Just Some Apple Tree Pics

[greyphase]

Thought I'd share some apple tree pics.
My old Dolgo Crab loaded as usual.

A 13 year old Purdy apple from SLN on Antonovka rootstock. Described as holding it's apples into the winter mine has been bearing for the last few years but always drops it's apple now :(. It's open form is from several years of bear damage. So far this year they have left in alone.

An Ashmead Kernel planted the same year from SLN. This is the first year it's had any apples, a few clusters high up.

A 6 year old Antonovka seedling. No fruit yet.

A 3rd leaf Viola Hanging Crab from SLN.

A 1st leaf Washed Russet on B118. The best performer of this springs plantings.

This years nursery. :) 31 varieties on B118, G202, and M7 rootstocks.

This Florina is the growth champ of this years grafts.

I'll throw in a pear pic. This is a Keifer grafted this spring onto a 4 year old seedling pear.

Thanks for looking.
Rick

 

[wklman]

Good stuff rick! Looks like your going to have quite a variety of trees in a few years.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Nice looking trees, Rick. Dolgo is impressive. I have one in the ground 2 yrs. - SLN. It's almost 8 ft. tall now - hoping to get some blossoms next spring. Bears, man they can be a pain in the butt when you put time, effort, & dollars into your trees. Good luck with all your stock!

 

[Lot2Learn]

Nice and thanks for posting!

 

[huntall]

looking good

 

[2ndHand]

Nice trees - keep up the good work...;) When does your Dolgo normally finish dropping?

 

[Don'tWorryIHuggedItFirst]

Yay apple porn

 

[sandbur]

I am jealous of your dolgo.

Looks like lots of apple sauce and jelly to me.

 

[greyphase]

Nice trees - keep up the good work...;) When does your Dolgo normally finish dropping?

I'd say here in Pa that by the end of Sept. most of the Dolgo have dropped .

 

[Maya]

Nice Grey!

 

[buckvelvet]

Great looking trees man!

 

[Turkey Creek]

Very nice!

What did you use for "soil" with your potted trees? I tried a couple different things and my potted ones have had poor growth compared to those in the ground.

 

[greyphase]

Very nice!

What did you use for "soil" with your potted trees? I tried a couple different things and my potted ones have had poor growth compared to those in the ground.

I used 1/2 composted horse manure/barnyard dirt and 1/2 1 year old mushroom mulch. Also throw in some Perlite for drainage. The trees seem to like it. Some are in 5 gal. plastic tall pots & others in 5 gal. root pouch grow bags. I don't see any difference in the growth rate between to two. I plan on planting part of them this fall and look forward to seeing what the rootballs look like.

 

[Turkey Creek]

What is mushroom mulch?

 

[greyphase]

What is mushroom mulch?

Composted straw and horse manure. It's used to grow mushrooms. After several "crops" of mushrooms it's sold for mulch.

 

[2ndHand]

Composted straw and horse manure. It's used to grow mushrooms. After several "crops" of mushrooms it's sold for mulch.

What type(s) of mushrooms?

 

[greyphase]

What type(s) of mushrooms?

White Button mushrooms account for most of the commercial mushroom production with Oyster & Shiitake becoming popular. From what I understand it's a big crop in eastern Pa. They are grown in long concrete block buildings.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I live in the " mushroom belt ", southeastern Pa. Mushroom soil is a rich, organic mix of manure, straw and sawdust or wood chips. After several cycles thru the mushroom growing process, the beds get changed out & fresh mix is installed in the mushroom houses. The " old " mix is hot - literally - while microbes break down the ingredients. Landscape suppliers buy the hot mushroom soil & store it outside in piles to age. After a year or two, the now " aged mushroom soil " is ready to use for gardening, tree planting, lawn enrichment, etc. It is no longer " hot ", but is rich, black, crumbly compost. GOOD STUFF for planting, fertilizing around fruit trees!!!

 

[Jordan Selsor]

Awesome thread! Wanted to send this one back to the top for all the new apple growers to eww an ohhh over! Got any more pics greyphase? I was just looking at one of your old threads on QDMA. It was awesome to see some of your antonovka rootstock trees producing so early!

 

[greyphase]

Hey Jordan

Here's a few pics from this spring.
A Viola Hanging Crab from SLN. I believe this is a 3 year old tree. The 1st two years it didn't do much. I fertilized and limed it last spring and it's put on some good growth and has a nice set of blooms this spring.

Adirondack Crab from SLN. Produces a small crabapple but reliable.

A wild apple with nice pink flowers.

A Sweet Crabapple from the Pa. Game Commission.