The Sandbox

[sandbur]

The above trees are in a group exclosure which also has some farmstead plums in it. This is the first year I have seen actual fruit on the plum trees. This was planted in the spring of 2009. Apple seed collected fall of 2007. apple trees were grown in recycled root trappers.

 

[sandbur]

Seedlings from a fall 2008 seed collection from a wild crab apple tree. Trees were planted in this location in 2010.

 

[sandbur]

Art- How many pounds of crab apples do you think your trees produce each year? That yellow dog is LOADED!

They pretty much produce every other year with heavy crops. If I prune and fertilize, I get a few apples on the off years.

I think the bad winter of 2013-2014 froze off many fruit spurs and we got a heavy crop this year as a result.
No idea how many pounds of crab apples.

Morse bunches have quite a few apples, but they suffered some winter damage. Chestnut crabs are doing well for fruit.

This is the off year for my grafted dolgos.

After the bad winter of 2013 and 2014, dolgo grafts still had lots of apples during that summer. A Little Falls, Mn. orchard owner told me that Norland also produced fruit after that bad winter. I think both trees are zone 2 rated. Maybe a lesson to learn here. I think I could get some scion from him.

I also have a client who has lodi and he says he will hold some scion in the winter/spring.His comment on Lodi is that it can be green one day and all on the ground the next day. He said they make great apple sauce. They were done dropping about two weeks ago in the Paynesville area.

 

[foggy]

great apples and pics 'burr.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

Great looking trees. You should have some heavy deer in your neighborhood with the tons of fruit produced from your trees.

You mentioned you also planted some plums. Do the deer like them or do you use them yourself? I planted a couple plums from SLN by my house 2 years ago and have been getting good growth and even got my first plum this year. It was about the size of a tennis ball, but I waited too long and it cracked and the bugs got in it. I'm not sure if they'll always be that big or if it was just oversized because it was the only one on the tree.

 

[sandbur]

The plums I planted run about 1 inch and are similar to a wild plum. They are just from the plum thicket on this old farm. I eat a few, but planted them for the thicket effect.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Bur - With a variety of crabs like you have and the loads on them, you're doing something right !! That Yellow Dog is a monster. Seeing the nice crabs you got from collecting seed gives me the itch to do the same !! Crabs are less headache and I like the smaller sizes ( 1" to 2" ). Great pix of your varieties !!

 

[sandbur]

If you start them from seeds, I would recommend culling out the slower growing half of them and taking better care of the fast growers.

 

[sandbur]

Someone had asked about persistance of some of these crabs. This picture was taken during a March 11, 2014 land tour on my place.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Wow - no deer tracks around that crab to show 'em visiting to clean off those low-hangers. I hope your numbers pick up so you get some winter visitors.

 

[sandbur]

There had been a few old tracks under the snow on that day. The tree is on the edge of my yard.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

About how many crab trees do you have on your place, Bur ??

 

[sandbur]

I counted about 200 plums and crabs a few years ago. Many are not producing or should just be taken out. About 25 are flowering crabs. And I planted about 25 new grafts this spring. Top worked another dozen or so.
Answer is I do not really know! 200 plus or minus 50. Many are just ignored.

 

[sandbur]

Many of those poor doing seedlings I just planted inside a group pen and have done little since. On the site with poorer soil they are just fading away, except for three or four trees that are doing very well. On the better soil, about 3/4 of the seedlings are doing better and I give them slightly more care.
That is why I say, if you go the seedling route, just throw out the slow growers. Expect a few to not have the winter hardiness of their parents and expect a variation in CAR resistance. Survival of the fittest and not much different than what I got by buying from a Michigan wildlife nursery. Actually my hardiness survival is a bit better, as my seed source is from the north. My apple size is just as good as his varieties=variable.

 

[SD51555]

I've gathered that from Oikos as well. They don't have a regular supply of each type I've noticed. I also wish they'd offer better packaging. Their paper pots are not pots. But, they lived anyway.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Bur & Stu - I know who you're talking about in posts #506 & 507. I made the mistake once, but not again. I DID get 2 Hyslop crabs from him that are doing pretty well. The other trees....... ehh.

Thanks for the advice on growing from seed, Bur !!

 

[CrazyEd]

Nice pics art!

 

[chummer]

Great work. You have influenced me, I will be doing 90% crabs going forward. My Kerrs from last year have exploded this year, I am hoping for apples next year. It also goes with my plan of zone 3 trees only from now on.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Chummer - We have 20 newer crabs ( 3 yrs. in ground or newer ) of 11 different varieties and I can say they have no problems. I see no disease probs. and very little bug eating on them. No CAR because we have no junipers ( the alternate host for the disease ) anywhere near us for miles. The " cedars " of CAR are actually in the juniper family. You may have already known that ?? The crabs are a joy to grow. Other than some shaping / training, they're pretty much " set & forget " !!! ( At least in our location ) :)

 

[sandbur]

Chummer - We have 20 newer crabs ( 3 yrs. in ground or newer ) of 11 different varieties and I can say they have no problems. I see no disease probs. and very little bug eating on them. No CAR because we have no junipers ( the alternate host for the disease ) anywhere near us for miles. The " cedars " of CAR are actually in the juniper family. You may have already known that ?? The crabs are a joy to grow. Other than some shaping / training, they're pretty much " set & forget " !!! ( At least in our location ) :)

Could you post a list of the crabs you have planted and any comments on them? Might be a good separate thread for all of us to add to, with comments as to zone hardiness., etc.