North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Claude Jolicoeur <cjoli@gmc.ulaval.ca>]

Douglas,
Thanks for the lengthy notes on hardy apricots.
So, if I summarize a bit...
Of the 3 apricots I planted, 2 were Manchurian seedling/selection and it is
understandable that they didn't live. The other was Morden 604. It did live
for a few years before its death. Possibly, it was just a bad tree or some
bad luck made it dye, or a wrong rootstock. Maybe I should try again...

Do you think some of the hardier Ontario apricots could make it in zone 4?
Like Harlayne which, according to my notes, is the hardiest of the Harrow
series. Also, it appears the Vinelad selection V60031 is hardy at Bert
Dunn's place, zone 4b, Ontario. Any others have experience with these?

You wrote...
>I would suspect soil or drainage or exposure to winter sun or perhaps 
>wind. Apricots insist on good drainage and they very much prefer 
>sandy soil or sandy loam. If you have clay or clay loam you might 
>want to consider a plum root perhaps with a compatible interstem.

My soil si mainly sandy with about a foot of organic topsoil, drainage is
good, not much clay. And I don't think winter sun on the trunk can be an
issue with 5 ft snow cover... Also, the site is well protected against cold
North winds. 

My cherry trees are not vigorous, but they survive - I have a 15 year old
Montmorency and a Meteor. They are affected by this gumming sickness, but I
don't know if it is the lack of vigour that render they susceptible to the
sickness or vice-versa. I also planted an Evans last year - it is too soon
to know how it will do. Wild P.virginiana and P.pensylvanica strive
everywhere around the orchard. The plums (Mont-Royal, Damas Bleu, an
unidentified yellow plum (Mirabelle or Reine-Claude type) and Brookgold -
an hybrid) are vigorous and in good health, although only the Mont-Royal is
productive - but this is another problem (pollinisation).

Again, Douglas, thank you very much for your posts. As you suggested, I
should write to Ken Taylor to see what he has and what he suggests. Do you
know if he has e-mail?

Claude Jolicoeur

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