1st rd done of grafting complete.

[buckvelvet]

I had a bit more in-depth conversation with my wives Grandmother today, she owns the farm I'm installing the orchard on that hurt family homesteaded.

The old crab-apples I had mentioned before we planted by her great grand father, James McClellan in 1884. There used to be 6 trees, 3 were gone by the time I arrived on the property in 2010.

(#1) Russet Crabapple
.
#2 Red Crab (not quit fully blushed yet).


#3 Farm Crab (Green) could be of yellow delicious decent.


So these are 132 years old, crazy! Unless a freak wind happens I believe the red crab will last the longest as the other 2 will probably be gone completely in the next 10 years. What a testament of Gods creation.

 

[buckvelvet]

This is the only other crab apple on the farm its right by the actual house. Beautiful freestanding tree, its large for a crabapple or small for an apple, it normally holds until September where as the old farm crabs drop from late October - Mid November.

 

[buckvelvet]

I had a bit more in-depth conversation with my wives Grandmother today, she owns the farm I'm installing the orchard on that hurt family homesteaded.

The old crab-apples I had mentioned before we planted by her great grand father, James McClellan in 1884. There used to be 6 trees, 3 were gone by the time I arrived on the property in 2010.

So these are 132 years old, crazy! Unless a freak wind happens I believe the red crab will last the longest as the other 2 will probably be gone completely in the next 10 years. What a testament of Gods creation.

I got to talk to my wife's grandma again today.

Here is the orchard in its heyday, taking in the 1920s. As you can see way more than 6 trees, how cool is this


This is my wives grandma's grandpa, he planted this orchard in 1884.


This is the original homestead deed for the land signed by president Chester A. Arthur.

 

[CrazyEd]

Awesome stuff!

 

[greyphase]

Awesome stuff!

+2

 

[buckvelvet]

Awesome stuff!

+2

Makes me wonder what his orchard must have been like back then. Will mine be bigger, smaller, maybe we are growing some of 'like' varieties. Does make me wonder how it all unfolded for him back then.

Most 'homesteads' in this area planted at least a handful of apple/pear trees to help supplement their diets. Being as this guy planted that many darn trees makes me think he pursued a business venture or perhaps a door 2 door sales or maybe even a u-pick if they had such a thing back then.

 

[buckvelvet]

An update on the 2016 grafts growth.

Bench grafts:

- Failure - (2 categories)

Scion & Rootstock never woke up:

• Chestnut Crab (Ranetka), Saddle
  
• Hewes Crab (Ranetka), Saddle
  
• Rosedale Crab (Ranetka), Saddle
• Honeycrisp (B118), W/T
• Jonagold (B118), W/T
• Cripss Pink/Pink Lady (G30), Cleft

Died of transplant shock within 2 weeks of planting (scion was actively growing before transplant):

• Lady (Ranetka), Saddle
• Crimson Gold (B118), W/T
• Hudsons Goldem Gem (B118) W/T
• Zestar! (G30), W/T
• Kieffer (OHxF97), W/T
• Red Clapp 'Kalle' (OHxF97), W/T
• Flemish Beauty (OHxF97), Cleft
• Shenandoah (OHxF97) W/T
• Shenandoah (OHxF97) W/T
• Harvest Queen (OHxF97) W/T
• Harvest Queen (OHxF97) W/T

Out of 78 bench grafts we have a 78% (61)success rate actively growing and looking healthy, most of which will be planted out next year.

Good news, I have Winesap that was successful that I forgot about, and it was the biggest tree in the nursery, kudos to this moron for not catching that for those seeing me complain about wanting to grow it to taste one but can't graft it. As previously stated, Anaros Crab has been the slowest, but the graft union looks great on the Anaros so I can't explain the pathetic growth, i'll show you pics on that tomorrow.



Field Grafts (grafts on actively growing rootstock from previous failed grafts)

- Failure - Scion never woke up:

• Golden Hornet Crab (Antonovka), W/T
• Monster Crab (Antonovka), Cleft
• Winesap (Antonovka), W/T
• All Winter Wildlife Crab (B118), W/T

Out of 11 field grafts we have a 63% (7) success rate, they all seem to be looking quite health and growing great.



I gotta say i'm pretty happy w/ my result upswing form 2015 to 2016. The only varieties I got from folks but still do not have in my collections now because of failure(s) is.

• Hudsons Goldem Gem
• Monster Crab
• Lady
  
• Crmison Gold
• Hewes

I don't think personally I'm gong to attempt hewes crab again, i think theres a reason it aint working. Lady after doing more research on this old variety which I find intriguing I don't believe I'll pursue it in the future either. I may still do a crimson gold and a hudsons goldem gem however. Monster crab would always be welcome.

 

[buckvelvet]

My take from this is Pears HATE to be transplanted post wakeup, apples did rather well with it but pears suck, lol.

Me no like you pears!

 

[buckvelvet]

What do you guys do if the great heals fine but like the top portion didn't reconnect itself from either not enough of the stock being trimmed or the bandage not being maybe tight at the top.

Would ya'll just trim off these dead pieces as best you can?


A shot of the Chestnut Crab on B118 rocking above some other varieties.

 

[chickenlittle]

I would not touch those for fear of damaging or breaking the graft union. It will heal with time.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Yea I would probably leave it be for this year. If it still is an eyesore after next summer you could trim it. Generally they disappear over time.

 

[buckvelvet]

Thanks gents, stay classy.


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[buckvelvet]

Had some extra scion later in the field grafting stages so I accomplished 2. These are grafted onto some branches of a Lolipop Flowering Crab. These tree is really good for nothing except pollination so I've decided to add crabs to it over time for a freak fun tree.

Kerr Crab



Geneva Crab

 

[buckvelvet]

This is #1 old farm crab (russet).

#1 is showing a blush of red in higher sun exposed areas.

This the #2 farm red crab, real nice fruit on this one.

#3 farm crab, I had mis labeled as (green) last year, it's most definitely yellow variety. Closeup and a shot of how loaded it is.

The other lone apple in the farm, much to large to be crab. Perhaps a yellow delicious extension.

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[buckvelvet]

Planted 5 Chinese chestnuts that @jim_broom started from seed at my place. So far so good. I

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[greyphase]

Very nice looking apples BV. Very clean. Did they get any spraying? Those chestnuts look great too.

 

[buckvelvet]

Very nice looking apples BV. Very clean. Did they get any spraying? Those chestnuts look great too.

No those apples are wild as they come and loaded for the legs they have to stand on. I'm pretty sure #2 will be the last one standing in the end.


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[NY_Terrence]

Here's a picture of the trees I grafted this spring. I used 3/8" antonovka rootstock instead of the b-118 in the past. My success rate was way down from last year... Maybe 35% vs 85% last year. I re-grafted with scions twice in June and t-budded some in August trying to increase percentage. Best grower are a Jonsib Crab from GRIN and a Nova Spy.

 

[buckvelvet]

My grafting experience with Antonovka is that its later at waking up and doesn't take to bench grafting as well. I had way better fielding grafting success on Antonovka this year than bench grafting it in 2015.


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[NY_Terrence]

My grafting experience with Antonovka is that its later at waking up and doesn't take to bench grafting as well. I had way better fielding grafting success on Antonovka this year than bench grafting it in 2015.


This was my 3rd year bench grafting and the first year I was feeling like I had this figured out. I retraced my steps over and over trying to speculate what went wrong. I kept thinking "it's gotta be the rootstocks." BV - your message makes me so happy. Already had 35 b-118s ordered for next year. And I have had a lot of fun trying to get these antonovkas going.