What to do with this apple sapling, if that's what it is.

[woodchuckcanuck]

I think this is a wild apple tree. Its 6ft tall at this stage. What do you think?


Recently discovered it in among the balsam fir next to the driveway.



It will soon be time I think maybe in the next 5 years to take out the fir, so I'm considering on doing it early to give the apple tree a chance (if that's what it is). There's a maple tree just off to the right rear of this new found tree. So it might not be in a good place after all. I might take the chance to dig it up and move it. Apple trees grow wild here so I won't be too broken up if it doesn't take.

 

[GenXer]

Mine here were about 7-8feet before I saw apples, currently I have over 15 apple trees here on the farm. Couple of crab apple trees also. The Turkey's love those in the fall just before we take them for ice cream....

 

[old CB]

Looks like apple to me.

 

[ATH]

Low chance that they will be "good" apples. Not that it can't happen...but without knowing the genetics of the parents, there is a pretty good chance that a crabapple contributed to that...

 

[Captain Bruce]

Looks like wild cherry. Some bird took a crap, and the rest is your yards history.......

 

[woodchuckcanuck]

Low chance that they will be "good" apples. Not that it can't happen...but without knowing the genetics of the parents, there is a pretty good chance that a crabapple contributed to that...

wild crab apple likely

 

[Mad Professor]

If it's apple you can graft scions from known good producing tree(s). Can get several varieties of apple from the same tree. Better to do sooner than later.

Get a book on grafting

 

[woodchuckcanuck]

If it's apple you can graft scions from known good producing tree(s). Can get several varieties of apple from the same tree. Better to do sooner than later.

Get a book on grafting

But where to get them?

 

[Marine5068]

I think this is a wild apple tree. Its 6ft tall at this stage. What do you think?
View attachment 972032

Recently discovered it in among the balsam fir next to the driveway.

View attachment 972030

It will soon be time I think maybe in the next 5 years to take out the fir, so I'm considering on doing it early to give the apple tree a chance (if that's what it is). There's a maple tree just off to the right rear of this new found tree. So it might not be in a good place after all. I might take the chance to dig it up and move it. Apple trees grow wild here so I won't be too broken up if it doesn't take.

View attachment 972031

If you want to see it and have it survive easy, then transplant it out past that well cap.

 

[Mad Professor]

But where to get them?

Look for healthy "suckers" (new straight shoots from last year the size of your little finger) on established trees. Most of these get pruned off each year. Do any neighbors/friends have established trees known to produce well?

Orchards if they have not finished pruning yet. Even if they have, and have not picked up the prunings you can probably salvage some of those. Cut back the end and see if the wood is still fresh, put in a container of water in cool dark place until you can graft them.

If you were nearby I could give you at least a half dozen different varieties.

 

[esshup]

With those thorny looking things on the trunk, look to see if it's a type of Hawthorne. Sorta like an apple but really not.

 

[woodchuckcanuck]

With those thorny looking things on the trunk, look to see if it's a type of Hawthorne. Sorta like an apple but really not.

There are Hawthorne about two feet away. The thorns on the Hawthorne tree are very distinctive though, even for small saplings. This one is only 1.5 ft tall

 

[TNTreeHugger]

With those thorny looking things on the trunk, look to see if it's a type of Hawthorne. Sorta like an apple but really not.

Almost exactly what I was thinking - only I was comparing those thorns to all the wild pear in my yard.
Nasty painful things!