Whitetail Crabs 2026

[RGrizzzz]

Are you guys doing an initial heading cut on the trees when you plant them or just letting them grow first year as you get them?

No heading cuts for me. I will trim low laterals if they have them

 

[TonySoprano]

Are you guys doing an initial heading cut on the trees when you plant them or just letting them grow first year as you get them?

I plant mine as I receive them .

 

[bigboreblr]

Are you guys doing an initial heading cut on the trees when you plant them or just letting them grow first year as you get them?

Some folks do some folks don't. I sort do in the middle. Get the lowest leader as high up as possible. I order less bareroots than I used to, but try hard to get the latterals at 4ft. There one or two guys on here they'll hack their bareroots hard. Make a 4ft whip. Trees still come out ok. I got alot of trees I did not remove all the latterals below 4ft I wish I did. I prune them the next year and I got ring ifinger sized branch cuts.

I was going to prune my 4 bareroots this year, but I pretty much got them as 4ft whips anyways. One or two thin 6 inch latterals that high. 3 franklin ciders on b118 and a liberty on m111.

3 years ago, I had my nursery cage blown down. I had rabbits nibble rootstocks right down to the stump. They all came back. Seen enough reason to prune them right when you get them. I also spray them with copper when I plant. I had an enterprise on m111 I put in a grow pot and put my window. 2 weeks later had brown aphids eating the leaves.

I had a few with mouse ears over the years, they all did fine. Forgot my plant date last year, but it was way earlier. In the aidrondacks frost during memorial day weekend is not a rare event. All winter hangover comes realy early as well as winter wildlife. Had mouse ears on 2 or 3 of those. Probably planted april 15th or so . Average last frost free date is around may 15th up there.

Dont quote me here, but frost isn't as bad as you think. Buds / flowers is 28 degrees and leaves are like 24 or 25 degrees before getting damaged. Seen young leaves all get wrecked on a young kerr, and the tree grew some back.

 

[TenPoint]

We’ve got 18 for a low Monday night.

I hardly ever prune mine. Just plant as is. I broke the tip on one so I trimmed it but that was it.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Of all the ones we planted at camp, the nursery trees that were feathered (had branches) I left alone - planted as is. The whips (no branches), I cut those whips back about 8" to force branching - IF they hadn't already cut the leader back at the nursery before shipping.

 

[Brian662]

Fwiw, Terry got back to me today and here was his response -


Hey Brian...yes I would knip the top so it wants to push out yhe buds a foot or more below the cut...that would be great...some guys are looking to just push it high to get out of browse height...but lower limbs are great if u can do it. Thanks!!

 

[Derek Reese 29]

Rut Rage Pear planted in the fall of 2022 pushing some good blossoms and Hewes Crab planted Fall 2023 is loaded!

 

[gunfun13]

Rut Rage Pear planted in the fall of 2022 pushing some good blossoms and Hewes Crab planted Fall 2023 is loaded!
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Glad to see someone else with modest tree growth. I know I have poorer soil and I don't water, but it's a little frustrating to me when I see guys post up thier 2 and 3 year old trees that are the size of my 5 and 6.

 

[Derek Reese 29]

Glad to see someone else with modest tree growth. I know I have poorer soil and I don't water, but it's a little frustrating to me when I see guys post up thier 2 and 3 year old trees that are the size of my 5 and 6.

yeah those two are some of the slower growing ones for me for sure...but if they get fruit by year 3 or so I'm usually ok with it..they are on a south facing slope that used to be a hay field so in my mind they should all be 20' tall by year 3 haha

 

[Hoytvectrix]

Glad to see someone else with modest tree growth. I know I have poorer soil and I don't water, but it's a little frustrating to me when I see guys post up thier 2 and 3 year old trees that are the size of my 5 and 6.

Whether it is foodplots, bucks, or fish, you are seeing the highlight reels of everyone else and likely the best representation of something they have. I have all kinds of 30-06 that are only 5 feet tall that were planted 5 years ago. I also have a few 5 year old 30-06 that are 12 feet tall and loaded with fruit each year.

 

[Derek Reese 29]

Whether it is foodplots, bucks, or fish, you are seeing the highlight reels of everyone else and likely the best representation of something they have. I have all kinds of 30-06 that are only 5 feet tall that were planted 5 years ago. I also have a few 5 year old 30-06 that are 12 feet tall and loaded with fruit each year.

my brother and I call that the "food plot/fruit tree magazine cover effect"...if the brassicas aren't 4.5 feet tall and lush we did something wrong!

 

[bigboreblr]

I got 2 home depot special pears from 2023 that look worse than derek's. I bought a few onfx87 rootstocks I put olympic on to replace them f they don't produce.

You think these trees are runts? Or in bad soil spots? I have dug up 2 or 3 that weren't producers. I got a winter wildlife starting on year 3 from grafting only 3ft tall on m111. Last year's violi's got almost 2 more feet on it on m111. Got 2 cosmics I grafted last year that look better than a sweet 16 I bought.

Got a semi runt cranberry on b118 I might graft on m111 and replace.

I have a arkansas black on stark mystery rootstock that was too wobbly. Gave it to a coworker 2 weeks ago. He didn't ask what type it as. Bought an arkansas black from home depot the week after.......

Terry tell you guys what roots wee on his trees?

 

[RGrizzzz]

My death wish were on full size root stock. I think he said dolgo.

 

[Derek Reese 29]

I got 2 home depot special pears from 2023 that look worse than derek's. I bought a few onfx87 rootstocks I put olympic on to replace them f they don't produce.

You think these trees are runts? Or in bad soil spots? I have dug up 2 or 3 that weren't producers. I got a winter wildlife starting on year 3 from grafting only 3ft tall on m111. Last year's violi's got almost 2 more feet on it on m111. Got 2 cosmics I grafted last year that look better than a sweet 16 I bought.

Got a semi runt cranberry on b118 I might graft on m111 and replace.

I have a arkansas black on stark mystery rootstock that was too wobbly. Gave it to a coworker 2 weeks ago. He didn't ask what type it as. Bought an arkansas black from home depot the week after.......

Terry tell you guys what roots wee on his trees?

I really think that tree just needed more time..almost like a two year sleep then last year creep and hopefully this year leap…(and produce some fruit..)