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apple trees

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FarmlandQDM

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I believe persimmons and plums are a better choice than apple trees for soft mast trees on a QDM farm ... at least I hope so because I planted 2000 last spring ... but I intend to plant four apple trees this spring. Does anyone have a suggestion as to what apple tree varieties would be best suited for providing deer additional soft mast in southeast Iowa?
 
Excellent articles in the last two issues of Quality Whitetails magazine from the QDMA detailing apple trees. Bill Mayo wrote them and gave his email for additional questions. He operates a orchard in Vermont his email address is [email protected]. They will hit plums hard mid August to mid September fom my experience.
 
Do a google search for disease resistant apple trees. Also look for Miller Nurseries, as I think they sell four varieties (jonafree, macfree) of disease resistant. The last thing you want to do is spray the trees (IMO). Now disease resistance does not mean disease free but it helps.
There is a variety named Haralson http://www.minnesotaharvest.net/appleharalson.htm that was developed in Minnesota so its winter hardiness should not be a concern in southern Iowa. Why I suggest this variety is that it is known for setting heavy fruit loads, so much that it breaks limbs. Since this tree would not need to look pretty, I think a few broken limbs could be tolerated for the heavy production. Some apple trees tend to alternate yearly between heavy and light yields. You might want to try to find out if the variety is a consistent producer.
 
Not that this will be much help, but I have five apple trees in my yard. I'm not 100% sure of the varieties but I think they are Granny Smith (green) Johnathan (red) Macintosh (red) a crabapple of some kind and another one that was grafted but it is red too. The deer have a definate preference for the grafted tree then the other two reds then the crab followed by the green. To my taste the sweetest ones get eaten first then the Granny Smith last. I think you would be better off planting anything red as opposed to green or cooking apples. They make a great pie, but the deer in my neighborhood like red apples.

The 'Bonker
 
I have several varities of apple trees planted in part pf my yard. The Harleson does produce very well and the fruit stays on the tree a long time. Another tree that ripens early, early August, is the State Fair, also a heavy producer. I don't really care for them, but the different strains of red delicous will also have a lot of fruit and ripens latter into October. You should always plant at least 2 trees so that they will cross pollinate even with those that are listed as self-pollenators because they will produce better. If you are going to plant these trees randomly through your property I would suggest planting two or three varities in one location. If you plant early rippening, mid and late rippening trees you can draw the deer early clear through part of November. Fertilize them well but not with a high nitrogen fertilizer. I always get it mixed up but I thnk you need a lot of potash rather than nitrogen. Remeber that next years apples set on this years new growth so some trees might might produce heavy on year and light or not at all the next, another reason to vary your plantings. Lots of times you can buy trees really cheap as left over stock after the spring planting season on clearance sales.
 
Do you have any details on persimmons? How many years until they produce fruit? Maturity date for fruit? Utilization by deer? Where did you get the trees?

Old Buck
 
Will persimmons grow this far north? I have hunted where they are before and early season, things get good around them but the last place I had seen them was in Central Missouri persimmons
 
A place that I hunt has some wild plum trees. About the middle of August they were hit hard by the deer. Seems like within a week all the fruit was gone. Only about 2 or 3 trees on the property. I think a large stand of apples would be great. I would think that an acre or two of apple trees would be a huge draw and would hold the deer for a long period of time in the fall.
 
I read the article again the top varities for wildlife and whitetails areas listed below. These were all recommended for northern growers. Also check out www.NE183.org this is a apple cultivar evaluation project.

Honeycrisp (My personal favorite for human consumption also)

Liberty

Honeygold

Enterprise

Jonafree

Empire
 
Honeycrisp is a personal favorite as well. I had seen it mentioned as a good northern apple tree as it holds fruit later than others. Planting and will fence 10 trees this year, I don't know the variety though as I didn't do the order.
 
I was also told that S.E.Iowa was too cold for persimmons trees, too bad because they are deer magnets!
 
I lived in a real old farm house following college for five years while trying to save for my own property. Right behind this farm house was a persimmon tree that was anually loaded with fruit. The lady that used to live in the house was like my grandmother and used to make pies and jellys with them. I had no idea that deer liked them at the time.

I guess you didn't need all the background noise...but this persimmon tree was in Southeast Iowa.
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Pharmer,
Just curious how do you plan on planting the apples trees. I have no idea do you plant them in a straight line or two rows of five? etc.
 
I gave them the general area for 2 groups of 5 trees. BIL arranged for the trees through a friend that is a forester so I have left that in the hands of the experts. Was told I needed at least 2-3 for better pollen exchange and fruit production. I guess trees arrived and are being stored for now- 5-6' trees. I didn't ask if they are fencing each tree or fencing the group.
 
5-6' trees, how long until they start producing apples? I wish I could find some trees that size everything I seem to find are 2-3' or smaller. Would that same forester be interested in selling some more that size. Thanks for the info.
 
Has anyone had problems with gophers eating the roots of young apple trees? Ive had quite a few taken out by the little devils. Im thinking of planting some more this year and lining the hole with chicken wire. Does anyone know if this would work or have any other Ideas besides the obvious of trapping them?
 
Thanks for all the info guys, sorry it took me so long to get back and read the replies, it's a busy time of the year for me.

Old Buck ... I got the persimmon trees from Forest keeling Nursery in Elsberry MO. Forest Keeling Nursery

From what I have heard and read they should produce fruit within five years but I do not know this from personal experience. Deer will utilize them after a couple good frosts in late October or November. And they are native to southern Iowa just not very common anymore.
 
Larry,
There is an ad on page 37 of the March issue of QDM magazinefor Morse Nursery. It has Persimmon for $2.00 ea. www.morsenursery.com. As far as them growing in SE Ia there should be no problem as I had 4 trees growing at my old house N. of Pella. Also there are 4 trees at the archery range at Lake Red Rock. I think they will produce in 3-4 years.We also bought 30 apple trees from Stark Bro's Nursery in Missouri this year (30) minumum-800-435-8733. We chose ten each of honeycrisp,liberty,and enterprise. However you need to purchase trees early in the year as most nurserys sell out. The QDM article was very helpfull as it stated to get the trees on M111 or M7 stock. The cost averaged under $10.00 each.
Hope this helps

L Grimes
 
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