Problems with Honeycrisp on dwarfing rootstock

[yoderjac]

I have about a dozen Honeycrisp trees. Those on M7 or G30 rootstock do not seem to grow as well as those on MM111 or M106 rootstock in my sandy soil, even when they seem to get enough water. Iron chlorosis (the yellowing of the leaves) is more prevalent in the smaller rootstocks. Jap Beetles love them all, of course. Does anyone have the same problems?

First, let me say my experience with apples is limited and I have no experience with Iron chlorosis in apples. I offer this only as an aside that may or may not provide insights. I had an issue with Iron chlorosis when I first started growing chestnuts indoors under lights. Adding Ironite had no positive effect. Eventually I figured out the problem. It was not that the mix was low in iron, it was the iron was not available to the chestnuts because of the pH. The mix I was using was adjusted to neutral and so was the tap water. I was finally able to salvage those trees by adjusting the pH to make it more acidic. I used some acidifier for blueberries and switched to rain water. I've collected and used rain water ever since. That alone adjusts the pH enough that I have not had an Iron chlorosis issue since.

I don't know enough about apples or clonal rootstocks to know if there is any correlation here, but at least some trees can be limited in the amount of iron they can uptake if the soil is insufficiently acidic.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[H20fwler]

I've got Northern Spy on M111 from Cummins, I knew it was going to take ten years to fruit when I bought them....I've got plenty of other apple trees to feed the deer while those are maturing.

 

[wooduck]

I heard that was true for most of the Spy’s. I finally cut one down, with the honey crisp.

I am trying some kindercrisp. They taste great.


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Our kindercrisp have been off the charts quality wise , easy to grow , excellent flavor , crisp customer favorite , also much more forgiving than honeycrisp Our honeycrisp will runt out on bud 9 , we currently are planting to semi dwarf but keeping high density spacing to capture the vigor of semi dwarf and then prune to contain size , has been much better , soils and climate all influence honeycrisp more than other varieties

 

[sandbur]

I heard that was true for most of the Spy’s. I finally cut one down, with the honey crisp.

I am trying some kindercrisp. They taste great.


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Our kindercrisp have been off the charts quality wise , easy to grow , excellent flavor , crisp customer favorite , also much more forgiving than honeycrisp Our honeycrisp will runt out on bud 9 , we currently are planting to semi dwarf but keeping high density spacing to capture the vigor of semi dwarf and then prune to contain size , has been much better , soils and climate all influence honeycrisp more than other varieties

Much disease in them?


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[wooduck]

Much disease in them?


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None noticed , but I have to add we pass them with the sprayer when we do everything else, The kindercrisp were picked sept 10 a little earier than we do honeycrisp we sampled them out and every one left with a bag , sold out in two days about 40 bushel promptly ordered 100 more trees last sept they will go in end april on bud 9