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Crab apples?

Daver

Daver

PMA Member
I am on a bit of tree planting kick here lately. I planted 10 chestnuts a couple of weeks ago and will soon be planting 8 more pears.

I have considered tossing a couple of crab apples into the mix, but am curious if I would be better off sticking with more conventional choices or if it would be better to introduce some more "flavor" into the orchard with another tree species.

Thoughts, ideas, comments, (except from Wapsi, that guy is straight up mean to me. :) ) are welcome. TIA.
 
My 2 cents is that they are a great addition. Every crabapple tree I have seen that produces good mast has deer under it regularly. And it does not matter if it is in a food plot scenario or in a person's front yard. The thing I like best is they seem to drop over a long period of time and the fruit does not rot fast, so if they deer don't eat it all they are still coming back digging some up after it snows.
 
First off I am not an apple tree expert. I plant 3-10 per year, but not an orchard type guy or anything....I personally like Chestnut Crab. Very hardy and produces apples fairly quick.
 
I think diversity is key - so I vote plant em! Seems like in today's world there's always a new pest or disease coming and if you've got variety, then you've got insurance your whole orchard won't be wiped out by whatever is next. Plus deer love any apple right?
 
Nightvision said:
Not sure about up there but down here in the south it’s hard to beat a persimmon.
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My understanding is that persimmons might be the most favored of all fruit mast trees by deer. But...I planted a bunch of them once upon a time and lost them all in subsequent droughts and then never replanted. It is also true though that I didn't have a water source to rely on then at my farm then and now I do.

So I think I will try persimmons again, soon, perhaps next Spring. Thanks.
 
Well, you got me to thinking. Last time I pressed some apple cider and did some reading, I saw that it is fairly common to add Crab Apples to the press for their tannins. I figured that there are certain crab apple tree varieties that are preferred, so did a search: https://www.orangepippintrees.com/a...rican hard cider,Crab or Hewe's Virginia Crab.

Why not kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. Plant a crab apple that feeds wildlife and is good for cider. You might not every make cider, but you know someone that does. ;)
 
Daver said:
I am on a bit of tree planting kick here lately.

Thoughts, ideas, comments from Wapsi are very much appreciated and highly valued.
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Any food source tree is great, as long as it doesn't feed the swamp rats. Critters like this are nearly impossible to get rid of.




Daver 1.jpg
 
Dolgo crab is solid, grows well here, desirable & easy to care for. The suggestions above look great too. Agree to do diversity - plant some of each.

On persimmon- they are fussy to transplant. If grown in tube & get them through year 1…. They grow fast. I’d just plan on a decent amount dying & mulch or water during drought year 1 & maybe year 2. Grafted will guarantee fruit & seedlings is roll of dice with male & female. I grew mine from seed, did lose some but the survivors are probably 8-10’ tall after 3-4 years & tubes helped the growth a lot.

Last- we’ve been eating lot of pear. So good!!!!! I have my personal favorites to eat but to grow for deer …. Kieffer continues to be my favorite by a long shot.

Great crab disease resistance (rust, mildew, scab, etc) with these 4…..

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I’m 2 years into a 6 acre tree planting project that consists mostly of bedding/thermal cover trees but I’m also going to try to establish an orchard. I recently came across this site on another habitat forum and the owner is very well respected / highly recommended. I have several varieties of apples, crabapples, pears and persimmons on order for next spring. No personal experience yet with these trees but figured I’d pass it along before he sells out. https://bluehillwildlifenursery.com/


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