The Sandbox

[sandbur]

Some chestnut crabs had some winter injury, but this old tree still produces.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

You're making me jealous, Bur. And antsy. The only crabs we have bearing ( as yet ) are un-named varieties that only get about 5/8" in dia. and some smaller ones that are 3/8" that grouse & birds love. Seeing those chestnut crabs, the Dolgo-type, and bunches red makes me anxious to see our other grafted crabs start producing( maybe some firsts next year? ). Next spring will be 3 yrs. for six of them. Our Dolgo & All-Winter-Hangover crabs & Enterprise apples are the growth leaders for my camp. Do you throw any fertilizer around yours?

 

[Native Hunter]

Those crabapples are awesome, and I love the cover around the plots.

 

[sandbur]

Rootstock you were told was antonovka (if it is indeed the rootstock bearing) is definitely not antonovka. Columbia crab?

If it's Colombia crab, it does not resemble the "garden carb" that you and I have looked at.

The apple arrangement along the limb seems different than what I see on grafted dolgos.

I did find a dolgo seedling with apples today. I started it from seed and one of my buddies also has one with apples this year.

 

[sandbur]

You're making me jealous, Bur. And antsy. The only crabs we have bearing ( as yet ) are un-named varieties that only get about 5/8" in dia. and some smaller ones that are 3/8" that grouse & birds love. Seeing those chestnut crabs, the Dolgo-type, and bunches red makes me anxious to see our other grafted crabs start producing( maybe some firsts next year? ). Next spring will be 3 yrs. for six of them. Our Dolgo & All-Winter-Hangover crabs & Enterprise apples are the growth leaders for my camp. Do you throw any fertilizer around yours?

A few fruit tree spikes or a spade of chicken manure bedding and a bit of pel lime.

I think those dolgo types got nothing this year.

You would not be so jealous if you saw some of my other crabs. Winter and car has hit some trees hard.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Sorry to hear about the CAR problems. I guess weather-wise we all have to play the cards that are dealt us. Hopefully this coming winter will not be as long or harsh.

 

[sandbur]

Recent winds and rain have put some of last years corn down. There is still corn in the foodplot after two years and lots of volunteer red clover.

 

[sandbur]

Willows, reed canary, red clover and corn. Cover and feed.




What more could you ask for, except for a few more deer!

 

[sandbur]

I prepared some spots for spring planting of apple trees.



There is a bit of pel lime added to the soil.

 

[sandbur]

Indian grass that was fro st seeded about 3 or 4 years ago.

 

[sandbur]

Morse bunches.
Also on apple thread.

 

[sandbur]

MDHA seed corn ,but the stand is very thin after repeated floodings.

 

[sandbur]

Broadcast turnips and rye might save the day.
So far the deer are not using either.

 

[sandbur]

The monarch migration is underway. I do not see the hundreds or even thousands that I did see about 15 years ago.

 

[sandbur]

These beans were planted with too much corn in the mix. Yup, we cleaned out the planter after foodplotting.

The corn acted as a frost blanket and protected the beans from a few frosts and also protected them from browse pressure.

 

[sandbur]

Dig down and you find the beans with the only browsing being along the edges.

 

[wklman]

How did you plant the corn and beans together sandbur? With a planter or spread then disced in?

 

[sandbur]

How did you plant the corn and beans together sandbur? With a planter or spread then disced in?

My neighbor is a dairyman and he planted the foodplot to begin with. We put beans in two rows of the corn planter.

when he finished his and my foodplots, he gave me a bucket of left over seed.

Where the foodplot had flooded out, I went in with a garden tiller, then broadcast the leftover seeds mixed with a part bag of beans. After broadcast, either rake, or very lightly till it.

These are just tiny sweet spots. Many years ago, Steve Bartylla told me that late (July) planted beans can be great for early bow season if it does not freeze hard first.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Bur - I did the same thing at our camp for the last few weeks to get ready for spring apple & crab planting. I sprayed twice w/gly, but no lime yet. How much lime do you put down in a 4 to 5 ft. browned-out spot? One time enough or do you add more lime later?

 

[sandbur]

Bur - I did the same thing at our camp for the last few weeks to get ready for spring apple & crab planting. I sprayed twice w/gly, but no lime yet. How much lime do you put down in a 4 to 5 ft. browned-out spot? One time enough or do you add more lime later?[/QUOTE

The correct answer should be to soil test and request information for fruit trees or apple trees. Apply lime, wait a few years and retest.

Through the years I have tested pH on many different soils on my property.
I add two or three handfuls of pel lime to the area of about 18 inches across that I dig up and then scatter a few handfuls around the perimeter. Not scientific at all.
I do add some lime every year or every other year as our soils is light to medium and pH naturally runs a bit low. when I use fruit tree spikes, I sometimes put a handful of pel lime on top of the spike in the hole.

Most of my apples are crab apples and perhaps pH is not that critical. Just guessing????