NY Bonkers apples, maybe not for zone 3-4

[chummer]

I thought all my apples made it through the winter but now I am concerned about the NY Bonkers. I planted 4 of these last year and they all look the same. Not sure if the cold got the leaves or they just couldn't break bud all the way. They look just like all my pears that died back last year. Hopeful they push some new growth but expecting the worse. Anyone think they will come back?

 

[Freeborn]

I'm in zone 3 and mine died back to the graft. I thought they were suppose to be an improved liberty but my liberty made it but NY Bonkers died back last year.

 

[chummer]

I'm in zone 3 and mine died back to the graft. I thought they were suppose to be an improved liberty but my liberty made it but NY Bonkers died back last year.

I am going to email cummins and see what they say. They picked that variety for my area so if they don't make it hopefully they replace them.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Look for black discoloration below the buds on the limb itself and or black discoloration on the trunk. The black discoloration can be an indication of winter damage ( dead areas in the cambium layer).

 

[Lot2Learn]

Chummer, sorry to hear about your Bonkers apples and with any luck Cummins will replace them.

But at the risk of providing unsolicited advice, your picture highlights another issue. Namely, you'll get better growth on your central leaders (and get the branches up and out of the browse line faster) if you cut out competing leaders and thus cause the tree to direct its energy where you want it to go.

Specifically, if it were me, I'd cut as I've indicated in this picture.

 

[sandbur]

Yup...that's what I found on my nova spy today. On the flip side, I checked a wild pear from seed today also. I had thought the several feet that stuck out of the 5' tube was dead, but there is evidence of growth showing up. Kind of weird, the bottom 5' is fully leafed out and growing well...but the top lagged behind by at least 10 days-2 weeks.

This year's apple grafts that are in short tubes are doing much better than those in open tubes. The tubes were also good for frost protection-last week.

 

[chummer]

My first disappointing experience with cummins. They will not replace the trees. I would understand this except I asked them to suggest a tree for my area and this is one of the ones they picked. Apparently zone 4 trees don't always survive in zone 4. I will be planting zone 3 trees from now on. Lesson learned.

 

[chummer]

...and for the record they are dead dead.

 

[chummer]

Chummer,

To be honest I'm not sure on zone 3 vs zone 4. Walden Heights nursery is considered zone 3 and they grow a lot of trees and they survive well. I don't think they use B118 rootstock. They're kind of secretive on their rootstocks. I think they use antonovka and some others. I'd look at that rootstock and look the list they have. Then graft your own or order on antonovka.

Also, it sounds like the rootstock died. Check that out for any damage. If none then blame the rootstock and go with the antonovka. The top part of NY Bonkers might be fine in zone 3 but the roots failed.

Do you think that is why the leaves started to open then just died. It seems impossible for the roots to die with the amount of snow we had. They were on B. 118. My Kerr, wolf River, and frostbite were on the same rootstock and are doing great. Is there a chance that those leaves opened on one of the 30 degree nights and it killed all the leaves.

 

[chummer]

The rootsocks are dead too? That really surprises me...especially with snow cover.

Not sure, how do you tell if the rootstock is dead?

 

[chummer]

I'd check them for mouse/vole damage. They shouldn't have died with the snow cover he has.

No damage, they are matted, screened, and caged. They are also planted in line and around the trees mentioned above and they are the only ones that died. I will take the screens off this weekend and see if there is any growth in them.

 

[chummer]

Seems strange the leaves started to open. They looked perfectly fine until they weren't.

 

[sandbur]

My first disappointing experience with cummins. They will not replace the trees. I would understand this except I asked them to suggest a tree for my area and this is one of the ones they picked. Apparently zone 4 trees don't always survive in zone 4. I will be planting zone 3 trees from now on. Lesson learned.

I think that is good advice for anyone planting apples for deer. Plant those that are hardy in one zone colder, especially if you are near the cold edge of a zone.

Often trees planted for deer do not get the care that trees get in a home orchard because of a more remote location. It seems like many of the crab apples can produce a crop every other year or more often with little care, once established.

 

[sandbur]

My Liberty still looks pretty good, but I might have stretched the zone too much.

 

[wiscwhip]

I agree sandbur. I had a Liberty crap out on me last spring. It leafed out, bloomed, then died. No girdling damage. We hit close to -30 that winter. I try to plant as many zone 3 trees as possible.

Smart move badger, that area may be listed as 4b, but in my many years of experience living in those sunken, sand-bottomed swamplands, it acts more like 3b most winters.

 

[sandbur]

It seems to me that sand based soils get hotter and direr in the summer and colder in the winter.

Does that mean we should be looking at apples or crabs that do well in the cold zones of the prairies?

Where I lvie was originally short grass prairie with fingers of woods along the streams.

 

[wiscwhip]

It seems to me that sand based soils get hotter and direr in the summer and colder in the winter.

Does that mean we should be looking at apples or crabs that do well in the cold zones of the prairies?

Where I lvie was originally short grass prairie with fingers of woods along the streams.

I would completely agree with that first statement sandbur! As to the prairie trees, I'm not experienced enough with that stuff to tell you for sure. I will say that if I ever get into a situation that allows me to plant apples, I will be looking seriously at trying to obtain some of those varieties from the Canadian prairie apple program from the U of Saskatchewan.

 

[mikmaze]

they look like they drowned to me, you didn't plant em too deep, or in too wet of an area did you?

 

[chummer]

they look like they drowned to me, you didn't plant em too deep, or in too wet of an area did you?

I don't think I planted them too deep and they are not in wet areas.

 

[chummer]

2 of the four trees have started new growth just above the graft. I am hopeful the other two will sprout soon.