The Sandbox

Both pears are rated zone 4 in the above post.IMG_8690.JPG
Black ice plum-rated zone 4.

I have an alderman plum planted in a slightly more protected location and it is doing fine.
 
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About 1/3 of my zone 4 plantings seem to be showing some winter damage. Bill's firecracker crab, Zone 4, appears fine.
 
One of the Morse Bunches red crabs seemed to die back to snow level and a few others show tip die back. Morse oaks are the same.
 
First attempts at grafting...

Hazen
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Centennial crab..
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Chestnut crab on right and probable failed graft on left on B118.IMG_8692.JPG
 
Those pics do look like fireblight and tip die back from winter to me. I lost a zone 4 pear this winter and temps here didn't exceed zone 4 lows...I'm thinking fall drought going into winter has something to do with it

Your firecracker crab looks much better than mine


Drought might be part of it. I do not usually water my trees after 3rd leaf.
It still seems like I ran a few degrees colder than you on many mornings and the maps tend to show me closer to zone 3.
 
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I made a quick trip to the northland and tore up part of my tiny clover plots in the woods.

Before pictures.
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After pictures with my " high tech" equipment. I added some chicken manure, pel lime, a bit of fertilizer, and turnip seed.

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I left half of the clover stand.

Soil moisture was just slight excess for planting. I did not roundup the area and might regret it.

Woodticks and deer ticks were terrible! Deer flies are starting, so wood ticks should taper off.
 
Nice lookin in deed sanbox. Yeh I'm in W MI on sandy land and the heat is here now and I always have problem w/ horse flies. They swam like crazy and they hurt something fierce when they bite. Working in the garden on Sunday I got whacked by one, so yep all those pests are now out until it cools again in October.
 
We have had deer flies thick for 3 weeks. I thought it was early, they were out before the black flies were gone.
 
Bowsnbucks asked about my crab apples in another thread.

Bunches red have held
IMG_7777 bunches red.jpg their apples the latest, but suffer some die back during some winters on the zone 3-4 border.
 
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IMG_7456 chestnut crab.jpg
Chestnut crab is one of my favorites and ripens in early to late Sept. It ripens over about a 3 week period.
 
Dolgo drop about Labor day for me. IMG_7294 2.jpg


They have a short drop time as compared to chestnut crab. They also drop ahead of chestnut crab.
 
Here is a late dropping yellow crab grown from seed-thanks to Grandma-in-law! They hold crab apples into Dec. and even later this winter.

IMG_7345 yellow dog.jpg
 
Thanks for posting pix, Bur. Looks like the Chestnuts, Dolgos, & yellow Grandma's crabs are good producers. Are the yellow ones good "eaters "?
 
Thanks for posting pix, Bur. Looks like the Chestnuts, Dolgos, & yellow Grandma's crabs are good producers. Are the yellow ones good "eaters "?
Nope!
 
IMG_7190 seedling yellow.jpg Here is another yellow crab that I grew from seed. It drops early and is OK for eating.

George _I have pruned this tree since this picture was taken, thanks to your advice!
 

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Was that dolgo seed raised or grafted?
That dolgo in the picture is grafted and on antonovka. Across the ditch where we jumped that buck a few years ago. I wish it were closer to the house for easier picking. But I do have another grafted dolgo by the house.

None of my seedling dolgos or purchased dolgo seedlings from the SWCD have produced yet. I imagine it will not be too many more years until they do produce.
 
Here is an old picture of the root ball of my swamp crab that blew over but kept growing.

Stu is correct. I need more of these for rootstock. It grows fast in wet conditions.IMG_7281 2.jpg
 
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