Apple tree form

General Fruit Growing
21

Yeah, all that open space gives them a nice place to roost above foxes or coyotes, but could they climb the branches and harvest the fruit? I don’t think so.

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22

My grafted Dolgo usually has dropped most all of its fruit by mid-late September. Several Dolgo seedlings hold their fruit longer. I’ve watched turkeys clean out ornamental crab fruit numerous times. They’d have no problem doing so in my grafted and seedling Dolgo trees if they wanted

23

If you have wild seedlings you can graft to those. Here in Upstate NY we have apples growing everywhere, they are a pioneer tree naturally inhabiting open areas that have been let go. That being said, those naturally occurring trees make wildlife plantings unnecessary. I would expect Vermont to be similar.

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24

I have nowhere near the number of wild trees in central MN as does much of the NE US, but I still have close to 50 on my 95 acres. Most produce small “bird size” fruit. Many of those I’ve topworked to larger fruited varieties.

Seems I find a new wild seedling or two each winter.

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25

Wild Turkeys are a thing in Pecan Orchards and Livestock fields here. Huge flocks of them

They really, really love to populate suburban Pecan orchards where hunting is nigh on impossible.

26

You’re right, I don’t think they ate the fruit at all. But I don’t think turkeys eat large fruits.

27

It depends on the area for where you find wild seedlings. We have two properties, the one on the first road in town (Old Stage Road) which is close to Lake Champlain has many roadside apple trees. To the east of the lake you don’t find many apple volunteers. My guess is that my area was settled closer to the lake, maybe orchards there that were close to transporting fruit?

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28

I think they aren’t really that particular. Neither does CHAT

What Fruit Turkeys Commonly Eat

They strongly prefer soft, sugary fruit on the ground, especially once it has begun to soften or ferment slightly. (I guess they like a slight alcohol buzz).

Typical favorites include:

  • Apples

  • Pears

  • Plums (Japanese and European)

  • Peaches / nectarines

  • Persimmons (especially native Diospyros virginiana)

  • Cherries

  • Mulberries

  • Grapes

  • Blueberries and other berries

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