Grouse and Crabapples

[Outdoorsygirl]

I met an older gentleman through work that is propagating his own crabapple trees from one on his property that he claims draws deer literally from September through Christmas. The photo evidence he has is pretty cool. I want to get some but he has everything sold already this year. Anyway, it produces apples about 1.25 inches. Will grouse utilize this size? Or too big?


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[bigboreblr]

Seen grouse on crabapples that size. Although they'd probably prefer smaller. Also, they will pick at ones on the ground and dried up ones get smaller.

dolgo or siberian seedlings would make good crabapples. Grafted dolgo will be about the size you mentioned.

Lots of places selll smaller crabapples. Getting siberian seedling and adirondack crabapple from siaint lawrence nursery. Probably can order from them still.

Winters with decent snow, the local deer herd up by the lake. Not a footprint or trail camera pic. Snowshow hare and praire and roufed grouse are at camp year round. Doing about 1/3rd bird crabapples. Also planting mulberry, they'll be all over that tree july through early september.

Thread 'crabapples for grouse?'

Feb 10, 2017

I hear people talking about how birds love the ornamental crabs and it got me thinking; Assuming grouse would eat them, what kind would you plant? I've seen lots of them around me in town that are small but they are still holding fruit. I would think I would want something that actually drops them in the fall.

I've got a nearly mile long 'driveway' into my cabin and it's on the western edge of the property and not very close to where we deer hunt or where my plots are. The road had some work done on it and I'm thinking of planting it in clover and the having several crabapple trees...

• Powder
• Replies: 15
• Forum: Fruit Trees

 

[ruskbucks]

I would think that would be a bit too big for grouse. It seems like the crabs under 5/8 inch and smaller is what they usually prefer. I could see turkeys pecking and eating full size apples but not grouse. If your looking for something besides small crabs, Washington hawthorn and highbush cranberry are supposed to be a favorite of them.

 

[Outdoorsygirl]

Seen grouse on crabapples that size. Although they'd probably prefer smaller. Also, they will pick at ones on the ground and dried up ones get smaller.

dolgo or siberian seedlings would make good crabapples. Grafted dolgo will be about the size you mentioned.

Lots of places selll smaller crabapples. Getting siberian seedling and adirondack crabapple from siaint lawrence nursery. Probably can order from them still.

Winters with decent snow, the local deer herd up by the lake. Not a footprint or trail camera pic. Snowshow hare and praire and roufed grouse are at camp year round. Doing about 1/3rd bird crabapples. Also planting mulberry, they'll be all over that tree july through early september.

Thread 'crabapples for grouse?'

Feb 10, 2017

I hear people talking about how birds love the ornamental crabs and it got me thinking; Assuming grouse would eat them, what kind would you plant? I've seen lots of them around me in town that are small but they are still holding fruit. I would think I would want something that actually drops them in the fall.

I've got a nearly mile long 'driveway' into my cabin and it's on the western edge of the property and not very close to where we deer hunt or where my plots are. The road had some work done on it and I'm thinking of planting it in clover and the having several crabapple trees...

• Powder
• Replies: 15
• Forum: Fruit Trees

Thank you for the reply and all the helpful information, I will check into that. I was really interested in how late in the season his crabapples seemed so good yet.


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[Outdoorsygirl]

I would think that would be a bit too big for grouse. It seems like the crabs under 5/8 inch and smaller is what they usually prefer. I could see turkeys pecking and eating full size apples but not grouse. If your looking for something besides small crabs, Washington hawthorn and highbush cranberry are supposed to be a favorite of them.

Thank you very much! I will look into those options!


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[bigboreblr]

Maybe scoop up one or two of that kind, but would buy other ones if the primary intent is for birds.

Grouse in NY love birch catkins. Dog's got a scent but cant find it, look up.

 

[b116757]

My brother has a very large crab in his yard that has small 1/2” persistent fruit that the deer and grouse both use most of the winter. It’s one of the reasons I’ve planted Red Jewel, Suger Tyme and Adirondack crab trees in my yard.

https://jfschmidt.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/JFS_CRAB_CHART.pdf

 

[bigboreblr]

You got pics of the fruit b116? Mny site want to show of the flowers and not show the fruit.

Got tons of things I want to graft, but the post office by my work has a huge small red bird crab that holds into febuary. Probably nothing too special and likely something on that list. Worth grafting though.

 

[b116757]

I don’t have any photos of the fruit from my brothers crab my grandmother planted it I’ve been after him to ship me some scion wood from it but he is not a habitat guy and doesn’t really ever think about it maybe next winter I’ll stay on him like flies on s&&t and get some scion wood. I don’t really ever go up there in the winter myself.

 

[b116757]

Photo of that crabapple tree in my brother yard it’s massive he has swing off a branch just out of the photo to the right and yes the deer in winter will get that close to the house just to eat the little apples the birds drop.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

Check out the crabapple section of Yellow River Nursery - you can get 10 Red splendor crabapples for $4.15 per tree. Red splendor is the best fruit tree I've seen for ruffed grouse and pheasants. Seedling trees like this can have fruit that varies in size (as opposed to grafted varieties that are exactly the same), but most of the trees should have fruit in the 3/8" diameter range that birds prefer. I've planted a bunch of them in MN and WI specifically for grouse and pheasants. It is pretty cool to see grouse feeding in a tree you planted specifically for grouse food.

Yellow River Nurseries - All Availability

All Spring 2025 Availability

www.yellowrivernurseries.com

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I would think that would be a bit too big for grouse. It seems like the crabs under 5/8 inch and smaller is what they usually prefer. I could see turkeys pecking and eating full size apples but not grouse. If your looking for something besides small crabs, Washington hawthorn and highbush cranberry are supposed to be a favorite of them.

This. ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Outdoorsygirl -

Washington hawthorns draw grouse like a magnet at our camp!! Grouse love the red berries they produce. Also - hawthorns will spread more free seedlings as birds of all sorts carry the seeds in their droppings.

How many crab apples are you looking to plant?? If only 1 or 2 - look for a "Sugar Tyme" crab apple(s) at a local tree nursery. Sugar Tyme is very disease resistant, makes small red fruit about 3/8" in diameter, and they hang on the tree all winter to feed birds of all sorts. We have a Sugar Tyme in our yard for all those reasons, and it's a great tree to have!

 

[b116757]

Check out the crabapple section of Yellow River Nursery - you can get 10 Red splendor crabapples for $4.15 per tree. Red splendor is the best fruit tree I've seen for ruffed grouse and pheasants. Seedling trees like this can have fruit that varies in size (as opposed to grafted varieties that are exactly the same), but most of the trees should have fruit in the 3/8" diameter range that birds prefer. I've planted a bunch of them in MN and WI specifically for grouse and pheasants. It is pretty cool to see grouse feeding in a tree you planted specifically for grouse food.

Yellow River Nurseries - All Availability

All Spring 2025 Availability

www.yellowrivernurseries.com

They also had Siberian crabapple trees same price I’m thinking of ordering 10 of them

 

[bigboreblr]

They also had Siberian crabapple trees same price I’m thinking of ordering 10 of them

Just got 10 from saint lawrence. Grafting all of them, but any failed grafts im leaving alone to be siberian. Got sone adirondack scion. Hoping to make 4 on siberian. 3 on b118 and 1 anty

Outdoorsy,

You can grow the bird crabs about 3 years and grafting a few branches another variety. Depending on how you prune 3 or 4 branches can be like 20% of the tree production.

Seedlings seem to take longer to produce initially, or might not work well with your soil type. Can always graft seedlings tops to rootstock too.

Next year im focusing on oaks n dogwood, but a handful of seedlings wouldnt hurt.

My hopes for bird crabs is self seeding new trees for my club long after im compost.

 

[Stubborn1VT]

Back when we had higher populations of grouse, I would find them under crab apple trees. They were pecking fallen crabs that were 2" or larger, especially once they had begun to soften.

 

[Ruffdude]

I just lost my Washington hawthorn to an ice storm this week
It was 7 years old and just started to produce fruit last year. My neighbor has an older tree and I see grouse in it every winter.

I have a Japanese crab or oriental crab in my backyard and have grouse in it every Winter as well. The fruits hang until Spring and are less than 1/2” diameters.