Product Description
$19.95 – $35.95
A grafted fast-growing tree with good disease resistance produces abundant annual crops of 1 ¾” crabapples that are good for eating out of hand and the deer. It is a highly vigorous tree and produces fruit annually. I have seen excellent resistance to cedar apple rust, fireblight, and powdery mildew in a no-spray situation. I have seen apple scab develop on leaves and fruit in a no-spray situation in years of excessive rain. Prime Time Crab will begin dropping in the last weeks of October and continue through November and December. This crabapple also is dropping a lot of fruit into December here in Pennsylvania and is one I wouldn’t have a fruit orchard without this tree in it. It doesn’t take but to look at my pictures of this tree, and you can see why I would not have an orchard with a few prime time crabs growing in it. For a video of a young Prime Time Crab, CLICK HERE. The tree is highly productive and provides a maximum draw at just a perfect time. This tree will reach a mature height of 20’+. Plant Hardiness zones 5-8
Only available in 2-yr trees.
Description
PRIME TIME CRABAPPLE
The Prime Time crabapple is a tree with a good disease resistance that produces abundant annual crops of 1 ¾” crabapples that are good for eating out of hand and for the deer. I have seen excellent resistance to cedar apple rust, fireblight, and powdery mildew in a no-spray situation. I have seen apple scab develop on leaves and fruit in a no-spray situation in years of excessive rain. It is a very vigorous tree and produces fruit annually. This tree originated in Central Indiana from whitetail enthusiast Mr. John Trout and is also known by the name Lemon Drop due to having a touch of citrus flavor followed by a lot of sweetness. Prime Time Crab will begin dropping in the last weeks of October and continue through November and December. This tree provides a maximum draw at just the right time….Prime Time!! Hardiness zones 5-8.
The Prime Time crabapple is made by using plant tissue from the original tree and attaching it to the new roots. This process essentially gives you an identical tree to the one you see in the picture and description.
TREE SIZE
2-3′ ( 3/8″ dia.) These trees will have a good root system. They will be whips around 3′ high with a trunk diameter of 3/8″.
3-5′ ( 1/2” dia.) These trees will have a good root system with some possible branching but will mainly be whips. They will range in height between 3′ to 5′ with a trunk diameter of around 1/2″.
4-6′ (+ 1/2” dia.) These trees will have an extensive root system and typically have multiple branches, but many will be solid whips. They will range in height between 4′ and 6′ with a 1/2″ to 3/4″ trunk diameter.
2-yr 4-6′ (5/8”-3/4” dia.) These two-year-old trees will have an extensive root system and can have multiple branches with a diameter of 5/8” and greater. We will be pruning the trees back to a shipping height of 66” with the roots. Our largest box is 66″x 14″x 15″ and will hold 15 of the 2-yr trees. Free local pick-up is open to the surrounding states of Pennsylvania.
STANDARD ROOTSTOCK
Prime Time Crabapple is grafted to a standard root that is extremely cold, hardy, and vigorous. 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. This rootstock will develop deep ”Real roots” making it exceptionally well anchored, penetrating well into the subsoil, pulling up lost nutrients, and making it very drought tolerant. This root is a great all-around rootstock for wildlife plantings.
This standard-size rootstock is adaptable to many soil types and conditions, especially when planted in less desirable locations. Therefore, with its full vigor, can be used in areas that were once wooded and are now food plots, reclaimed land, shale mountain soil, dryer uplands, and ridges. This standard rootstock will also perform well in improved soil in an orchard-style setting. We are only grafting onto the most vigorous roots in a given year. When grafting onto the top 30% of seedlings, you get a rootstock about 40% more vigorous tree than many clonal stocks used for wildlife trees today. Prime Time Crabapple is very precocious, with many trees producing very quickly anon this standard root making it an all-around excellent rootstock for wildlife plantings.
PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS FOR PRIME TIME CRABAPPLE
Plant at least one different apple or crabapple variety within proximity to the Prime Time Crabapple tree for pollination. Grams Gift crabapple, Enterprise apple, or Chestnut crabapple will make Prime Time crab excellent pollinators. Plant your Prime Time tree in moist, well-drained soil with a soil pH between 5.8 – 7 with adequate nutrient levels for optimal growth.
If you have not completed a soil test, click here and improve your soil. I would highly recommend doing so. However, if you are not going to, I would recommend mixing 1 ounce for every three sq ft of 0-20-20 granular fertilizer in your soil at the time of planting. The first number tells you a percentage of nitrogen contained in the fertilizer. Nitrogen applied directly to the tree’s roots will cause death to your tree. Make sure the first number is zero. Aged compost is also appropriate when applied in the correct amounts.
Nitrogen is very mobile in the soil, and you can apply a small of nitrogen the following year. The 2nd and 3rd numbers are Phosphorus and Potassium. Apply these two nutrients at or well before planting because they are immobile in the soil. They will need to be mixed in through the soil. We recommend completing a soil test and making amendments for best results. We recommend applying 1 lb of 10-10-10 for every inch of diameter in the spring the following year and each year after planting.
Prime Time Crab requires a minimum of 6 hours of sunlight for growth and fruit production. Space trees 20′ apart and use at least 5′ cages to protect your trees. This will ensure your deer eat your fruit in a few years and not your trees this year.
SHIPPING/PICK UP
Shipping to Plant Hardiness zones 2 – 8 will begin again in mid-March on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays (you select your ship date) and continue until the last Monday in April. Dormant bare-root trees must be planted in the spring, while trees in your area remain dormant. You can select your ship date as you checkout on the website. If you are picking up your trees, typically, the last week in March or the first week in April is perfect for planting in Pennsylvania. We have opened up the free local pick-up to the surrounding states as it could be more cost-effective if you order more than 30 trees. You can select your pick-up date on the website as you checkout. Please call or message us to make an appointment to pick up your trees if you can not make the date you selected.
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Additional information
| Weight | 18 oz |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 58 × 2.30 × 2.30 in |
| Tree Size | 2-3' (3/8'' dia.), 3-5' (1/2'' dia.), 4-6' (+1/2'' dia.), 2-yr old 4-6' (+5/8''dia.) |
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Returns: We have been shipping plants around the country for quite some time now. We provide
healthy live plants. We take every effort to ensure that your plants are packed in a way that
maintains that health as they arrive to you. We can not be responsible for how plants are handled
when they leave our care or are handled by customers.
Tree care: If you plant your tree up on high dry ground they may need watered through the first
summer, if you plant too low and wet your trees may drown. Be careful of the herbicide you may
use around the tree (read the label). I want you and your trees to succeed but if you don't tube or
cage them the deer will eat your tree that night.
Hours: We do not keep regular hours. If you would like to visit the nursery, just call, send a
message or email. Anyone is more than welcome.
Selected pickup dates: Trees can be picked up in the spring as soon as you can dig in your soil.
Trees need to be picked by the end of April. Before picking up, please contact us letting us know
when you are planning to come so we can have your order ready for you when you arrive.
Shipping: When buying grafted trees, depending on the amount of trees you order will determine
the size box the trees will be shipped in. If you order 4 two year old trees, they will fit into a 66in
x 8in x 8in box. Ordering 5-15 two year old trees will fill into a 66in x 15in x 14in box. Ordering
16 or more two year old trees will fill into 2 or more boxes, depending on the total amount of
trees bought. Trees may need to be professionally pruned to fit in these boxes. Ship dates will be
selected by you before completing you order. We ship trees from early March to late April. You
should select a ship date that is suitable for the location you are planting your trees. Trees will
ship through UPS on Monday’s, Tuesday’s, and Wednesday’s. You will receive an email
notification when your trees ship. When trees arrive, plant as soon as possible. If you cannot, it
would be best to heal them into soil or store in a cool place not allowing roots to freeze but not
allowing the trees to become warm.
If Tree Tube products are the only items you purchase then they will ship as soon as the order is
received. You may have to select a ship date but I can assure you if you are just ordering tree
tubes they will ship immediately. If Tree Tube products are purchased with trees, then they will
ship with the trees.
Due to the cost of shipping there will be a minimum of 4 trees that have to be purchased in order
for checkout to occur. Due to phytosanitary regulations, we do not ship to Alaska, California,
Hawaii, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.
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This grafted crabapple tree is becoming quite popular for its late drop and consistent annual crops. Golden Hornet is a commercial variety typically grown as an ornamental crab apple. These 1 1/2’’ very edible crabapples fall at a very good time, varies by location, but typically starts dropping at a fast rate after the first few frosts in mid to late October. Golden Hornet will retain a good amount of apples and drop through into winter. This tree is self-fertile, an excellent pollinator with average disease resistance and is susceptible to Cedar Apple Rust. Golden Hornet will reach a mature height of 20'+. Plant Hardiness zones 4-7
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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
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