North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["tanis cuff" <tanistanis@hotmail.com>]

The local gardeners have another request for helpful nafexers.  See below.  
Many thanks for the responses on mountain ash, and thanks for any ideas on 
the following.


----Original Message Follows----
From: "Connie >
To: "tanis cuff" <tanistanis@hotmail.com>
Subject: Tanis...Q for your fruit board...
Date: 2 Feb 2004 14:32:50 -0600

T:

Mike didn't help me out much re: pruning of weeping crabs to produce the 
most fruit possible.  Just suggested I not cut off as far as the graft.  
(tee-hee?)

I have a Malus 'Molten Lava', apprx 6 feet tall right now.  Should grow to 
be 12-15 feet tall/wide, from what I read.  I still have it staked to ensure 
the height continues, as it was a bit too weepy when I purchased it 
(container, not bareroot or B&B) in 2001.

Ohio State and other studies show this tree has a lot of fruit potential, 
they hang on well thru winter for returning birds, and very few mummies. 
(Plus the fruit color is phenomenal!)

I know to get more fruit from regular trees, pruning is a good thing.

Is that the case with weeping crabs, and if so, how and when does one know 
to start pruning?

Thanks...

Connie

_________________________________________________________________
Scope out the new MSN Plus Internet Software — optimizes dial-up to the max! 
  http://join.msn.com/?pgmarket=en-us&page=byoa/plus&ST=1