Food Plots Crab Apples
- Thread starter TN1BUCK
- Start date
Kieffer pears have become my favorite soft mast. They are hardy, disease resistant, drought resistant, make plenty fruit, and the fruit matures October through January.
I'm going to try a variety of crabapples again this year. The ones I've tried thus far produce tiny fruit that birds eat but deer ignore.
I'm going to try a variety of crabapples again this year. The ones I've tried thus far produce tiny fruit that birds eat but deer ignore.
spur necklace 3
Well-Known Member
Wildlife group should still have some in stock
backyardtndeer
Well-Known Member
Wish I knew what type crabapple we have in our front yard. I planted the tree over 25 years ago, it produces heavy and deer do like the fruit from it. It was a tree from Lowes that was supposed to be a Granny Smith apple. I would plant a couple of them in my back field by my apple trees if I knew exactly what they were.
Have you tried doing cuttings?
How would you go about that ? I have a huge crab apple in my yard that produces like crazy as well. Deer bed under it and wait for them to drop.
Basically you snip some of the ends off branches and stick them a pot with soil until they establish new roots to be planted as their own tree again. That's over simplifying it but that's it in a nutshell. YouTube has LOTS of tutorials on how to do it. I've done it with maples, plums, pears, red dogwood, etc. but not crabapples yet. I think I'll try it though. Any time you prune a tree you've got all the clippings you need. You can either throw them away or you can try getting them to grow roots. I always at least try. Success rate for me isn't real high but it doesn't cost anything. Heck I took several cuttings of red osier dogwood from a swamp in Wisconsin last year and they're growing in a pot on my front porch and have already bloomed & leafed out. I'll be planting them next week.
How long of branches need to be cut ? Is there a certain time to do it ?
DoubleRidge
Well-Known Member
My dad has a very old pear tree that can't have many years left...I'd love to start some trees from it's clippings....isn't there some powder you can dip the clipping in that is supposed to stimulate root growth?....I've never done it...only read about it....and I've also read to plant double or triple what you hope to get because success rates can be low.
About 12-15 inches ish, and right now is perfect time.
Yeah that's the rooting compound. I've never used it but supposedly it really increases your odds. I think it can be bought at the hardware store. I probably should get some. I prune my trees late winter every year and usually just stick the cuttings right in to the ground. Most die off when summer heat and drought kick up, but almost all of them live until then. Most of the ones I put in pots and water regularly survive to grow roots.
Thanks. I'll give it a go
So how many you going to grow for me??
