Two years ago I made a pilgrimage to meet Cliff and pick up some Persimmon. This year managed to meet David at Rockbridge. Really appreciate the Carya discussions here which motivated deez nuts.
Picked up Pecan; Hark and Lakota. Shagbark; Lizzie Mtn and Cook. Shellbark; Schol and Stephens. David was running short on some of my preferred varieties discussed here so went with his recommendations. Appreciate the Lizzie Mtn tip Lucky P.
I can’t find any info about Cook Shagbark. Anyone know where this originated and how it compares to others?
Rockbridge has a short description of Schol which apparently had it’s origins forgotten.
I thought the top of this Shellbark was a flower to be removed but searching images indicates leaves will unfurl from this. So leave it alone?
Would like to get these above browse height before allowing primary branches. Is it safe to remove lower branching during growth season or should I wait till dormancy?
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‘Cook’ was selected by Fred Blankenship, KNGA hickory chairman, from a roadside near Brandenburg, KY, ortet was on land owned by ‘Bunny’ Cook. 4.0 gm shagbark nut with 46% kernel. I have a graft of it that has been stuck in a crowded nursery row for years… so I’ve not yet knowingly seen a nut… gotta get it regrafted somewhere out in the open!
Those big hickory terminal buds do look a lot like a tulip or other flower as they are unfurling. Those with red-tinted budscales are particularly striking!
‘Scholl’ is a very good shellbark - relatively small for a shellbark, but bigger than a shagbark; has thin shell and open cavity with only two very short internal ribs, so kernels crack out mostly intact halves/quarters, without kernel being entrapped.
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Really appreciate it. Could have spent hours talking with David but it’s the busy season and felt lucky to get a quick tour and talk. One subject he mentioned that has me thinking is using bat houses to knock down mosquito numbers and orchard fruit insects.
Thank you so much for your Carya contributions!
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Having bluebird sized houses (diameter too small for starlings to use ~1 1/4”) also helps. The bluebirds don’t make a huge difference but tree swallows which love bluebird houses make a huge difference.
Both they and bats prefer if there is a source of water nearby but it’s not strictly necessary
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We get most native and migratory birds in our yard but seen a swallow maybe 1X? We do have some bluebirds that occupy a house almost every year. Spent too much time crafting screech owl box a few years ago but no takers yet. Hear them in the woods nearby so they must have some preferred cavities. David also mentioned purple martin boxes making a difference but never seen them in our yard. We are mostly surrounded by woods and I think they prefer field and pasture?
Purple martins prefer to locate near a body of water with clear pastures to feed above
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