Crab Aples from seed

[alpineart]

This is the prepared grow bed for the Crab Apples which has been widened and re-worked with the rotary hoe

P1070575_00.JPG

P1070576_00.JPG

These are some of the varieties i have grown from seed . The parent tree was all but destroyed by a mini tornadoes 2 years ago the hit here in Myrtleford and in Ovens area's .These have been flat cut from the start and for the last 3 season season as the roots grow very contorted and is difficult to trim to a suitable base .

P1070586.JPG

P1070587.JPG

While they aren't huge they do have reasonably flat root masses .There is a mix of 3 and 4 year old's as well as a few fruit bearing cutting .They have had a minor trim and placed back into the re-worked grow bed .

P1070631.JPG

The is plenty of various pre-styled trunks amongst them as well .

Cheers Alpineart

[kcpoole]

Nice work Alpine
How long do you think they will be in the ground? and how often will you lift to do rootwork?

Ken

[Dario]

Great work Alpine
What a ripper view you have!
Cheers, Dario.

[Josh]

Great work Alpine
What a ripper view you have!
Cheers, Dario.

What were you doing looking at the view.....look at those trees...

Josh

Ohh and there can't be to much ground left at your place can there Alpine??

[alpineart]

Nice work Alpine
How long do you think they will be in the ground? and how often will you lift to do rootwork?

Ken

Hi kc, mate these are lifted and root pruned or trimmed every year , 2 seasons and they end up in a mess requiring almost flat cutting again .These will be sold off as they progress hopefully 1/4 of these will be sold this season . As they get bigger i need the room without making extra grow beds .

The roots are very brittle and constantly run in circles creating a tangled mess so if a good Narebri is to be produced they need to be cut and grown every year . The take well to flat cutting like an olive when young however it is at the expense of thickening the trunks . Most of these have been flat cut twice , just getting a desirable root mass now .

Cheers Alpine

[alpineart]

Hi Dario , the view is to die for but i don't get to sit and admire it , guess i have taken it for granted for the last 18 years .

Hi Josh , mate room to move , setting up another tiered terrace grow bed now .

Cheers Fella's Alpine

[Matthew]

Mate sitting behind a desk with a nasty cold atm you make me want to get out into my grow beds. Pitifull compared to yours but i have tridents and crab apples needing lifting, maybe next weekend as i think we may see some rain this weekend again

[alpineart]

Hi Matthew , mate a good hard workout on a shovel digging those plants out might be the remedy you need to kick the cold .I have 2 seasons of neglect to catch up on and Winter is all but over .

They are forecasting 3 days of wet whether from Friday so i hope to be planted out by tomorrow night . With that beautiful ground you have out there i would be in my element .

Cheers Alpine

[Damian Bee]

You are right Alpine, the time for twiddling thumbs over the fire is gone

[alpineart]

Hi Damian Bee , not that warm yet , got my butt close to the fire as much as possible . A couple of Minus temps over the last couple of nights , very low teens during the day its still very . A good garden workout keeps me warm , but that fire is a real treat after dark .

Cheers Alpine

[Damian Bee]

Thats true about the fire, for me I am desperately repotting and sweating over trying to get my growing beds ready before leaves pop out of buds
Same old story, not enough time in the day and not enough of me to go around

[alpineart]

Hi Damian Bee , not too many re-pots this year , too far behind the eight ball . Won't hurt to leave them for 2 years running . I have re-potted everything here every year since being here , they can lift themselves up out of the pots .

Cheers Alpine

[Dario]

What were you doing looking at the view.....look at those trees...

Josh

Hi Josh I couldn't help myself... over the view and all the ripper trees Alpine has been posting. But I am also very appreciative of where I am too, in good old Melbourne town
Cheers, Dario.

[alpineart]

These are just a few of the seed grown and root/branch cuttings that have been growing for quite some time now . A few developed trees were grown in planter bags this season both large and small

P1120748.JPG

P1120749.JPG

P1120750.JPG

P1120751.JPG

P1120752.JPG

P1120753.JPG

P1120755.JPG

. These seed grown trunks will be grafted with red and yellow varieties this winter

P1120754.JPG

The rest are in grow beds where they are easily neglected

P1120756.JPG

P1120757.JPG

P1120758.JPG

. There must be a couple of hundred in the ground awaiting a bit of a hack and chop , no rest for the wicked .

Cheers Alpineart

[alpineart]

A start on these has taken place today , with so many trunks I will end up scrapping anything that looks ordinary saving time and space for the better material .

P1130340.JPG

P1130341.JPG

With 5-6 different varieties I will need to sort out area's for each and plant some of the developed material into planter bags for sale , some has been and more will be grafted with other varieties hoping to produce a few double and triple grafted specimens .

Cheers Alpineart