Crab Apple Question

[volsfan1976]

So i am wanting to get some crab apples to plant on my property. I have already planted 8 apple, 2 pear, and 7 chestnut trees. No sure on what kind of crab apples would be the best. It seems there are lots of different kinds of crab apples to pick from, but of course i want some that bear fruit that hopefully deer will eat. Blue hill nursery seems to have a bigger variety to choose from so i may try to get some from there. My big question is, all that i have seen say they will ship out in the spring. If i go that route and get them in the spring, would it be best to plant them then, or should i keep them at home and baby them and plant them say next winter. i planted the apples and pear in the spring but kept the chestnuts at home and planted them last fall/winter. Cant really tell much difference but i do know i was delivering water about every 2 weeks to the apples and pears all spring and summer long. Also if anyone has any input on what seems to be some of the better varieties for deer, any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks all.

 

[skipperbrown]

If you have a forester, give him a call. If you don't, you should think about hiring one. They can give you a referral to the nurseries in the McMinnville area for wholesale pricing which is close to you. I hired one to help me with my greenbelt exemption. It was $200 for a tour and report. He gave me a ton of advice and got me a 66% discount on my trees over what Lowes was selling them for (green giants). I broke even on his fees with the first 10 trees.

 

[Bucket]

If you have a forester, give him a call. If you don't, you should think about hiring one. They can give you a referral to the nurseries in the McMinnville area for wholesale pricing which is close to you. I hired one to help me with my greenbelt exemption. It was $200 for a tour and report. He gave me a ton of advice and got me a 66% discount on my trees over what Lowes was selling them for (green giants). I broke even on his fees with the first 10 trees.

Care to share who you used?

 

[backyardtndeer]

I bought a "Granny Smith" apple tree from Lowes not long after we moved onto our property, one of the first trees i planted here. When it started producing we figured out pretty quick that it was crabapples. Over 25 years later it's still here. I wish i knew what kind of crabapple it is, it produces heavy every year. Before the cwd crap started and well before season opened I had in the past shook the fruit into the tractor bucket and dumped it in front of one of my cameras. Got loads of wildlife in to eat them. Red and grey fox were surprises.

 

[skipperbrown]

I used Paul Ensminger out of Delano, 423.506.3543. I pulled his invoice to get the number. The correct charge was $225 3 years ago. Your county property appraiser will have a list of approved foresters they accept reports from if he doesn't want to make the trip. Paul also has a program, or did, where he takes orders in the fall for bare root semi dwarf fruit trees (he only recommends semi dwarf fruit trees for ease of management) and he delivers them in/about Feb/Mar. It was about $8-9 a tree. I bought a bunch 2 years ago and the deer destroyed all but 2.

If you aren't in the greenbelt program and qualify, you owe it to yourself to apply.

 

[volsfan1976]

I did get a forester to write up a management plan and got my land in greenbelt. I will see if i can get a referral from him. Thank you.

 

[skipperbrown]

Did you apply for sales tax exemption?

 

[volsfan1976]

Yep. I got it

 

[spur necklace 3]

Heads up on blue hill, they sell out of almost everything within 24 hours. Went on sale September 26 this year I believe and some varieties were sold out within hours. I got lucky and was still awake when I got a notification and got most of what I wanted. Wildlife group also has a few varieties of crabs that should work, as well as northern whitetail crabs.

 

[spur necklace 3]

I plant all of mine from January to March. Watering first year trees is just part of the process no matter when you plant. As far as variety, totally depends on when you want them to drop.

 

[MickThompson]

I bought a "Granny Smith" apple tree from Lowes not long after we moved onto our property, one of the first trees i planted here. When it started producing we figured out pretty quick that it was crabapples. Over 25 years later it's still here. I wish i knew what kind of crabapple it is, it produces heavy every year. Before the cwd crap started and well before season opened I had in the past shook the fruit into the tractor bucket and dumped it in front of one of my cameras. Got loads of wildlife in to eat them. Red and grey fox were surprises.

The top probably died. Crabapples are pretty common as rootstock for grafting.

 

[TNlandowner]

I read Dolgo crabapple trees are great for wildlife and for pollination of apple trees.
I bought two Dolgo crabapple trees from a guy at the Carroll County Farmer's Market. They grew well, but are not Dolgo crab apple trees. They produce thousands of small marble size crab apples that do not drop from the tree until new leaves grow in the spring.

 

[mike243]

Stupid ? I am sure but why plant a crab apple vs a full size apple ?

 

[volsfan1976]

Stupid ? I am sure but why plant a crab apple vs a full size apple ?

It is just a thought. I already have 8 regular apple trees so I thought I would do it for more variety and to help with pollination. Some I have looked at seemed to have different drop times even later than my other trees and may produce even sooner.

 

[mike243]

Thanks for the response, I have ate / tried a lot of crab apples from here to all over Michigan as a kid and most of the smaller ones were not worth eating, others had a very good flavor and texture, no idea what kind they were as all were wild. It's funny that all apples don't ripen the same but there is a time difference, I always wondered if a deer would prefer a crab apple over a regular due to 1 bite vs having to break up the bigger apple.

 

[Shooter77]

Stupid ? I am sure but why plant a crab apple vs a full size apple ?

My understanding from what I've read is that a crab apple helps with pollination of a regular apple trees.

 

[mbader5]

I have planted hundreds of apple/crab apple trees for deer. I've only planted in the fall/winter once or twice. Spring works fine, just water generously when you plant. Very rarely would I water after - only if it was incredibly dry. The benefit to crab apples, as I understand it, is they are pretty easy to care for and don't require pruning like a regular apple tree does. Used to plant apple trees for deer but switched to crabapples for many reasons, including the fact that they are prolific pollinators. I moved to East Tennessee from NY this summer, but we had great luck w/ Whitetail Crabs (https://www.whitetailcrabs.com/2022-trees).

 

[Chickenrig]

I have planted hundreds of apple/crab apple trees for deer. I've only planted in the fall/winter once or twice. Spring works fine, just water generously when you plant. Very rarely would I water after - only if it was incredibly dry. The benefit to crab apples, as I understand it, is they are pretty easy to care for and don't require pruning like a regular apple tree does. Used to plant apple trees for deer but switched to crabapples for many reasons, including the fact that they are prolific pollinators. I moved to East Tennessee from NY this summer, but we had great luck w/ Whitetail Crabs (https://www.whitetailcrabs.com/2022-trees).

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