Shogun’s Crab Apple Bonanza

Stabbing, poking, wounding, hammering trunks to injure bark in order to stimulate back budding, I have never seen good evidence of success for these tricks. However, deeper pots than the very shallow bonsai pots, better or more consistent moisture for roots, good sun, Malus are half sun to full sun plants, more sun the better for most northern climates. Better horticulture in general will usually result in back budding. Your moving to a deeper pot will most likely help with the back budding. In Pennsylvania, Malus are full sun trees, in desert parts of Texas, New Mexico, or Arizona, they might need shade during the hottest part of the day.
 
Golly! I missed this thread!

I'm.trying some malus again this year...

Rust is prevalent in this area, so I will probably just keep one or two, and just proactively treat with granular.

Yours look nice!
 
Stabbing, poking, wounding, hammering trunks to injure bark in order to stimulate back budding, I have never seen good evidence of success for these tricks. However, deeper pots than the very shallow bonsai pots, better or more consistent moisture for roots, good sun, Malus are half sun to full sun plants, more sun the better for most northern climates. Better horticulture in general will usually result in back budding. Your moving to a deeper pot will most likely help with the back budding. In Pennsylvania, Malus are full sun trees, in desert parts of Texas, New Mexico, or Arizona, they might need shade during the hottest part of the day.

I am also curious how the nicking or Injuring would play out...

Because, around here, I see broken branches that'll let in bacteria..

Annnd there goes half the tree.

🤣

Must be work keeping wounds "clean" malus-wide.
 
Golly! I missed this thread!

I'm.trying some malus again this year...

Rust is prevalent in this area, so I will probably just keep one or two, and just proactively treat with granular.

Yours look nice!
Yeah I sprayed my malus 3 times this off season. I only and repotting one which was above , there are 2 others I will be keeping in the lot respective pots this year in grow pots letting them go
 
Golly! I missed this thread!

I'm.trying some malus again this year...

Rust is prevalent in this area, so I will probably just keep one or two, and just proactively treat with granular.

Yours look nice!

When choosing your Malus look specifically for disease resistance. Better vendors like Brent at Evergreen list which cultivars are known for resistance to rust, Because rust is prevalent in your area, resistance is more important than things like flower color.
 
When choosing your Malus look specifically for disease resistance. Better vendors like Brent at Evergreen list which cultivars are known for resistance to rust, Because rust is prevalent in your area, resistance is more important than things like flower color.

Would selecting cuttings from a particularly healthy and seemingly disease-free mature tree (with the second-best crab apples I've ever eaten), growing in partial wetlands count as this selection process?...

Because THAT would cost me... Close to nothing! 🤣

ALSO.... Agreed! When actually spending moolah on plants, Brent (amongst some other specialty growers) is the MAN!

I also agree that with it(rust) heavy here, this should be my "front" concern.
 
Would selecting cuttings from a particularly healthy and seemingly disease-free mature tree (with the second-best crab apples I've ever eaten), growing in partial wetlands count as this selection process?...

Because THAT would cost me... Close to nothing! 🤣

"It Depends", its your collection, your trees, add it if you like. If you have observed this tree over several years, including "high disease pressure years" and "low disease pressure years" and it always seemed healthy, you indeed may have discovered a naturally disease resistant cultivar. This is exactly how some are found. If it is a tree you only observed once, one year, who knows how disease resistant it is really?

But if "free" to obtain is more important than cost and or ease of maintenance, go for it.

At my age I have found it more important to think about disease resistance than just acquiring "one of each".

But as mentioned above and in other threads, Rust diseases can be managed. The fungicides that work really well are expensive. The "home remedies" that "kind a work" like peroxide, are relatively cheap. Though a bottle of 3% peroxide will only cost a dollar or two, it will only treat a couple trees. If you have a 100 or 200 plant collection, suddenly the cost of those little bottles of 3% peroxide don't seem so cheap. There is a 30% active version of peroxide for nursery and industrial use, Zertol is one brand name. You must use caution, because it really is 10 times the concentration of home use 3% peroxide. The Zertol will peel the skin off your hands if you are careless, I have the scars to prove it. It does allow you to make up a larger quantity of peroxide solution at a concentration higher than 3%. Generally 6% or less is safe for plants, trees, orchids and such. It will foam algae off of benches and wood products. Last time I checked $60 per gallon. Though it has been a few years since I bought any. In Wisconsin a Dairy Supply Company might have Zertol, as there is no toxic residue, and it does excellent sanitation.
 
Just passing on an idea I learned from @Brent @ Evergreen Gardenworks that I’ve done with crabs for the past three years is to cut these guys back hard, let ‘em run, then repeat, again and again.…

This results in a really gnarly, naturalistic twisty trunk crab. Once I get to building the secondary structure, I intend to repeat this for at least a couple rounds, then clip and grow from there.

All good things take time!

Oh yes Zertol is not for the unwary. I remember a gardener in our district capping the gallon container it was stored in and inadvertently leaving it in the hot sun. What occurred is every 7th grade science student‘s dream!

cheers
DSD sends
 
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I have 2 more apples that I’m messing around w one here I’ll update some day coming up soon . This one I bent so hard it sorta cracked the bark so I sealed and wrapped w buddy tape for precaution

I REEEALLY enjoy the shape you are building here.
 
Just passing on an idea I learned from @Brent @ Evergreen Gardenworks that I’ve done with crabs for the past three years is to cut these guys back hard, let ‘em run, then repeat, again and again.…

This results in a really gnarly, naturalistic twisty trunk crab. Once I get to building the secondary structure, I intend to repeat this for at least a couple rounds, then clip and grow from there.

All good things take time!

Oh yes Zertol is not for the unwary. I remember a gardener in our district capping the gallon container it was stored in and inadvertently leaving it in the hot sun. What occurred is every 7th grade science student‘s dream!

cheers
DSD sends
Thanks , always a pleasure to see your comments on my trees. :) .. I’m currently building the structure on all my crabs just need to build a grow box I think as next steps for the other 2.
 
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I’m really starting to like this at the new front for the treee , the base looks the best at this angle… I’m going to carry that on and put into a bigger pot next spring.who knows I may end up air layering next year the left side I think it’s too late to try that now .. but that right branch that twists up is what brings it home for me.. I was debating selling the tree but can’t in this condition and as my first tree that I actually bought for bonsai , I’m going to keep it

I partially defoliated and it’s suffering through a bit of apple cedar rust and Japanese nettles had it for their afternoon salad. Tomorrow I’m getting a sex trap and they can have their massive death orgy.
 
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