I might have something interesting to bring along by then. Currently my much smaller list looks like this:
In ground & fruited:
Maiden Blush
Lamb Abbey Pearmain
Claygate Pearmain
Redfield
Gold Rush
In ground and not yet fruited:
Otterson
Colorado Orange
Mere Pippin, a roadside marvel found in Wiltshire, UK by Nigel Deacon and brought over to the States via Skillcult, from whom I bought the scion in '23, has shown it will not grow in high summer here, so it will be moved to a benign climate next spring. In its place I wish to plant a young Clarkās Crabapple which must be separated from the root mass of Bud118; which bore a single apple this year. (I might share that apple with the Better Half today.)
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I absolutely love Fireside, although Iām in the Midwest. It makes great flavorful apples here, at least.
I also have requested Cara Cara Orange Crab from Derek. Iām curious how the orange crabs are similar to/different from each other. It will be be a fun adventure!
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The Cara Cara I grafted last year failed, so I have another one on order from Derek. Iām also very excited about the roadside crab I found up in Missoula, 23 Brix and very intense, more flavor than the Ashmeadās that fruited here this year. I have Wickson grafted but not fruited, and Cherub and Cherry Crush, but I would really like to get a scion of Etterās Eden and Etterās gold.
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Iām pretty sure it was your reviews that made me try Lamb Abbey and Claygate.
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@NuttingBumpus , here is the current list of what I have in case you are interested in any. Some are first year grafts so might not have scion wood yet.
Current Apple Varieties.pdf (166.1 KB)
Checking in from SE Idaho and following.
Looking forward to grafting apples in a few weeks, we will be doing Mcintosh, Jonathan, Cameo, and Yellow Delicious. Also planting A TON of fruit/nut trees this year Bur Oak, Yellowhorn, English Walnut, Butter Nut, Nanking Cherry, Black Cherry, Manchurian Apricot, Native Plum, Antonovka Apple, Dutchess Apple, etc.
Hows everyone enjoying the warm weather this winter? Nuts huh?
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Not sure if this is the right place to put this, but Iāve got extra scion wood for Mcintosh, Jonathan, and a local wild variety(really old tree, no irrigation on it) that produce good tasting apples each year. The scion wood is last year growth in the 3/16" and smaller range. If anyone is interested you can PM me. I might be open to trades.
@GemStateRanch Where are you in southern Idaho? Iām in Bellevue.
I saw sap running out of a wound in a maple tree today - that is crazy for January!
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We are in Soda Springs, far South East Corner.
That is crazy! Iām still worried for the next month or so, but man does it already feel like spring.
Yep, I should not be able to see dirt right nowā¦
Any of you have pawpaw? How would you suggest planting and caring for bare root pawpaw seedlings?
Checking in from Bend OR. Weāve had a very mild winter and spring is coming very early this year. All my fruit trees are on the verge of breaking dormancy, more than a month early. In my 12 years of experience with Bend and living in Bend, this is the earliest spring Iāve seen going back to 2018. Even my pears and apples look like they could start flowering in the next week. Iām very worried about late freezes. Are others in the this thread experiencing very early spring this year?
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My trees are still sleepy, but I live at 2,050 elevation and far inland.
This is what we call a Seattle winter. It happens now & then. And yes, we might have a killing frost in April, or a foot of snow (please, please!) or the last frost may come as early as April 7, which is a full month earlier than was the norm 20 years ago.
I found a Sayās Phoebe and a turkey vulture while hiking one day nearly a month ago, also four weeks ahead of expectation. Today while hiking, I heard at least 6 Oregon Juncos trilling away and the first House Finch singing for the season. The ravens are quiet, indicating Mom is sitting on a clutch already.
It leaves me in a quandary, wondering when I dare begin soaking and starting some grape cuttings. (First time jitters.) I believe they will need a monthās lead time to create roots before planting. My understanding is that they are rather frost tender when young, so it is best to plant them after the danger of frost is past. Maybe it should wait another weekā¦
In case you are wondering:
Vanessa seedless for fresh eating and raisins, New York Muscat and Marechal Foch for a sweet and deeply red wine, respectively.
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We could also use some snow. Aside from 3 dustings, weāve had none. Weāve only had a couple over nights below 26 or 28F.
Iāve had no luck with Thomcord in Bend. Itās surviving but not thriving. I planted an Interlaken last spring and will see what it does this year.
the lack of snow worries me.
we got good amount of reliance peach last year so Iām going to try grafting some on to old root stock this spring, Iām reading all the old threads about peach graft timing and trying to adjust for our area.
this rain at least has been nice. and all my bulbs are on time or a bit early to wake. also the herbs are greening up and sprouting
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I had hoped to get Interlaken, but apparently they were sold out by the time I made my order, so Vanessa was the alternate choice. I hear good things about Canadice, although the late Lon Rombough wrote it must be cluster thinned in order to harden wood in time for frozen weather.
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I actually saw Interlaken in Home Depot yesterday
I have a vanessa vine and am very impressed with it. We just did winter pruning and am wondering how to root the cuttings. We tried last year soaking in a bucket of water; dozens of sticks. Only one took. How do you propagate from cuttings?
Thanks!
This is what I found regarding starting grape cuttings from Lon Romboughās book:
Soak the base of your cuttings overnight or 24 hours. Fill 6 inch deep pots or paper pots (empty and cleaned milk cartons?) with light potting mix or mix 3 parts perlite to 1 part peat. Punch a hole (I assume the potting mix must be moist enough to stay in place when you make the hole) five inches deep - to get the base within an inch of the bottom of your pot. Dip cuttings in rooting hormone and then in Endomycorrhizal inoculant. Put them gently in each hole trying to keep most of the fungal dust on the stem; firm around it and water well. Put pots on tray and then tray on heating mat. Place the set where cuttings are out of direct sunlight and air is cool; get heating mat going and wait 2-4 weeks to see roots become evident. (Water again lightly and only if needed. Rombough has put the rooted cuttings direct in their permanent places and has seen quick growth.
That is the method this rookie will follow with the cuttings I got this year. And thanks for the vote of confidence regarding Vanessa.
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This is great advice. Thank you. Maybe Iāll sell a bunch of vanessa grape starts this year. We certainly have the cuttings for it.
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