Haralred apple trees

[Cooter]

Anyone familiar with this variety? They are supposedly very cold hardy at a zone 3 rating - plus they are 30% off at the local Hardware Hank! Good option for deer?

[BLACKJACK]

I planted some a few years ago, they have yet to produce, but they're standards, dwarfs and semi-dwarfs mature sooner. Haralsons/haralreds will ripen later in the fall. My advice is go for it, but then look around for some earlier maturing types to plant with them.

Don't forget to put some protection around them or between their antlers and trying to get at the leaves, the deer will destroy them. Also do a search here on 'apples', there is some good info already talked about in past threads.

[Swamp Scooter]

The Haralred is a redder form of Haralson. The Haralson apples are more for cooking than eating but is a nice firm and tart apple for eating. They mature later in the season too. They are one of my latest apples. The standard type of tree will be the largest, take the longest to blossom and set fruit( up to 10 years or so and sometimes as short as 5-7). The semi dwarf trees will be a perfect tree for most yards unless you have hardly any room for a tree. They can attain heights of 15-20 feet but most of that depends on your pruning. They will set fruit sooner, 5-7 years or so. Dwarf trees will be the smallest 8-12 feet tall, set fruit in 3-4 years. The different trees will also live longer for standard, shorter for the dwarf. I have a couple of standard Haralson trees and they are already about 55 years old and still producing.

If the trees you are looking at are maybe 6 feet tall they are maybe 3 years old already. I am guessing they are in pots too. If it is a semi/dwarf then you very well may get about 3-6 fruit next year. It may blossom and in your area it will be in early May.

Do cage them to keep the deer away and also make darn sure you wrap the tree trunk this Fall with tree wrap as high up as the snow will be. If you do not the mice and rodents will ring the bark under the snow and the tree will die. This can be discontinued after a few years and the bark gets rough and hard.

I believe the Haralred is a self pollinator too so not a real need to getting two of the same. A variety of types is nice and going with a good eater for another tree will be good. They should not be too expensive either. If they are 15-20 bucks then a discount great. If much more than $20 then I would order from somewhere else.

As for the deer and bears I use a lot of the Haralson apples for bait. They are still around at that time of year.

[Cooter]

I picked three of them up last night, total of $48 with tax. As you mentioned, the fruit ripens late and the tag claims they should produce fruit the first year. I have 3 Whitney crabs as well, any recommendations for a third variety? Thanks, later. Oh yeah, they are in pots, should I wait until fall to plant them?

[Swamp Scooter]

Be cautious of the crabs bringing in apple scab so spraying is a must. Plant the trees ASAP. Dig nice holes, make sure the root tips are facing down when you cover them. Do not pack the roots in too tightly but firmly. Then water frequently; they will take off in about 5-10 days on their own but continue to water them in this weather. A Honeycrisp is a dandy apple for eating. Nice sized too. Hearty and does well in your area. You can grow most anything, trust me, I do. So whatever you like is what to go for. Some apples are soft and therefore are not all that great for eating. A firm crisp apple is what you will want with not too high of acid. Try the U of MN web page for the expension servie and they have good info on different varieties.

When planting remember one key thing. You MUST make sure the graft is left above the ground. That is the knobby looking thing at the base of the trunk. It is where the variety was added to a root stock. If you plant the tree below that the root stock will grow and not the graft. You will not get the variety you purchased.

[Cooter]

"Apple scab"? More details please. Honeycrisp - my buds boss has hundreds of those at his orchard, might be able to get a deal. Thanks for the info. Later.

[Swamp Scooter]

Fungus type of thing that affects leaves and causes them to drop off. A good quality spray in the Spring before the buds pop, then once they are out and again a week or so later can keep it away. Clean up leaves in Fall. There are lots of different things that affect the fruit trees. Mites, mold/fungus, insects. The regular tree spray has all three in it.

[Cooter]

Thanks much, I'll have to roust up some spray. BTW - I see the deer took care of most of the apples, they got all but the apples on the very top as of yesterday. Guess they like em anyways. Ah yes, and how bout best times of the year to fertilize - thanks much Scooter!

[Cooter]

Hey Scooter - I just stopped at the local hardware store and found some Ortho with active ingredient chlorothalonil, formerly called Daconil. Is this the stuff?

[Swamp Scooter]

I will have to check tonight what all the active ingredients are. It is labeled fruit tree spray and there are a few different makers. Bonde, Gordon are some makers.

If the deer already got your apples watch out they do not munch the trees off at the tips.