Chestnut crabapple

Very nice, Jesse. You make me feel that I should grow a few crab, too.

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Iā€™ve tried Chestnut crab in a hot climate, and to my disappointment it was bland and mushy.

All is not lost however, Wickson crab is mind-blowingly fantastic in a hot climate and very productive. You may occasionally find them in the supermarket in plastic bags mistakenly labeled as ā€œCrimson Goldā€ by a northern California grower.

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That is a nice little tidbit of knowledge about someone selling wickson to grocery stores.

Jesse,

I was one of those folks (you sent quite a bit of stuff my way, in factā€¦)

My grafting got cut in half due to business travel, and will be resumed this coming weekend. However, I did get a good number of grafts worked up about April 20-May1, and I can say those (including several chestnut) are all taking. Looking at how your tree did no-spray, in addition to keeping some at home I intend to send some to my brother for plots on his hunting land. I will probably do the same with some of the black oxford and Canadian strawberry you sent, as they also seem to be fairly solid no-spray apples for ā€œup northā€ (the hunting land is solidly in Zone 4, at the edge or just above the ā€œpine/maple/birch beltā€)

thank you again for the trades this year.

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Jesse, thanks again for the Chestnut scions. It has been unusually vigorous, same with your other wood. What were you feeding those trees? :smile:

@applenut, those Wicksons look nothing like mine, mine get no gold in them at all - pink/white/red only. Along with the heat you have something else going on in your climate. I am curious how Chestnut does here, it could also be bland since it ripens early. Iā€™m still looking for one keeper for a crab, so far all of them have had problems or issues of some sort. Kerr was perhaps the best, it was perfectly OK and easy to grow/productive. But, nothing too exciting. Whitney was mealy, Wickson I have mentioned the flaws on many times, etc. Well, I do have one unknown late crab I am going to use for cider, it has a lot of tannin so should be a good cider apple.

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Glad to hear folksā€™ success grafting scions Iā€™ve sent.
@Scottfsmith - funny you should ask what I have been feeding my treesā€¦this may be a bit maudlin, but that Chestnut has an apple tree feeding porcupine buried next to it!
For crabs suited for the south, my mind springs to Heweā€™s Virginia Crab, although it is more of a cider and culinary apple than out of hand eater (my son loves 'em-like sour patch candy). It has been a good addition here as well, I have enjoyed itā€™s precocious production of intensely flavored fruit. Does not keep, however.
Keeping quality was another thing that impressed me about my Chestnuts last season, I saved some for over a month in the fridge and they were still quite good for a mid season apple.

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@applenut- Wickson does petty good up north as well, it is quite the intense eating experience with some high flavor and brix to match. I wonder how sweet they get in that CA sunshine and heat your way, have you taken brix measurements?
I worked at an orchard here in Maine that is planting several thousand Wickson trees this spring for their hard cider line. We pressed many bins last fall from NH, Poverty Lane Orchard that had great bittersharp qualities and resulted in some tasty cider.

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Scott:

This is also Wickson, not sure if the heat has something to do with the deep color. Jesse, the flavor is indeed very sweet, but thereā€™s a spicy complexity to it also. If the apple was bigger it would rule the world.

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Hey, my trees are fed with apple tree feeding rabbits, squirrels, and an occasional apple tree feeding chicken!! I wasnā€™t sure they grew well in other climates, guess so!

That is a pretty crab.

Jesse,

Very nice trees! I started some crabs from seed last spring and one even has some fruit already but you never know what you will get starting from seed. I tried grafting some dormant domestic apple scions to a few of them this spring. Only one took but it is doing nicely. I just tried my had at T-budding for the first time yesterday to a few of my trees with some wild crab scions I got from a guy who has a nice tree. I donā€™t know if they will take or not. I guess time will tell. I think trying chestnut crabs on a few might be a nice complement. If you wouldnā€™t mind sending a few budding stick, just send me a PM.

Your operation looks great and the trees seem quite productive.

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Sounds just like real chestnuts :wink:

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The first few are ripening, the rest will be picked within a week or twoā€¦another fine crop of these favorite apples! Hereā€™s a ā€˜big oneā€™-

I did apply Surround several times post bloom, but didnā€™t keep up my coverage for the recommended 6 weeks, no other spray was used. The majority of fruit made it through alright.

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Very nice looking crab!

Best 4 bites youā€™ll find!! Yummy!

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Nice looking crab

Tested a couple with my refractometer, first was 19 brix, another apple from same tree was 20 brix. That is some concentrated sweetness, with plenty of acidity to balance it out, along with the nutty russet character making a great eating experience. I will be grafting and planting more Chestnut Crab trees!

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Jesse,
How did chestnut do this year?

Pretty good, I got a little under a bushel from my 3 young trees. Many didnā€™t make it inside, I snack on them compulsively when Iā€™m outside when theyā€™re ripening.
I still have a few in the fridge which have held up better than I expected.

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Sounds like a great apple Jesse! Thanks