireblight might be an issue considering I can't water them. Bears aren't a huge problem, but giving whitetail crabs crossbow a try. They say kerr makes good branches too.

Soil is pretty sandy, so B118 will be a good one to try. Got a bunch of antonovka, but the rabbits nibbled on them good this fall when the fence went down for a day or two, Think most will be cleft graftable.

 

[NorthWI]

Anyone ever delay tree shipments a couple weeks? I may need to email Bluehill and whitetail crabs to delay my shipping. My trees are coming 4-3-23 and 4-10-23 and that’s going to be pushing it I believe. 30” of snow on the ground at my property, 4-8” coming tomorrow and 2-4” Wednesday and who knows what March has in store…. Things can change fast but with remote planting locations and how I plan on planting and caging my trees, I can’t be digging through 2’ of snow and frost.

I just keep mine in the cold dark shed when they come before snow melt/ground thaw. Never had a problem...

 

[Fair oak]

16 trees coming. I can try the dark cold storage if it comes down to that. I thought I read that is not good practice but maybe that was for later in the season.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

16 trees coming. I can try the dark cold storage if it comes down to that.

I've kept well-packaged trees in my unheated garage in the dark for over 2 weeks. I check to make sure the packing sawdust / peat moss / shavings / shredded newspaper - are damp - not soaking wet. I don't completely unpack them to check, I usually dribble a small bit of water down the trunks so it goes into the plastic wrapping, and into the roots area. I've even had some push buds in the garage, but they were very light in color due to lack of light. Don't panic over having to store them - just keep them in a cool, dark place.

 

[chummer]

Chummer and Apple Junkie,

What do you guys advise I put up there? I have a scion or two of redfield, not sure If I have kerr scion coming in. Was going to plant a few dolgo as is up there. There are (2) 30-06 and a droptine on antonvoka up there right now. No white or red cedars I have seen up there. Sure fireblight might be an issue considering I can't water them. Bears aren't a huge problem, but giving whitetail crabs crossbow a try. They say kerr makes good branches too.

Soil is pretty sandy, so B118 will be a good one to try. Got a bunch of antonovka, but the rabbits nibbled on them good this fall when the fence went down for a day or two, Think most will be cleft graftable.

If I could only plant one tree it would be a Kerr. I do have a couple Redfield that have started to produce. Dolgo’s will do great but they drop early. I would stick with zone 3 trees if I was you. I don’t think fire blight has anything to do with watering. FB comes from other apple trees so if you don’t have any around you should be okay.

 

[sandbur]

Chummer and Apple Junkie,

What do you guys advise I put up there? I have a scion or two of redfield, not sure If I have kerr scion coming in. Was going to plant a few dolgo as is up there. There are (2) 30-06 and a droptine on antonvoka up there right now. No white or red cedars I have seen up there. Sure fireblight might be an issue considering I can't water them. Bears aren't a huge problem, but giving whitetail crabs crossbow a try. They say kerr makes good branches too.

Soil is pretty sandy, so B118 will be a good one to try. Got a bunch of antonovka, but the rabbits nibbled on them good this fall when the fence went down for a day or two, Think most will be cleft graftable.

You should have Kerr.

I watch an Alberta Fruit Group and have a few of the varieties they like. I have a young Noran on about 3rd leaf. It seems like September Ruby is another one for colder parts of Alberta.