Two Crabapple Questions

[Natty Bumppo]

Hey gents…going to try grafting for the first time this spring. I just bought 25 rootstocks on B.118 from Cummins. I am going to focus on scion wood from local wild apples that I have identified on the sides of roads and on my property. Many are late hanging.

There is a place where I cross country ski that has some beautiful late hanging crabapples. My first question is can I graft scion wood from a crabapple to my B.118? Or does crabapple require different rootstock?

Second question…I live in a cold mountainous plateau with heavy spruce and fir and TONS of red squirrels. As it is, these guys seek out and store many of my wild apples. Does anybody have any experience with crabs in areas with high red squirrel pops? I am imagining with the small fruit on a crab losing most of the fruit to squirrels. Just wondering if crabs are worth it?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Turkey Creek]

I can answer your root stock question. Yes you can use B118 and no crabapples dont require a particular root stock.

I have no experience with red squirrels, though depending on snow depth you might be able to put a sleeve of thin sheet metal around your trees to prevent them from climbing. As long as they cant jump from tree to tree that should help you some.

 

[chummer]

I have lots of red squirrels and I don't think I have seen one near the apple trees. I mostly see them in the hemlocks. I could be wrong but I don't think they store food like a gray squirrel.

 

[buckvelvet]

I am in NW MI, I have mostly pine behind my house. However about 5 years ago I had been baiting with crapapples from a wild crab someone let me pick up all the droppings from. I was in my tree stand and had begun to think, 'I haven't seen many deer but I have to bait every 3 days as my pile goes fast'. Well as the sun began to come up I noticed red & green dots in the surrounding pine trees.

The damn squirrels had taken my apples and stashed them in every pine tree around the bait pile. lol.

 

[chummer]

The reds on my property will pull any apples they can get to and store them. It's frustrating watching them clean the last few apples off a tree. At least tgey don't damage them like bear do.

I knew I shot those things for a reason. I will have to pay closer attention. That could be a problem I wasn't aware of because we have tons of reds.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

We have red squirrels, but they seem to focus on hemlock cones. They'll cut & gather hemlock cones into small caches under tree roots, fallen pieces of bark, in tree cavities, hollow logs, etc. They haven't bothered the older small - fruited crabs that we have bearing. That'll prob. change now that I said it !!

 

[JackTerp]

I have a huge old Keifer Pear right outside my back door. In years that our pecans don't have a good crop, the gray squirrels will strip every pear off of the tree. I have popped more than a few but can't make any headway in the population. It is entertaining to see them carrying that huge pear across thin limbs.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

Thanks for the info and observations everybody.

I can answer your root stock question. Yes you can use B118 and no crabapples dont require a particular root stock..

Thanks Turkey Creek.

I have lots of red squirrels and I don't think I have seen one near the apple trees. I mostly see them in the hemlocks. I could be wrong but I don't think they store food like a gray squirrel.

They might not store them in cavities like gray's, but they do pick them from the trees and the ground and kind of move them away and tuck them into little nooks and crannies of trees.

Natty, The one wild crab I have on my property still has some 1" apples on it. The rest of the larger apple trees have been dropped or eaten by critters, grouse, bear, or squirrels.

Sometimes I wonder if apples are even a good investment for me…in regards to time and money. The 50 and 60 year old wild apples I have most of my tree stands in are goldmines for attracting deer when there is a good apple crop. But like you, I have a healthy bear population, and they really do some damage. Three years ago I had a moose wander through and totally defoliate and damage 5 or 6 five year old caged apples that were doing very nicely.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

Natty

I've been thinking of getting a solar efence charger and fence in several good bearing trees. If I can keep the bear out until they hibernate then I'd have a hot spot. Deer can jump the fence too but, it may keep the bear out.

I'm also going all out after the bear this year. I'm getting two bait permits. We will be able to take up to 6 bear. I'd settle for 3.

That sounds good NH Mtns. Not sure what it is about bear, but I just have no desire to shoot one. I'd be happy allowing other hunters to give it a shot on my land. I just couldn't do it.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

I've given them passes for 5 years. They've damaged lots of trees and killed lots of fawns in that time. I hoped the abutters they bait would take out several but, they pass on the sub 200 pounders. I think the smaller ones have been doing the damage so this will be the year that they get thinned. I usually have 10 or more different bear frequenting my property from April through December. I had 6 mature doe on the property and one fawn photo this year. The bear patrol the fawning areas and pick them off. I've had one fawn make it they the fall in 3 years.

That's rough. Good luck with the hunt. I can see why you want to get after them!

 

[Bowsnbucks]

We can't bait for bear here, but it would sure be nice if we could take a bear in archery season. We see lots of them in bow season and maybe we could prevent some damage to planted food sources. They can ruin a lot of hard work and $$$.

 

[Rally1148]

Do crabapples have a dwarfing effect on the rootstock? i.e. will a crab grown on a B.118 be smaller than a normal apple on a B.118?