North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Ginda Fisher <ginda@concentric.net>]

Last summer I lost a crab apple to the drought.  I had grafted about 8 
cultivars to it, and I wonder if it was also infected with some virus, 
as I didn't notice any widespread problems with the local crabs, despite 
the lack of water.  Anyhow, this spring it had barely any leaves, and 
despite a lot of TLC, it is now completely dead.

I would like to plant another apple in the spot, possibly a crab, or 
possibly a eating type.  It doesn't get full sun, but the crab bloomed 
and fruited nicely until it died.

1)  Is it a really bad idea to put another apple tree in the same spot?  
I don't have any other place that would be at all suitable for an apple, 
so it is there or nowhere.  Of course, I could plant something different 
there.

2)  Does the reliable fruiting of the crab suggest there's enough sun 
for an eating apple, or do larger fruited types need more light?

3)  If I do replant with an apple, I'm considering Ashmead's Kernel, 
from Fedco.  Of all the mail order apples we've tried from AppleSource, 
this was the one the family liked most.  (Among other things, this 
suggests it keeps well without refrigeration, as most of the other types 
tasted like they'd gotten too warm in shipping.)  Fedco sells standard 
size trees - does anyone know how large this one is likely to get in 
eastern Mass., zone 6?  Does anyone know what rootstock they use for 
"standard" trees?

Thanks,
Ginda Fisher

p.s.  the nearby woods are full of wild crabs, so we have plenty of 
pollenizers for all apples, and plenty of disease pressure.