JERRED GRACEY
5 year old buck +
If you could only plant one apple tree. Or crab apple. What would it be and why
For deer, I have found that Liberty is the best apple for me. Highly disease resistant, annual bearer, heavy cropper, bears at an early age and is very dependable. The tree is easy to manage with good shape and crotch angles. The apples ripen in late September/early October and slowly fall through mid December most years. Although some other varieties may be rated higher for personal consumption, I have found Liberties to be slightly tart and crisp, also good for pies and sauce, a good all around apple.
I should have stated. What apple is your favorite. And you have had the best luck with. I know the goal is to plant a ton of variety.
There is no such thing as 1 go to apple lol. I can't answer that but I think it would be Honeycrisp because they are sooooo tasty and the deer won't spit them out either
The problem you are referring to is bitter pit. Apples such as Honeycrisp, Cortland, Northern Spy and others are susceptible to it. Excessive tree vigor (because shoots compete with fruit for calcium) due to low apple years, are the years in which it shows up. It's easily remedied with 3-4 preharvest sprays of calcium. If you are eating them fresh it isn't a big deal but it gets progressively worse with storage. Deer don't care about bitter pit though.what is it with honeycrisp apple that they need some extra nutrients or whatever it is to thrive? I remember reading something about it years ago, but can't remember what it was. Some nutrient or something that they need more so than other varieties. The leaves on ours are really curled and they grow extremely slow, so I think the soil is lacking something that Honeycrisp especially need more so than other varieties. I can easily spot a honeycrisp tree from a distance out of a dozen other varieties simply by noticing this distinction in the leaves.
thanks
Calcium. I am not a believer in HC for a wildlife tree, too many issues.what is it with honeycrisp apple that they need some extra nutrients or whatever it is to thrive? I remember reading something about it years ago, but can't remember what it was. Some nutrient or something that they need more so than other varieties. The leaves on ours are really curled and they grow extremely slow, so I think the soil is lacking something that Honeycrisp especially need more so than other varieties. I can easily spot a honeycrisp tree from a distance out of a dozen other varieties simply by noticing this distinction in the leaves.
thanks
Native Hunter, My camp is located in Cattaragus County, NY. We usually get our first frost in Late Sept/early Oct.What area of the country are you in? I like Liberty too, but it drops earlier for me.
Native Hunter, My camp is located in Cattaragus County, NY. We usually get our first frost in Late Sept/early Oct.