Single wild fruit trees in the woods

[Stubborn1VT]

I have 2 wild apples and 1 wild pear in my woods. They don't produce, I assume because they aren't near another fruit tree. Can I top work them with a self-fertile crab apple and get them to produce fruit? Sorry if this ins a foolish question. I have plenty of experience pruning and releasing wild trees, but not much planting and grafting. These trees get a decent amount of sunlight. TIA.

 

[Rubee]

Morning Stubborn. I’m no expert but that should work. Just grafting a limb or two of a compatible pear or crab variety should also cross pollinate the whole tree. The bees and other insects will transfer the pollen. You should end up with two kinds of fruit on the tree.
Rubee

 

[homerj]

How far apart are the apples? Unless it's 1/2 mile or more I doubt lack of pollination is the issue. Do they bloom and then don't set fruit? Do they bloom at all? Are there no other wild trees on neighboring properties that bloom?

 

[Catscratch]

^^^ That's kind of what went through my mine... if you have wild trees growing there's a pretty good chance there are others within pollinating distance.

 

[Stubborn1VT]

There are trees within a 1/2 mile, but these trees are in the woods. 1 I know blossoms, but doesn't set fruit. Not sure about the other 2. The surrounding properties are mostly pine or other closed canopy.

I have a couple wild trees that produce, but they are out in the open. I guess the original question still stands.

 

[homerj]

I'm unaware of any crab or apple that is entirely self-fertile

 

[Tree Spud]

How much sunlight do the trees receive? Usually they need at least 6-8/day for blooming and fruit production.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Do you often have late frosts that would kill the blossoms after they open?? Are the trees on low ground (frost pockets) ?? The more sunlight they get - the better.

EDIT - Spud posted a few seconds before I did. Sorry for the repeat about sunlight!

 

[BuckSnort]

If they are getting enough sunlight and that’s not the issue, you could consider planting another tree for pollination or grafting a branch of a crabapple onto the established tree if you don’t want to topwork the entire tree.

 

[Telemark]

I would go ahead and graft it. If it's descendent from flowering crabs, then the fruit quality might be pretty bad. The wild crabs I found in Ohio are truly horrible. You can plant a Dolgo and M111 rootstock for cheap wildlife crabs that deer will like.

 

[rocksnstumps]

Probably 90% chance that sunlight amount is the real issue.

Logged the ch!t outta sections of my woods. Had at least a dozen "new" wild trees bloom and declare themselves. Some even had fruit for a brief time. Several of them promptly died a few yrs later from what think was fireblight (blooming increases that risk) After time the overhead canopy mostly closed back up and most went back to leaf only mode. A few of the already full sized apple trees are still doing well.This was in areas that are in a managed forestry program so cutting trees willy nilly out of a scheduled plan is not permitted.

Besides I have much more open areas close by that get lots more sun and have planted heavily with apples and other trees.

But the suggestion of grafting a few branches for pollination is not that much work and could help....maybe

 

[rocksnstumps]

I'm unaware of any crab or apple that is entirely self-fertile

Self-fertile trees are not common but a simple Google search "self-fertile apple" will list many and some are even decent people apples (Granny Smith for one). They do claim better yields with some cross pollination.

Dolgo and Hewes (Virginia) crab are also listed as self-fertile

 

[homerj]

Self-fertile trees are not common but a simple Google search "self-fertile apple" will list many and some are even decent people apples (Granny Smith for one). They do claim better yields with some cross pollination.

Dolgo and Hewes (Virginia) crab are also listed as self-fertile

Most varieties listed as self fertile are considered partially so at best, and that is an orchard setting. As you noted, yields will increase significantly with cross pollination. In a less than ideal fruit tree setting, I wouldn't rely on possible self fertilization, but that's just me

 

[Stubborn1VT]

Just back from cutting a little firewood and burning a brush pile. I believe that the apples get enough light. The pear definitely doesn't, but I think it might be a lost cause.

I was thinking of grafting in something like dolgo. I don't see the downside. They aren't doing anything now, so I think it's worth a shot. I will cut a couple more trees to get light to the apple that is closest to my food plot and try to do something with that one.

Thanks for the input everyone.

 

[Catscratch]

In a situation like this does someone need to look at bloom times? Can various varieties of apple be timed far enough apart that they don't pollinate each other?

 

[homerj]

In a situation like this does someone need to look at bloom times? Can various varieties of apple be timed far enough apart that they don't pollinate each other?

Yep. That's why many commercial orchards include long blooming ornamental crabs in each row.

 

[Tree Spud]

Yep. That's why many commercial orchards include long blooming ornamental crabs in each row.

Chesnut crabs have a longer bloom time. That's why I plant one with every apple tree grouping that I plant.

 

[bigboreblr]

Got some pics of the tree? What size is the base? Pics of major branches would be good too. I will be doing my 1st topworking this year. Younger stuff though.

Thinking you shouldn't do stuff much larger than a coke can in size. You also shouldn't loose too much of a mature tree. Do a few major branches each or every other year. Wide bloom time or similar bloom times. I like to stick to bloom group 3 or 4 in general, but made an exception to liberty because it was such a good tree. Liberty is bloom group 2.

Dolgo, kerr, or chestnut would be easy to get from someone on here. could even put some liberty on there if you'd like. I am topworking my golden delicious because I don't want to deal with CAR if possible. I also cn't shoot deer in any spot in my backyard. Where golden delicous is a prime spot where deer show up and a safe place to shoot as well. However, golden delicious is a common tree planted in orchards to help other trees bloom.

From what I know upper branches are better for topworking than lower. You also need to time this well. You want to do this right before the tree wakes up. Put it on there too early and hte scions die up and die, and cold damage is a factor too. Lower branches don't grow as vigorously. However, Those sap suckers can be used to "park" scions for a year. or two. Got ides of march, AWHO, and dabinet parked on a tree or two.

Got a nice n sharp handsaw? Also need some grafting tape and something to seal and cap off the cut branch with. toilet bowl wax rings are commnonly used. Some folks have used latex paint too.

An orchard ladder is a great buy to get. Much safer than a regular ladder. If using a regular ladder tie it off hald way up and toards the top too. Use a good sized piece of wood to level the laddrer too.

 

[rocksnstumps]

From what I know upper branches are better for topworking than lower. You also need to time this well. You want to do this right before the tree wakes up.

Depends on what kind of graft you want to do. For grafting on the larger branches I do a bark graft. They claim and worked for me the best time is right AFTER the tree wakes up and other branches have leaves the size of "mouse ears". Means pushing a lot of sap right away.

But yes many other grafts they claim remaining dormant for a time to allow some graft healing/bridging is best. That's small branch stuff tho.

 

[ruskbucks]

I would give grafting a shot. I would also try planting a crab and another pear nearby to see if that would pollinate them. I think I had the same thing happening on my land with wild apples. I had no fruit and didn't even know I had wild apples trees. I had my land 20 years, 10 years ago I started planting some dolgo and then every year since a few more apples,pear, and crabs. I'm not sure what happened I think it was a combination of sunlight from tsi, and possibly the crabs and apples now pollinating the wild trees, but the wild apple/ crabs are popping up all over and they are really producing the fruit. Doing way better than my grafted trees.