Lee PrecisionTitan ReloadingMidSouth Shooters SupplyRotoMetals2
WidenersReloading EverythingRepackboxLoad Data
Inline Fabrication
Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast
Results 21 to 40 of 55

Thread: I could use some honey crisp apple scions

  1. #21
    Moderator Emeritus


    MrWolf's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    NE West Virginia
    Posts
    4,853
    I actually live outside of Paw Paw, named for the fruit. Supposedly prevalent here but haven't seen any myself.

  2. #22
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Monterey Tennessee
    Posts
    2,030
    Quote Originally Posted by Tripplebeards View Post
    Since there is no fruit growth on my apple tree the last two years accept for the one green colored apple on one of my grafts this year it’s been growing like a weed and I haven’t pruned it at all trying to get some good growth on it.
    Allowing it to grow wild will actually decrease the production of fruit. Fruit trees need a serious pruning every year. Any branch growing straight up, straight out or down should be removed. Seems counter productive to remove so many branches but it really does work.
    East Tennessee

  3. #23
    Boolit Grand Master

    Wayne Smith's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Hampton Roads, Virginia
    Posts
    13,617
    Except for figs - I understand that they don't like fertilization or pruning. I simply cut off those limbs that get in the way.
    Congratulations on learning to graft! It is not easy.
    Wayne the Shrink

    There is no 'right' that requires me to work for you or you to work for me!

  4. #24
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    5,513
    Quote Originally Posted by snowwolfe View Post
    Allowing it to grow wild will actually decrease the production of fruit. Fruit trees need a serious pruning every year. Any branch growing straight up, straight out or down should be removed. Seems counter productive to remove so many branches but it really does work.

    I use to believe that until my dad stopped pruning his apple trees 10 plus years ago. He got WAY more bumper crops of apples every year since he stopped compared to when he pruned. I pruned a couple of his trees two years ago. Very sparingly...by the book...and both trees went from bumper crops to literally refusing to put out hardly any apples till this year. The other tree I left alone not pruning pushed more apples out than we and our neighbors could use.

    I will still prune mine because I like to train the shape of my tree but I think it doesn’t help apple production imo other than getting some breathing holes in the trees and training and customizing the shape of your tree to put out on branches convent to pick apples off of without using a ladder.

    There’s an apple tree out by my old place of employment that has NEVER been pruned since planted in 79’ it’s gotta be 40’ plus feet tall and puts out apples like no ones business. It’s next to the highway so people bring homemade apple pickers every year so snag the apples off of it.lol



    I will continue to prune mine every year accept for this past winter. I just won’t get carried away butchering my trees like I’ve done in the past. Imo pruning probably works well for an old, established apple tree to cut back on new growth so all of it energy goes to growing fruit. My tree trunk is not 3.5” yet so it has learn how to walk before it runs. I’ve pruned it every year since year one but up until two years ago it really hasn’t grown up until the last two seasons. I’ll give it a good shape this winter.
    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 07-28-2019 at 07:56 PM.

  5. #25
    Moderator


    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Way up in the Cascades
    Posts
    8,082
    The problem here is that, living where you do, as the branches get longer the snow will break them off. They will break in places where you might not have pruned them, and you may introduce disease and insects to the tree.

  6. #26
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    5,513
    Makes sense

  7. #27
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Monterey Tennessee
    Posts
    2,030
    Quote Originally Posted by Der Gebirgsjager View Post
    The problem here is that, living where you do, as the branches get longer the snow will break them off. They will break in places where you might not have pruned them, and you may introduce disease and insects to the tree.
    Its not just snow you have to worry about. A lady up the street had a apple tree that was never pruned and packed with fruit. Tree must of been at least 25 years old. Last summer one of the main branches snapped off due to the weight of the fruit and this summer the other side collapsed. Tree is no more, sad.
    East Tennessee

  8. #28
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    5,513
    Getting to the end of season. My only apple that grew on the whole tree was on a golden delicious scion I grafted to it three seasons ago. It produced five apples but all fell off accept for this one. I put a plastic bag around it to protect it from disease and squirrels. I still have some spotting on it that started before I put the bag on it when the apple was the size of a dime. All the flower buds on the original part of the tree never produced apples. I would assume next year will be my first year.




    Here are the two grafts. They are still holding in there and scabbed over quite well. I’ll have to prune my tree during the winter months when I can better see the shape with the leaves off of it.






    ...so 10 plus year old tree I started from a seed and ONE apple so far...from a graft. Stay tuned!

  9. #29
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    5,513
    Well it’s that time of year! I took everyone’s advice and started some pruning even though it’s too early yet. I removed the main beam branch that was approx an 1” in diameter and towered a good 4’ above my two “u” shaped” honey crisp grafts along with removing all the little shoots coming out below my grafts. I figured the grafts will get fed better and hopefully grow quicker by removing the main beam above them. I took another good size branch of equal length out of the way that was in front if my golden delicious graft that produced and apple this year giving it room to grow. The tree looks tall and narrow now. I’ll have to grab some string and tie down a few branches to the trunk to spread them out. I ha e limited growing space in my backyard with it anyways so tall and narrow will be great for saving space and yield the most fruit I’m hoping. I’ll leave the rest of tree alone for now and might eventually shorten some of the new, long top growth over the winter once the leaves are off so it’s easier to see the shape.



    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 10-19-2019 at 11:17 AM.

  10. #30
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    5,513
    I just finished pruning to the “main branch” style. I originally pruned this tree to a “cup” style and the biggest branch of the three took over as the main branch so I kinda custom pruned this tree. Looks good and all my grafts fall into a nice open place accept for two. Just going to have to tie them to train the grafts to grow away from the other branches...or eventually keep trimming around them. I have a good air flow and stong “pruned to” main branch system to support apples if I ever get any. It kills me to prune as I took away a good pile of branches from my tree again. I made sure not to cut too low on some of my pruning and not to remove too many buds. Fingers crossed, hope I didn’t jinx myself killing my apple production for next spring. If so the tree will at least get some good air flow. I’m not a big fan of how the other two lower branches grew more straight up instead of a 45 degree angle but no tree is perfect. I should have trained those branches to grow out more. Before I started pruning you couldn’t see through the tree so now I should have some good air flow for apple production. Just hope I don’t remove too much to not get apples this coming spring. The more I look at my tree the more if feel I butched it again.



    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 10-19-2019 at 04:59 PM.

  11. #31
    Boolit Master





    SSGOldfart's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    East Texas
    Posts
    2,163
    Looking good,I tried to cut early one time and almost lost a pecan tree. Best year I have had my two trees have up better than a 55gallon sack of pecans it took two years to recover from my earlier cutting,so I'm wanting for a colder then normal day this time.
    Last edited by SSGOldfart; 10-20-2019 at 01:26 PM. Reason: Small keyboard and large fingers
    I started out with nothing and I still have most of it left.
    Paralyzed Veterans of America

    Looking for a Hensly &Gibbs #258 any thing from a two cavity to a 10cavityI found a new one from a member here

  12. #32
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    5,513
    Found an old photo today dated 02/2013 with either the first or second winter I started my apple trees from seeds.


  13. #33
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    5,513
    Both my honey crisp scions opened and are leafing out Todd gave me. A lesson I learned with pruning this year as I only have four closets of flat group of four flower buds Each in them on the very top of my tree. It’s the ONLY place I have flower buds and didn’t prune. This tree I raised from a see and is now 10/11 years old has never produced an apple yet because I keep pruning the tips of the branches off it every year! Lesson learned...it only took me a decade. No more pruning this tree For a long long time. If I do have to for some reason it will be to remove a complete branch only. Hopefully the couple flower buds I have will actually produce apples this year so I can see what a decade of hard work and babying this tree will produce. Hopefully they don’t turn into crab apples.
    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 05-09-2020 at 09:07 AM.

  14. #34
    Boolit Grand Master

    Wayne Smith's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Hampton Roads, Virginia
    Posts
    13,617
    Have you investigated the spraying schedule for apple production for your area? I believe here it is seven sprays starting with Vlock oil in the winter/early spring. Your state Agricultural Commission will have that information. It is critical to produce good fruit.
    Wayne the Shrink

    There is no 'right' that requires me to work for you or you to work for me!

  15. #35
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    5,513
    My dad has three apple trees in his yard he does absolutely zilch to every year and he has more apples than he knows what do do with. I take totes full out to my land for for deer every year from them. I’m sure the sprays will help kill the bacteria and bugs. Once I actually get some fruit growth I’ll spend money on spraying. The top of the tree that I didn’t prune House all of its flowers opening today. I want to at least find out if it’s going to grow a real Apple or if they’re going to be crabapples since I started this tree from a seed a decade ago and haven’t got an apple from the original part of the tree yet.

  16. #36
    Boolit Master




    bruce drake's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Brownsburg, Indiana
    Posts
    4,231
    I'm on year 3 since I did a major prune on my apples and pears. I'm hoping to have them recover by next year. My apples had some apples last year but my pear trees who produced well their first two years haven't blossomed since.

    I'm planning to run to the no-prune route for the next 5 years if I can get some decent blossom set in the future.

    Bruce
    I Cast my Boolits, Therefore I am Happy.
    Bona Fide member of the Jeff Brown Hunt Club

  17. #37
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    5,513
    Yep, I pruned my pear trees too and the only place I have flowers are on top where I didn’t prune! Exactly the same as my apple tree. I’m in the no pruning mode now. I’ll just remove a crossing branch or two when needed from now on. Imo I’ve lost years of fruit growth from OCD pruning. Lesson learned. Never pruned my peach trees and Asian pear tree for about 3/4 plus years and they all look like huge flower bouquets.

    I’m hoping on the positive side the very few apples that I get will be out of sight and out of mine for the squirrels because they’re so high. And hopefully I’ll find out if they’re actually apples are crabapples after a decade of waiting to see what this tree is going to produce from a seed. In the shape that I have it from years of non stop pruning it should be good for a long time now.

    I know with the grafts I added pruning needed to be done. That way the Growing energy is Concentrated to the new graft with all the undergrowth below it was removed.


    With all the pruning I did on the Apple tree I can see it’s doing nothing but trying to branch out in every direction because of overall pruning I did last winter.

    I never pruned one of My dad’s pear trees I planted for him at the same time I planted mine and It’s solid flowers. I also removed a couple Complete crossing branches from another one I planted for him and it’s solid flowers as well. I pruned all the tips on mine and In the process I cut off all the buds. Lesson learned.
    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 05-12-2020 at 08:44 AM. Reason: Spelling

  18. #38
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    5,513
    Drumroll!!!! It’s been almost 10 years since I planted this little seed and I have six apples finally! I believe this tree started from a Pink lady apple seed. If not it was from a Jazz apple seed. I put zip lock bags over them again when the apples were pea sized to prevent, disease, bugs, and the sweet smell out into the air for bees and squirrels to find...Knock on wood. They were all there yesterday yet when I checked on them. The bright pink color on the apples just arrived in the last couple days when the temps dropped and the rain finally came in. They have been on the smaller size. I’m guessing it’s due to the drought we had this year in WI along with the genetics. It’s been raining non stop for the last four or five days straight. Even though the temps dropped I can tell the apples have gotten bigger from the rain. I will pick one up and see if it easily snaps off from it’s stem to see if it’s ripe. I read that once one falls off the tree it’s a sign that that are ripe. I only have six from the original part of the tree so I don’t want to loose one. I also don’t want to pick one if it’s not ripe and waste it. I also have 2 golden delicious apples growing again from the same graft as last year. Those two apples started a few weeks earlier than the ones on my original part if the tree and are a little larger in diameter. My two grafted honey crisp branches are doing great as well. The leaves on them look extremely different than the rest of my tree. I’m excited to see that I ended up with “real” apples on this tree vs crab apples on one other other apples I started from seed. Hopefully these apples taste great...and I have a new million dollar strain...and not a sour or bitter wine or horse apple. The pictures below don’t do the color justice. It looks like a bright electric pink color. I’m guessing the 40 degree weather in the last couple days caused them to color up. I know my tomatoes turned a deep red from the cold weather.





    The squirrels found and hammered my peaches in the yard a few weeks back along with my pears. They left two pears alone I put a bag around so I’m sure my apples will be fine till they hit the ground. I still ended up with 4, 5 gal buckets full of peaches.


    The smaller peaches haven't ripened yet. I dint think they will either. I’ll have to weed off a bunch next year so they get bigger.



    And the only two pears the squirrels didn’t get...




    I must have removed over dozen squirrels and it never makes a difference. They magically come out from no where in full force when my peaches start to get ripe and smell sweet. I had 6 in my yard the morning I picked the peaches in the pouring rain. For some reason the squirrels don’t touch my Asian pears...until they hit the ground. I have a tree full of them just starting to ripen and turning gold as well. They are on the small size to. I guessing the drought and to many on my little tree again.


    The apples that are growing on are the very top of the tree...on the branch tips. I’ve been pruning off the buds every year! I’ve been trimming all the branches every fall and winter to shape my tree and it’s been removing my fruit! The couple of branches I didn’t prune...on top, produced flower buds and fruit. No wonder it took so long to get apples. No more pruning for a while so I get fruit.
    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 09-12-2020 at 07:33 AM.

  19. #39
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    5,513
    Almost a decade of waiting and my first real apple fell off the tree today! It was still sealed in its ziplock bag. I just cleaned it up for show and tell. I still have five more hanging in my tree. I picked up and twisted the remaining apples and none wanted to brake free so I will leave them until they do. Hope it tastes good!








    From the size of the apple it looks like I beat the odds of it being a wine, horse, or crap apple.
    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 09-25-2020 at 07:19 PM.

  20. #40
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    5,513
    I had another apple drop today. I had four left on the original part of tree and one golden delicious left on my graft. I figured it was time to harvest them. They all come off with little effort. I tried the first apple that came off of the original part of the tree a week ago when it dropped. I ate it the next day. It was pretty hard and tart. I am hoping the rest ripened a little more with the cold weather we had this past week. I figured it I let them sit a few days till they soften a little before I do a taste test this time around. It sure made some pretty apples.







    Here is the inside of the one that fell off last week that I ate the next day. If the tart taste does not change from this one they will make a good pie apple.




    And this is the other gold delicious apple that ripened a week ago as well. So 8 total apple this year off it. Hopefully the other grafts of state fair, Macintosh, and honey crisp will produce next year so I get a variety and more apples.

    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 10-01-2020 at 05:24 PM.

Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check