Rootstocks for zone 3

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5 year old buck +
Got round 1of trees growing for up in the northern ADk's. All antonovka grafted to kerr, AWHO, signal fire, big dog, droptine, and crossbow. crossbow, droptine, and big dog are rated to zone 4 though.

Thinking of ttransplanting a 30-06 or two to make room at home, its on B118. I have sandy soil up there, so b118 would be a good fit. Terry from whitetail crabs recommended antonovka instead, so I have 2 30-06 and a doptine u there right now.

P18 is an option too, crossbred with antonovka and made for cold poland winters. B18 was made for central russia. Soil is very variable up at camp. One spot has a ton of organic tree material while 30 feet away its bare sand. Will ammend soil with loamy clay at home to help with moisture and fertilizer retention.

Also, I have seedling dolgo, trascendent, american crabapple, and wild apple all from willis orchards. Tempted to grow one or to of each as themselves up north in zone 3.
 
If by American crabapple you mean malus coronaria, I think you'll be disappointed in zone 3. That's generally a zone 5 and up tree. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malus_coronaria
I recall one of them frm willis wasn't zne 3. I do have a series of AG fields I can lant trees on the edges, they'll likely go there, maybe grafted next year.
 
Zone 3 stick with antonovka maybe dolgo and bury the graft so they self root. I’ve lost several trees over the years to cold winters killing the graft union. The rootstock generally survive so if they at least produce some sort of decent apple it’s not a complete bust.
 
Got round 1of trees growing for up in the northern ADk's. All antonovka grafted to kerr, AWHO, signal fire, big dog, droptine, and crossbow. crossbow, droptine, and big dog are rated to zone 4 though.

Thinking of ttransplanting a 30-06 or two to make room at home, its on B118. I have sandy soil up there, so b118 would be a good fit. Terry from whitetail crabs recommended antonovka instead, so I have 2 30-06 and a doptine u there right now.

P18 is an option too, crossbred with antonovka and made for cold poland winters. B18 was made for central russia. Soil is very variable up at camp. One spot has a ton of organic tree material while 30 feet away its bare sand. Will ammend soil with loamy clay at home to help with moisture and fertilizer retention.

Also, I have seedling dolgo, trascendent, american crabapple, and wild apple all from willis orchards. Tempted to grow one or to of each as themselves up north in zone 3.
My Big Dog on own root has survived a brief period of -42. We are now rated as zone 4 but had been zone 3 in the old maps.

That said, there is something different about hardiness between my area and the NE. The USDA maps do not tell the whole story. I suspect it has to do with rainfall, dry periods, time of new growth, and onset of winter.

We do have wild crabs up here. They could have some M. Ioensis blood in them and br crossed with other crabs.

FD2513B2-1BA4-45AA-8F22-8E43C9EA2A67.jpeg
This wild crab grows on a ditch bank and it tipped over about 20 years ago. It is one tough tree. I suspect it us underwater now with the snow melt.
 
My Big Dog on own root has survived a brief period of -42. We are now rated as zone 4 but had been zone 3 in the old maps.

That said, there is something different about hardiness between my area and the NE. The USDA maps do not tell the whole story. I suspect it has to do with rainfall, dry periods, time of new growth, and onset of winter.

We do have wild crabs up here. They could have some M. Ioensis blood in them and br crossed with other crabs.

View attachment 51606
This wild crab grows on a ditch bank and it tipped over about 20 years ago. It is one tough tree. I suspect it us underwater now with the snow melt.

Are you allowed to trim up that old warrior?
 
Are you allowed to trim up that old warrior?
I could, but it throws small, 1/2 inch apples and is a difficult place to get to. I spend my time pruning other trees.
 
sanbur,

I think there's other factos than just cold in tree zone recommendations. Cold hours, growing season, be able to make mature apples within a growing period.

I'll see what I get for next year, but plan on keeping a rootstock or two for rootstock material. Let it grow a year or two, then tip is sideways and burying some of it in soil / sawdust.
 
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