Wild Apples still holding :)

[Troubles Trees]

I have owned this land for 4 years so I would think I would have noticed apples holding this late before. I found 4 trees holding apples today. All are wild apples that needed some chainsaw work around them to clear out competition, I’m pretty stoked!

 

[Prof.Kent]

I have View attachment 28869owned this land for 4 years so I would think I would have noticed apples holding this late before. I found 4 trees holding apples today. All are wild apples that needed some chainsaw work around them to clear out competition, I’m pretty stoked!
View attachment 28868
View attachment 28870

Wow! What a windfall!
(See what I did there?)

 

[Chainsaw]

Looks like a great find. Is the ground under the trees telling you it has been visited regularly all winter?

 

[Oaknut]

Here in N. Michigan I believe that this was an exceptional year for apples holding on late. I have no idea why, though.

 

[Troubles Trees]

Looks like a great find. Is the ground under the trees telling you it has been visited regularly all winter?

Yessir! They all appear to have activity later than the apples surrounding them.
All 4 trees are within 100 yards so I’m assuming they are all from the same parent tree. Or maybe we just had a weird winter and they just hung in there late this year? I’ll certainly be more cognizant of these 4 in seasons to come. If the same thing happens next winter I will top graft more with those scions.

 

[Troubles Trees]

Here in N. Michigan I believe that this was an exceptional year for apples holding on late. I have no idea why, though.

Is that not a normal thing? Maybe it was just a weird year and they hung on longer. I’m hoping these are late droppers every year.

 

[Oaknut]

TT,

Yes, it seems to be an unusual year. I have apple trees that are 60 years old that seem to be holding fruit longer this winter than they normally do.

 

[scott44]

Here in N. Michigan I believe that this was an exceptional year for apples holding on late. I have no idea why, though.

Here in central MI I had them holding on later than normal too. This pic is Nov 10th last year and usually these trees are bare by now.

 

[SwampCat]

How do you guys keep squirrels, coons and possums from eating every last apple two days after they are ripe?

 

[sandbur]

How do you guys keep squirrels, coons and possums from eating every last apple two days after they are ripe?

Have more apples than squirrels, coons, and possums can eat?

My neighbor raises sweet corn and works hard to control coon numbers.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Chainsaw]

Yessir! They all appear to have activity later than the apples surrounding them.
All 4 trees are within 100 yards so I’m assuming they are all from the same parent tree. Or maybe we just had a weird winter and they just hung in there late this year? I’ll certainly be more cognizant of these 4 in seasons to come. If the same thing happens next winter I will top graft more with those scions.

Troubles Trees, that is super. I have seen years here on this NY property where Apple trees held their fruit later than normal by a couple of weeks but in thirty years here have not seen any more variation than that. There is an excellent chance you have some true later holders there. I don’t doubt what the Michigan landowners are seeing as every property can be different. It will be interesting come Dec. 2020 to see what those trees are doing.

 

[Chainsaw]

How do you guys keep squirrels, coons and possums from eating every last apple two days after they are ripe?

Coons, possum and squirrels are not an issue with apples here. The fur price boom of the eighties cut the coon population way down and since then distemper and maybe some rabies have kept the population in check. Never had a lot of possum and squirrels seem to be satisfied with hickory nuts. Have never had a trail cam pic of squirrels in the apple trees. Like stated it is just not an issue.

 

[Northbound]

I've noticed a few trees still holding here in upper Michigan too. Normally im not up here to much in spring so I'm unsure if it's common or a special year

 

[Troubles Trees]

Troubles Trees, that is super. I have seen years here on this NY property where Apple trees held their fruit later than normal by a couple of weeks but in thirty years here have not seen any more variation than that. There is an excellent chance you have some true later holders there. I don’t doubt what the Michigan landowners are seeing as every property can be different. It will be interesting come Dec. 2020 to see what those trees are doing.

I will surely keep an eye on them in the future and monitor how late they drop. If they do end up being consistantly late droppers like this, you are welcome to come get some scions if you'd like, or I could also mail them. I don't mind sharing this kind of stuff.

 

[Chainsaw]

I will surely keep an eye on them in the future and monitor how late they drop. If they do end up being consistantly late droppers like this, you are welcome to come get some scions if you'd like, or I could also mail them. I don't mind sharing this kind of stuff.

That would be great Troubles Trees; I’d love to see your place in person With all of the various plantings you have done.