crabapple trees

[Crow Hunter]

I would like to plant some fruit trees on my hunting land, crabapples and maybe apples. It is sandy ground (Wadena county). It is about three hours away from me, so I don't get up there real often in the summer. Will the young trees be able to make it on rainfall alone since I can't get there to water them regularly? Should I plant them on lower ground close to where the tag alders start, since the ground should stay more moist down there, or on higher ground? I would put fence around them, plus drain tile around the trunks. I have read the other threads regarding species, etc. Any input would be appreciated.

[sticknstring]

Far from an expert here, but I can offer my experience. I did the apple tree experiment on hunting land up north about 5 years ago and it failed from drought. I planted, watered them in good and made it up once more about a month later and repeated. It wasn't enough. I wouldn't go through all the work unless you're able to make irrigation plans. Leaving it up to mother nature is a recipe for failure imo.

[Crow Hunter]

I do have a plastic 55 gallon drum up there, I wonder if I could set up a drip to a couple of trees.

[East Rush Rules]

I would go with crabs as they are much more hearty than apple trees. Start with Dolgo, Whitney and maybe chestnut crabs. Deer love all three. With the sand, you will be able to get away with usin lumite around the base of the tree which will help hold moisture. Top it off with some pea gravel around the base to help hold down the lumite and to hold in extra moisture. Get some 36" window screen and out it around the base of the tree to prevent mice and whatnot from girdling the bases of the tree and killing them! Top it off with a nice fence to keep the deer out for the first 4-5 years and they should be on their way!

[hockeybc69]

I have a grove of about 15 apple trees now, with 6 crabapples mixed amongst them.

Its also over 2 hours away from me in Ottertail County. I have lost a few of them when they were younger and replaced them as I lost them.

Its a gamble, but worth a try imo.

Do what you can and go from there. I wouldnt go spend a ton of money on trees in this situation though. Everything I bought was fall clearance at bargain prices.

I am very happy with the results, although it hasnt been a super smooth road.

[BLACKJACK]

I you will be able to get away with usin lumite around the base of the tree which will help hold moisture.

Joining this thread a little late but I agree with the lumite fabric, it was developed for high plains tree planting and provides weed control AND moisture retention, I won't plant a tree anymore without putting fabric down.

[Bureaucrat]

East Rush Rules is right.

Dolgo, chestnut, and whitney are all cold hardy zone 3 trees.

I am speaking from a point of experience and also no experience.

First: Experience

I've been planting trees for about six years. My method is to plant and walk away forever, in terms of watering. Here's what I use:

12" seedlings if you can get them that size

Plantra tree tubes

A high quality 4x4' weed fabric

Mulch

I plant the tree, tube the tree, apply about 3-4" of fluffy mulch (It'll settle to an inch or two). Then I water enough to get the air bubbles out of my disturbed dirt (this is planting in spring before trees break dormancy) and to soak my wood mulch.

Then I install the weed fabric around my tubes to keep the competing roots away, and to cover my mulch.

It's worked every time I have tried it. Any mortality I have experienced has been unrelated to drought, and is typically 100% among unfit varieties or bad seedlings.

Second: No experience

Sorta...

I have planted Chestnut crabs. Awesome tree, very hardy. Also extremely expensive. The tree you can get for $20-$40. It's gonna cost another $35-$45 to protect it.

You have to dig a bigger hole, use more water, more mulch. You need to protect the trunk above the max snow accumulation line, or you will lose your tree. This i promise.

You have to put a minimum 5' cage around it. I'd recommend 6' to keep deer from reaching over the top and nipping your tips as they reach for the edge of the cage.

To hold up that much cage, you're going to need tall strong fenceposts which can run $7-$10 each.

Here's where I have no experience yet, but It's on my list for 2014.

Dolgo crab is the only zone 3 bareroot seedling apple tree I have found. There is a site out there where you can get them for $4/ea. I can stuff them in a tree tube and grow as referenced above (no need for expensive posts or cages).

I'm going to have about $18 total into each tree vs $80-$100. If it works, they'll emerge from the 6' tree tubes above the browse line and do fine on their own from there.

The one downside is that it could take 5-7 years before I get apples where a mature rootstock chestnut could yield in as little as 1-2.

Long term, I'd rather suffer a few years wait time and greatly multiply the number of trees for the same investment.

Alright, I'm done.

Thoughts? I'd post some pics If I could figure out how.

[Bureaucrat]

I guess I forgot to address the poster's original question.

What I would do to address your sandy soil issue is to simply buy potting soil and mix into where you plant at about 50/50. Potting soil is basically pure compost. It'll hold water longer than the best black dirt. That'll buy you a couple years until the roots can go down to where they need to be.

If you're plating a 5 foot tree, You can buy the potting soil for an extra $4. If it's the tie breaker between success and failure, I'd do it, or not sink a shovel at all.

Mulching the tree with 4 inches of fluffy cyprus, or two inches of wood chips will go a long way. It'll prevent your soil from drying out in the sun and greatly extend your moisture. Be careful not to apply it so thick that it molds. That's a bad situation too.