Is anyone growing Candy crab apple from Blue Hill Wildlife Nursery? I’m wondering if anyone has been able to taste it and can talk about flavor, disease resistance, etc.
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Had not heard of those folks until doing a search recently. Sounds like some nice apples they have (for deer and other animals, but seem good for people use too).
Have they been in business for long?
Bluehill has been around for at least a few years…I want to say 4-5
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Cant say enough good about Ryan, the owner. He puts out amazing trees, usually on Dolgo rootstock. Everything he grows is no-spray in PA for wildlife. I grow for eating, but im highly interested in apples that thrive without human effort. This crab, as you can read on his site, he says is phenomenal for fresh eating. I purchased 9 trees from him this fall, coming in the Spring, and this is one of them. I am going to graft it on M111 as well to get a crop sooner than the 8-10 years standard dolgo will take.
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I very seldom get fruit from M111 under 7 years.
I eyeballed the Blue Hill collection…but I have too many (and more coming) already!
Pears and apples that hang into freezing cold conditions I could use more of though.
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Early bearing varieties like Goldrush, Ark Black and Pink Lady can bear fruit on 111 by the second year starting with a whip in my soil and climate in S. NY. It frequently happens in my nursery if I don’t remove the fruit early. It depends as much on the variety as rootstock as you know. Even for typical varieties, by year 7 they should not only be bearing, but in full production if you are using growing methods to accelerate establishment and production. A lot depends on how you care for the trees and the conditions where they are being grown. My soil encourages rapid establishment but I’m a dry farmer who depends on rain- things accelerate if I irrigate. An early Pink Lady I grew on 111 got its first significant crop on its second season, which was a record for me. I did everything for it because I was anxious to see how the variety (Barnsby strain) would do in my climate. Mostly it was about water and N, keeping away any competition, and the precocity of the variety. .
Begining using second year feathered trees on M111 I have had one crab produce the year planted.
But, several have taken 7 years from planting a maiden or a feathered tree. (That’s be 7 to 9 years from the graft to a bare root rootstock). I’d say 6 years or 7 years is average first fruit from a maiden bare root tree using M111 rootstock.
Certainly 3 year old conntainerized trees can get that much quicker.
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I came across Blue Hill 2 weeks ago but most everything was out of stock. I spent more money on welded wire fence rings to put around my newly planted apples than I did on the trees. Maybe I should plant a “deer orchard” to keep them away from my eating apples.
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Deer would just maul/rub/destroy the “deer” trees and then destroy the human eating ones.
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I see you ‘earned’ your pseudonym honestly. 
How does your Candy Crab look growth wise so far since you planted it?
Hey Jerry - the Candy Crab I planted from Blue Hill on standard rootstock looks good. It is planted in a spot that is testing its resilience, top of a sloping hill in clay soil and very dry. Despite that, its fully leafed out and has some growth but not crazy (we’ve had a VERY dry spring/summer). It produced 2 apples already, which I removed.
The Candy Crab I grafted on M111 this spring (scion taken from the other tree) exploded and was easily 12-15" tall, then my dog ran into it and knocked off the new growth shoot. Since then, it has rebounded and put on a new 4-5" of growth. From that experience, I would say its very vigorous. I don’t see any CAR and it’s bad where I am. I’m very hopeful about this variety.
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I got my name on their notification list for when their trees go on sale. Web page says they will be taking orders in summer 2024 for next spring delivery.
That is great news. Thanks for sharing.
Candy Crab is available online now to buy - these sell out real quick! However, it looks like he has way more available this year than years past.
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Neat! Just placed an order. I like the idea of smaller apples for the kids
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