The Sandbox

[buckvelvet]

Isn't wolf river a ginormous apple?

 

[buckvelvet]

Wolf River

Prairie Spy

 

[biglakeba$$]

I find it fascinating reading about the world of apples/apple trees on here.

Is so far over my head, but very very interesting stuff.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

The Wolf River I've seen look just like Stu's pic in post # 562. Big, " flatter ", mostly green with darker red striping/blush. I have never seen a Prairie Spy ..... yet. Might have first fruit next year at camp on the P.S. !!!:)

 

[sandbur]

I find it fascinating reading about the world of apples/apple trees on here.

Is so far over my head, but very very interesting stuff.

Mark-do you have any wild apples by your Ottertail County land or even down on the sands by Sherburne Refuge?
This apple is from Benton county.

 

[sandbur]

I found this apple on a tree on public hunting ground. The tree was growing alongside a road and a creek.
View attachment 7325

I stopped and looked at the tree again. It is showing just a bit of CAR on the leaves, bit us along ways from most cedars.

 

[sandbur]

I made a trip to the north country today.
Crazy Ed's method and a wet year has allowed my B118 and chestnut on B118 to put on some growth. Not too bad considering these trees get little care other than occasional waterings.

 

[sandbur]

A tiny waterhole is nearby for watering the trees and the deer.

 

[sandbur]

A bit of green in my tiny foodplots.

 

[sandbur]

I stopped at foggy's on the way back. My efforts are pitiful compared to his work. Good job, Foggy!

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Don't sell yourself short, Bur. Little winding paths in hidden, secure woods settings with fresh greens would be a place a big old veteran buck might favor over a big open space. If those winding paths of yours were here where I hunt ......... I'd be in a tree watching them ALL DAY !!! Secluded, hidden food supply, in cover = a watch for me.

 

[biglakeba$$]

Mark-do you have any wild apples by your Ottertail County land or even down on the sands by Sherburne Refuge?

No wild apple trees on our farm or at home in Big Lake,,,, However, on the OTC place I have about 8 apple trees that I have planted that are doing very well, and 4 of them are producing a lot of apples now. I bet I have planted another 20+ apple trees that have died.
i started with 6 trees several years ago. A couple would die, and I would replace them and even add a couple. I was replacing 1 or 2 a year for 5-6 years. I have about 15 holes dug and cages around each of them, but currently I am at about 8 live and healthy apple trees. I kind of gave up on trying to keep planting. I have spent a LOTTTTT of money on apple trees and struggled.
I had bought trees from a variety of sources; nurseries and big box stores. One thing I did learn on here is the big box stores dont do a good job of getting trees that are hardy to these MN climates.... That surely was one of my downfalls.

I emailed a guy that has a nursery near Ottertail(city) last week. Apparently he may know what he is doing, and maybe I can score on some trees direct from my area.

At home I have no wild apple trees, but I do have 6 that I planted and they are all doing very well. Helps when I can water them when needed. 3 are producing a lot of apples now.

 

[sandbur]

Chestnut crabs are still holding a few apples and they started dropping in early Sept.

 

[sandbur]

I hope the radishes in the foodplots put on half of the growth of those in the garden. These were planted in late July.

 

[sandbur]

Great OM for the garden there Art. I've got some radishes growing on our garden that are only about 3 weeks old and are already bolting?

One of these went to seed as did one rutabaga plant in the garden.

Does bolting mean going to seed?

 

[sandbur]

Chicken manure does wonders on this soil.

 

[sandbur]

Our garden soil here is really good, we got lucky. The wife comments frequently on how much more produce we get in a much smaller area than she used to get on her old garden. I've just got to try and not destroy it by repeated tilling :rolleyes: I think next year I'm going to get a number of straw bales and use newspaper/straw in between the rows. Much better for the soil than tilling to get rid of weeds.

Make sure you cover up any of the articles in those papers that deal with politics. The plants might get depressed! ;)

My neighbor who you have met was just over and said what an excellent growing season we have had. Everything is about two weeks ahead of normal. He says my beans in the foodplot are ready to combine and the corn is starting to dent. He planted it for me.

And he has a pile of chicken manure that I can raid in the spring.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Stu - When my Dad and I had a garden for some 27 years ( that I was involved with it ), we put straw between all our tomato plants - 10 dozen / year! I would place it around all the plants in a continuous blanket about 8" deep, rows and all. It made a nice padded blanket for the tomatoes to lay on ( no staking ) and the soil was TREMENDOUS. When all that straw rotted down and I tilled it in, the soil became loose and " fluffy " and everything grew like mad where we had done that - rotating crops as we did. Straw kept the weeds at bay for the most part too, and moisture in the ground better. We didn't use newspaper, but that's a good idea.

Bur- Chicken manure with straw on top would be great for the OM and fertilizer too. Winning combo IMO. Nice radishes !!

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Paper & straw sound like a good plan. How long until the paper breaks down ?? Thumbs up to keeping Momma happy !!;)

 

[sandbur]

I called them deer trails, but Steve Bartylla calls them sidewalks. Either way they work. All of the deer we saw during firearm season were using the sidewalks.