Blue Hill October Crab 2yr Old Bare Root Tree

This grafted tree produces a 1 1/2” crabapple that begins bearing a lot of fruit at a very young age. This tree will typically begin bearing fruit the same year you plant it. October Crab™ has a very sweet taste, good disease resistance. In a no spray situation I have seen no fireblight, powdery mildew or cedar apple rust. I have seen some apple scab on the leaves but the fruit remains pretty clean in a no spray situation.  It drops heavy crop loads at a heavy rate through the month of October and into November making this tree very desirable for bow seasons. The original October crab™ crabapple tree always has more deer sign under it compared to the many other wild apple trees in the same area. October Crab™ is a deer’s favorite! This picture was taken October 6th, at this time the tree was dropping just a very few apples in Central Pensylvania. You can see the fruit is near perfect without ever being sprayed. This is one of those trees that if you only planted one you will wish you had 10 in time. This crabapple is yet another tree that may not be immune to insect pest that commonly remove a lot apples prematurely but definitely shows strong signs of resistance, for video click here. October Crab™ crabapple will reach a mature height of 20’+. Plant Hardiness zones 5-8

OCTOBER CRAB™ CRABAPPLE

This grafted tree produces a 1 1/2’’ crabapple that begins bearing a lot of fruit at a very young age. October Crab™ has a very sweet taste, good disease resistance. In a no spray situation I have seen no fireblight, powdery mildew or cedar apple rust. I have seen some apple scab on the leaves but the fruit remains clean in a no spray situation. It drops heavy crop loads at a heavy rate through the month of October making this tree a deer’s favorite apple.
The original October crab™tree always has more deer sign under it compared to the many other wild apple trees in the same area. October Crab™ apple is a deer’s favorite! This picture was taken October 6th. You can see the fruit is near perfect without ever being sprayed. This crabapple tree has never been sprayed and almost seems immune to insect pest that commonly remove a lot apples prematurely. October crab™ also shows strong resistance to all common apple tree diseases. Plant Hardiness zones 5 – 8.

ROOTSTOCK FOR OCTOBER CRAB™

This grafted tree is attached to a standard, cold hardy, and vigorous root. This rootstock is an excellent choice for wildlife trees because it produces a full-size 20′ to 30′ tree. Producing a full-size tree for wildlife means much more fruit on a given tree. A full-size root also extends the life of your tree as it does not restrict the growth.

This rootstock develops deep roots, making it exceptionally well anchored. Therefore, it is also highly drought-tolerant. These roots penetrate well into the subsoil, pulling up lost nutrients. Therefore, this rootstock is an excellent all-around rootstock for wildlife plantings. October Crab™ is very precocious, with many trees producing quickly even when grafted onto a standard root.

POLLINATION FOR OCTOBER CRAB™

Plant at least one apple, apple crab, or crabapple variety near each other for pollination. Grams Gift crabapple, which blooms for a very long period, makes an excellent pollinator for apples and crabapples.

You want to plant different named trees within the apple family for pollination. Therefore, you need to mix the names of the grafted trees when planting, as trees with the same name are genetically identical and, most times, do not pollinate each other.

Picture that bee leaving one tree and hitting the next one. You want that bee to land on a tree blossom with a different name. Trees in the apple family flower over about 14 days, with each tree blooming for around 7 to 10 days. October Crab™ blooms mid-season, therefore providing plenty of pollination to early and late-season trees and receiving plenty.

PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS FOR OCTOBER CRAB™

Plant all apples and crabapples in moist, well-drained soil with a pH between 5.8 and 7. This soil should have adequate nutrient levels for optimal growth and fruit production.

If you have not completed a soil test, click here to improve your soil. Many products can supply your tree with the two most essential nutrients: phosphorus and potassium. However, adjust these nutrients when planting your tree or the prior year, as the soil two feet into the earth has never had any amendments, and these two nutrients are not very mobile.

Per a soil test, if your soil pH is lower than recommended, you can adjust it by mixing a few handfuls of pelletized lime into your soil when planting.

October Crab™ requires 6 hours of sunlight for growth and fruit production. Space trees 20′ apart and use at least 5′ cages to protect your trees. This process will ensure your deer eat your fruit in a few years, not your trees this year.

We also recommend wrapping an aluminum window screen around the base of your tree, using a 2’x 2′ breathable weed mat, and adding 10 gallons of stone to that weed mat.