Wild crab observation

General Fruit Growing
#1

While out pruning trees the last week or so, I’ve found a few more wild crab seedlings. These seedlings are growing in a wooded setting, with no protection or human intervention (so far). I found only one or two that had rodent damage, and on those it was minimal. I know from prior (painful) experience that if I left my grafted apples on clonal rootstocks unprotected over the winter they would be girdled significantly.

There has to be something going on with these wild crabs. Bitter taste to the bark and cambium?

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#2

What ive found happens at times is branches on wild trees have thorns which keeps animals away.

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#3

These do have thorny projections. That may help keep the deer off of them, but I don’t think it would do much for voles/mice/bunnies

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#4

I spent the past two days grafting onto volunteer apple seedlings and young trees.
I noticed the same thing. Maybe the surrounding vegetation contains tastier morsels…but I noticed only one girdled apple seedling. The volunteers were near a creek. Many some mink were patrolling the area.

Question concerning grafting onto volunteer seedlings. Is there an interstem that can be used so you won’t end up with a full sized tree?

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#5

Some of the wild crabs around here are semi-dwarf in size. I’d imagine if you want a smaller tree you could use most any dwarfing interstem you have.

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