My Top 5 Crabapples

[Fish]

August Apricot crab has dropped its fruit by this point in the season. And there isn't a one left on the ground!
This tree loaded with crabapples weeks ago is finished for the season.




The deer have left their calling cards.....





So what do my deer have to choose from next (besides the constant drops in my formal orchard)
Meet September Sun. This crab produces yellow apples, quarter sized, and they will completely drop from the tree throughout September. Again, I named this tree. You won't find it for sale anywhere. And it's fun naming your own apple trees.
Now September Sun doesn't look like much with Japanese Beetle damage. It's definitely a preferred JB tree.



Once you name them. You get to tag them.




The small apples are falling sporadically.....




I've eaten them and they are sweeter than a lot of crabs.....



cont.....

 

[Fish]

Fruits are pretty much evenly spaced on the tree. I'm seeing more fruit rots all the way around this year. Heavy rains in July and August are the culprit.




This is a typical fruiting year for September Sun. Always a good crop, but limbs aren't exactly breaking under the weight....










September Sun is resistant to all apple disease, with one exception. This year, for the first time, I noted a small amount of Cedar Apple Rust on the leaves of this tree. Certainly not bad enough to even warrant spraying. And as I said, Japanese Beetles were responsible for nearly defoliating this tree.




I like August Apricot and September Sun as a part of my habitat for feeding deer in late summer when native vegetation is drying down and fall plots aren't in full swing yet. These trees fill a niche role for those reasons alone. A trail cam set up along this row of crabapple trees is taking pics everyday, both in the daylight and at night.

I still have 3 Crabs to share with you as they get closer to a maturity date. One of them, I am sad to say, has completely lost its crop this year for the first time ever. Nearly every fruit on the tree mummied, no doubt a result of torrential summer rains. Something I haven't seen before. I will still use it as a part of my crabapple plots, but I don't expect it will look too impressive to anyone this year.

 

[Fish]

Next crabapple tree in-line to drop is "Puckernugget". Again, a tree I named because I could.
Puckernugget has a unique growing habit. It tends to grow long, whispy branches with ropes of apples clustered towards the ends of the limbs. This apple started falling this year around October 10. But it's a slow fall. Most of the apples are still on the tree at this point. From past observations, deer definitely eat Puckernugget!
The tree is pretty much resistant to all diseases. I have never noted any disease to an extent that it really caught my eye. NEVER have cut fireblight out of Puckernugget. The apples are larger than most crabs. About half-dollar size.

This is Puckernugget's form.




Two "ropes" of apples growing towards the top of this tree. This tree was actually another crab that I grafted over to Puckernugget some years back.




You can see in the above pic, that this crab will put a few apples on spurs as well. They are pretty much a green apple when they begin to fall. Branches are weighted down into the zone like little deer feeders.



Puckernugget has just begun to fall. I was out there today and could see a few apples that fell today in the considerable breeze we had. Hard to tell deer sign in the dry ground, but they won't miss them I'm sure.

 

[Fish]

The next crabapple I will throw up here is my favorite of the seedlings I planted. It was the best out of 100 seedlings planted!
I named it "Lemondrop". First signs of this crab dropping were pretty much today, October 15. And 95% of the apples are still on the tree. Lemondrop got its name from the yellow apples.
I have snipped a branch or two of fireblight out of Lemondrop. But despite fireblight outbreaks on my dessert apple varieties, Lemondrop was only slightly affected.
No other apples diseases to cause a problem with this tree. Of all my crabs, this tree carries the greatest number of fruits, year after year after year.

This isn't the original "Lemondrop" tree, but one I grafted over years back. It's carrying quite a bit of fruit this year.





This is the base of the original Lemondrop. It's a double trunked tree and plenty healthy.




Loaded with yellow apples....
















Like I said, it's October 15 and apples are just starting to hit the ground.




I will continue to update on these trees as fall rolls along. There was some definite deer activity under Lemondrop today, but I didn't have the camera. It's 1 in a 100!

 

[Native Hunter]

Fish, I'm enjoying this thread just like I knew I would. About when will the last two trees be finished dropping most of their apples?

 

[Fish]

Thanks, Native.
I think they will be pretty much clean by early November. But we will watch them this year and see when exactly that time is!

The next crabapple I wanted to feature is "Fireball". But i am not sure what happened this year. Fruits dried up and leaves dropped prematurely. But that tree holds fast until November. First year ive seen that on Fireball, so we'll see what happens next year. It carries a lot of apples, typically. But I cant recommend it at this point.

 

[Familytradition]

Great thread.


Sent from my iPhone using Deer Hunter Forum

 

[Triple C]

Cool thread Fish! Thx for sharing.

 

[deepsleep]

Excellent thread Fish! I have mentioned it before, but you were one of the biggest influences behind me grafting over 200ish crab seedlings. Most of my seedlings that I let get old enough to have fruit had pea-sized, persistent fruit. I, too, have propagated a seedling crab from the bunch (it's a golf ball sized "Siberian"), as well as several wild trees. I'm too early in the game to have fruiting results, but I am thinking next spring. If you are up for some scion-exchange, let us know. Your selections look intriguing.

 

[Fish]

Excellent thread Fish! I have mentioned it before, but you were one of the biggest influences behind me grafting over 200ish crab seedlings. Most of my seedlings that I let get old enough to have fruit had pea-sized, persistent fruit. I, too, have propagated a seedling crab from the bunch (it's a golf ball sized "Siberian"), as well as several wild trees. I'm too early in the game to have fruiting results, but I am thinking next spring. If you are up for some scion-exchange, let us know. Your selections look intriguing.

Thats awesome, deepsleep. I will take scions from these trees this winter for anyone wishing to try a variety. I have a tree or two to graft yet, so trying something new is a great idea.
How are your grafts doing? Sounds like you will be covered in crabapples very soon.
Thanks!

 

[Fish]

Late October update on the crabapples. Lemondrop still holding most of its fruit.






Some are on the ground........





but they aren't lasting long........

 

[Fish]

Puckernugget still holding...........








This crabapple I bought from a department store and have no idea what it is. The original grew along my driveway, but I took it down and grafted onto this tree. Deer are eating this crab when I shake a few onto the ground. It doesn't fall readily....




This is a crabapple I named fireball. It grows much like Puckernugget with loads of red apples, falling in November, growing in ropes on the limbs. This year, for the first time ever, this tree has no fruit. Every apple mummied on the tree. Not sure why. Obviously a fungal issue. Nearly half of the tree lost leaves this year. Hopefully next year things get back to normal.

 

[Native Hunter]

Fish, have you tasted any of your crabapples? I just wondered if "Puckernugget" got its name because it was very tart.............

 

[Fish]

Fish, have you tasted any of your crabapples? I just wondered if "Puckernugget" got its name because it was very tart.............

Haha, yes, Puckernugget is something of a spitter. Lot of tannin. Dont think it bothers the deer cause they dont last long. I used to mix them in cider.
Lemondrop is a much better eater for my tastes.

 

[dogdoc]

Hey Mr. Fish, think I could get a scion off your lemondrop when you send me a few of your dad's persimmon Scions?

 

[Fish]

Hey Mr. Fish, think I could get a scion off your lemondrop when you send me a few of your dad's persimmon Scions?

Happy to share. Dont forget to remind me!

 

[Fish]

Lemondrop still holding about 30% of its crop. I shook it tonight (11-3), and they fell pretty easily to the ground.





Puckernugget is probably at 50% still holding..... apples didn't fall too easily with a shake. But the ones that did were very much firm and good deer food.

 

[atgvir01]

Fish
Thanks for taking the time to post this. Could I please get a couple of scions from your Puckernugget and lemondrop.
This will be my first grafting attempt so any tips would be appreciated. I have a large, healthy ornamental crab I want to graft to.

Lemondrop still holding about 30% of its crop. I shook it tonight (11-3), and they fell pretty easily to the ground.

View attachment 4390



Puckernugget is probably at 50% still holding..... apples didn't fall too easily with a shake. But the ones that did were very much firm and good deer food.

 

[Fish]

Fish
Thanks for taking the time to post this. Could I please get a couple of scions from your Puckernugget and lemondrop.
This will be my first grafting attempt so any tips would be appreciated. I have a large, healthy ornamental crab I want to graft to.

No problem. Happy to share. I will try to get another update on those two trees here soon. Been busy sitting in a tree.
As we get closer to grafting season, we will cover grafting these to another apple tree. Its so easy even i can do it.

 

[Fish]

Quick update on the trees.
Lemondrop is 90% down with some viable fruit hanging. Noted some were shriveled from frost i guess.
Puckernugget is holding. Noticed fruits on the ground today which likely fell in the wind from the passing front. 50% fruit still hanging. I shook a limb and quite a few fell, which tells me they ought to be coming down soon and be a good piece of food for the deer.
Of course, August Apricot and September Sun are distant memories at this point.
Fireball was a no show this year.
Rudolph is doing the usual. Fruiting on one branch and those will hang into the new year. I pulled some off last winter and they were like applesauce in red sacks. Im sure the deer would like them, but they just dont fall.