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Thanks
Donna, I'm in Central Indiana Zone 5b. I actually have found an
orchard near me that I'm trying different varieties from so I can find out what
I like and based on that I'm then going to find out how easy the ones I
like are to grow. Meaning which ones are the most disease resistant,
etc. That's how I found these two varieties. Unfortunately I got
looking that the cooperative extension documents on apple varieties suited for
Indiana and these two seem about least suited and nearly as disease prone as
possible. Not that it's impossible to grow them or that I won't, but I
really would rather start with varieties that are easier so I can learn a little
more before I have a bunch of dead trees.
One of
my neighbors (an elderly couple) have two older apple trees that I never see
them do anything to, but have lots of large apples on them every year. I
was thinking about grafting from those if I like the taste. If I were to
do that how would I go about collecting the scion wood and when is the best time
to collect it? I guess if I'm just going to stick the rootstock in the
ground and graft whenever as you suggest (which sounds like a good idea) I can
get that pretty much whenever.
I'm sending this to Scott, and also to the rest
of you for your comments and corrections...
Scott, Where are you? If you are in
the Denver area, as someone implied, you should know that a wonderful
writer, Ralph Moody, talked about the cherry orchards in Littleton
around 1900. I have already told a NAFEXer in Littleton about it, so you
should contact her and see what she has found. What I'm coming around to
is that wherever you are, it's good to talk to old people and ask about good
old apple trees in your area. Sample fruit from as many as possible, and
it will definitely spur your interest in grafting!!! I will warn you
right now that the old trees are going, and you will not be able to save them
all, even if you started grafting today, you will hear about trees that are
gone now, and old trees are being cut down even as I write. Also the old
people are dying out too, the people who knew the old varieities and where the
old trees are. It'll be a winter project to keep you busy till spring,
and then probably the rest of your life, I have never gotten tired of it
though I become discouraged at times. We now have a thriving little
farmer's market in our town and I try to go every week to talk to the old guys
and the younger people who have come out of the poor hill lands with their old
fashioned beans (I'm in Seed Saver's Exchange) and I talk with them about
apple varieties and pears and so forth. I just found out
that a Stayman Winesap is distinguished from the older smaller Winesap by the
radial cracking it's prone to. Now I know which trees I have known
in the past that were Staymans. Unfortunately a large old tree I have
been picking from for several years was just cut down in the last couple
of weeks, I suppose someone got tired of mowing over a lot of wasp
infested fruit that they never used for anything. LOTS of the old trees
I knew and ate from have been cut down, many before I ID'd them. But
I have two little trees I grafted from local trees, one I think I have
ID'd as the "Shortcore" and the other I assumed was a Limbertwig from the
shape of the tree. After this terribly wet summer we have had, there is
not a spot of cedar apple rust on either tree! We have cedars all
over our property and I don't spray, so such resistant trees are
invaluable. Anyway, there's your pep talk.
As for getting trees, none of
us old hands in NAFEX trust nurseries at all, unless they are NAFEX
associated. Ed Fackler's old nursery, Turkey Hollow, I think was
the name, may have the trees you want and probably true to name.
Meanwhile, plant yourself some rootstock trees where you want your orchard,
and start asking around. You have a couple of years at least to get the
trees grafted, and your success rate will be much higher if your rootstocks
are well established. Also find some local orchards and ask what does
well in your area commercially, and taste some of the fruit.
Donna
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