Whitetail Crab Crossbow
- Thread starter White Oak
- Start date
Derek Reese 29
5 year old buck +
Did you fertilize it or anything? That tree looks great...mine planted last November still look kinda whippish with good leaves and some decent branches starting...
White Oak
5 year old buck +
Thanks , I'm not sure if I should leave those lower limbs sticking out to the left or cut them off. I asked Terry when I first planted them and he suggested leaving them as the branches provide nutrients to the tree when young and will prevent bucks from rubbing the trunk....That's what he said. As far as fertilizer , Not much.... If I remember correctly I gave all my whitetail crabs planted in 2020 some Walmart brand knock off Miracle grow (Miracle grow was recommended by Terry) I followed the recommended time spacing / intervals on the box spring through early July the first year , and also made sure to water them weekly the first year. This spring I threw a couple handfuls of 10-10-10 fertilizer along the outside of the fence once and that was it. I know it made the grass grow around the cage , but not sure if it helped the trees. The WC trees I got in 2020 were bigger than the 2021 trees....but the 21's were still a decent size. We'll see what size trees we both get from WC in spring 23 as we both placed orders.
White Oak
5 year old buck +
If you have room and can afford to roymunson , I would recommend you get two each of whitetail Crabs "top 3 trees" to try.... Droptine , Crossbow and 30-06 . My Droptine had a few fruit the first year !, 30-06 the 2nd year , crossbow fruited the 3 rd year and that crossbow picture was taken yesterday. I'm far from a expert....but in my observation these are the fastest fruiting trees I have ever planted in my soil.
I had fruit on two of my 2020 SLN trees. Not a ton but there were some on All-Winter Hangover and Chestnut crabs. None on winter wildlife.
My 2020 droptine had fruit this year, along w/ Wickson and 30-06. I didn't get crossbow until this year so it'll be a little bit yet but I'm excited to see how that tree does. Droptines are looking good.
White Oak
5 year old buck +
For some reason in 2020 I got 2 Droptines , 2 30-06's and only 1 Crossbow....not sure why I did that. Well it was my first time buying from Whitetail Crabs , so I guess I was being cautious. For spring of 2023 I ordered another Crossbow... 1 Liberty Apple , 2 Enterprise apples, 2 rut rage pears. My 2020 Droptines had a few branches loaded with crabs and were bent over so much I picked the fruit off a few weeks ago , as I thought the branch might break or stay permanently bent like that due to all the weight.
weekender21
5 year old buck +
Same on my place. Fast growing as well. I have a few dolgo from another nursery that fruit every year but they’re tiny trees compared to our NWC’s.
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tlzkaasen
5 year old buck +
I ordered 21 Crab Apples from 3 well regarded venders Turkey Creek, Blue Hill and Whitetail Crabs the in Fall 2021 including 3 of each the variety you have listed above. Received all the trees in Spring 2022. All Caged, fertilized and in the ground the first week/second week of may. All tree's were really alternated as I put them in the ground. A couple trees need to have some competing canopy removed that seem to have stunted their growth. Those 9 trees from WC outgrew the other 12 by at least 24" the first year. I suspect they will all equal out by year 3, but they certainly took off in a hurry. Really looking forward to year 5. My food plots in Northern WI just can't sustain the pressure and really need another food source.
bigboreblr
5 year old buck +
Whiteoak,
It looks like you got a fight for the central leader. Although the smaller one is straight up, I think I'd snip him where a branch comes out sticking out and leave the one with all the crabs on it as the leader of the pack. Also, that lower one has one growing back into the tree, I'd nip that sub branch coming back at the tree.
I've been emailing the guy from whitetail, I should really ask about zone 3. MY camp up north has a band of lake effect snow going through right now. He said his trees are B118 rootstock. I actually dug up 7 of my SLN atny rootstocks to put some faster growing trees at my zone 5 home 1 mile away from the hudson river. I boiught scions from fedco for my anties. The 7 went back into my nursery.
I hve used the walmart miracle grow. I go through 7 or 8 of them each year on my property. I started a comparison with my anties and white spruces, no real difference. Did a comparison of mulch vs no mulch. The mulched looked so much better 1/2 way into this dry summer., I stopped the test and mulched the others.
Here's a writeup of B118
www.cumminsnursery.com
They're sold out of droptine. If you order soon, he still might send them out for fall planting. A few days ago, he said it'll be 2 weeks.
I split an order of Turkey Hill crabapples with my coworkers. I picked up (2) M111 Big dogs. I got a heavy clay a shale spot That goes down towards a swampy area. It is the most secluded area on my part of the family cluster of 3 properties.
It looks like you got a fight for the central leader. Although the smaller one is straight up, I think I'd snip him where a branch comes out sticking out and leave the one with all the crabs on it as the leader of the pack. Also, that lower one has one growing back into the tree, I'd nip that sub branch coming back at the tree.
I've been emailing the guy from whitetail, I should really ask about zone 3. MY camp up north has a band of lake effect snow going through right now. He said his trees are B118 rootstock. I actually dug up 7 of my SLN atny rootstocks to put some faster growing trees at my zone 5 home 1 mile away from the hudson river. I boiught scions from fedco for my anties. The 7 went back into my nursery.
I hve used the walmart miracle grow. I go through 7 or 8 of them each year on my property. I started a comparison with my anties and white spruces, no real difference. Did a comparison of mulch vs no mulch. The mulched looked so much better 1/2 way into this dry summer., I stopped the test and mulched the others.
Here's a writeup of B118
Cummins Nursery
Fruit Trees, Scions, and Rootstocks for Apples, Pears, Cherries, Plums, Peaches, and Nectarines
www.cumminsnursery.com
They're sold out of droptine. If you order soon, he still might send them out for fall planting. A few days ago, he said it'll be 2 weeks.
I split an order of Turkey Hill crabapples with my coworkers. I picked up (2) M111 Big dogs. I got a heavy clay a shale spot That goes down towards a swampy area. It is the most secluded area on my part of the family cluster of 3 properties.
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bigboreblr
5 year old buck +
Atomapple, I'd ask terry about zone 3.
My guess here. I'd pair wolf river with winter wildlife for zone 3. Wolf river is a well known zone 3 variety of apple. However, I believe wolf river needs a polinator. Grey ghost sure looks alot like wild apples I see in various places in NY and in the ADK's. All 3 varieties he calls hardy on his site. He actuallys claims redfield/crab cross is true zone 3, needs a polinator.
Was wondering if you buy a tree that needs a polinator, but wait 2 or 3 years before putting one in. Do you make a larger tree quicker? Nearest apple tree I know of is about a 1/2 mile away at an old loggers encampment.
My guess here. I'd pair wolf river with winter wildlife for zone 3. Wolf river is a well known zone 3 variety of apple. However, I believe wolf river needs a polinator. Grey ghost sure looks alot like wild apples I see in various places in NY and in the ADK's. All 3 varieties he calls hardy on his site. He actuallys claims redfield/crab cross is true zone 3, needs a polinator.
Was wondering if you buy a tree that needs a polinator, but wait 2 or 3 years before putting one in. Do you make a larger tree quicker? Nearest apple tree I know of is about a 1/2 mile away at an old loggers encampment.
AtomApple
5 year old buck +
That’s a good question, I’ve wondered the same thing. If you do not have a pollinator, then you shouldn’t have to pluck buds or fruit to promote wood growth. Seems logical ???
is Wolf River a good deer apple? I have read about it online, giant apples, best for pies. I thought I had also heard some people say deer like smaller apples better???
White Oak
5 year old buck +
Thanks ! I'll take care of that after hunting season....in January or FebruaryWhiteoak,
It looks like you got a fight for the central leader. Although the smaller one is straight up, I think I'd snip him where a branch comes out sticking out and leave the one with all the crabs on it as the leader of the pack. Also, that lower one has one growing back into the tree, I'd nip that sub branch coming back at the tree.
I've been emailing the guy from whitetail, I should really ask about zone 3. MY camp up north has a band of lake effect snow going through right now. He said his trees are B118 rootstock. I actually dug up 7 of my SLN atny rootstocks to put some faster growing trees at my zone 5 home 1 mile away from the hudson river. I boiught scions from fedco for my anties. The 7 went back into my nursery.
I hve used the walmart miracle grow. I go through 7 or 8 of them each year on my property. I started a comparison with my anties and white spruces, no real difference. Did a comparison of mulch vs no mulch. The mulched looked so much better 1/2 way into this dry summer., I stopped the test and mulched the others.
Here's a writeup of B118
Cummins Nursery
Fruit Trees, Scions, and Rootstocks for Apples, Pears, Cherries, Plums, Peaches, and Nectarines
They're sold out of droptine. If you order soon, he still might send them out for fall planting. A few days ago, he said it'll be 2 weeks.
I split an order of Turkey Hill crabapples with my coworkers. I picked up (2) M111 Big dogs. I got a heavy clay a shale spot That goes down towards a swampy area. It is the most secluded area on my part of the family cluster of 3 properties.
