Growing healthy crabapple trees from existing roots

11 years ago

Hello,

When we moved into our house two years ago, there were two crabapple trees planted in the front yard. For the past two years, I have attempted to keep them alive through the winter without success - see my previous methods below. This year the tufts of 10 - 15 suckers are coming out of the ground again, but this time I want to help them grow strong so they can survive the winter!

More facts: I live in Aurora, CO and we have clay soil. There are two full-grown adult cottonwood trees on the front yard also, but the crabapples are planted about 12 ft away from their trunks. The crabapples are on the west side of the house and they get partial to full sun from about mid-morning onward. There are definitely some established roots there and the suckers grow quite well.

PREVIOUS METHODS:

In 2013, I didn't do much to help the trees until the first week of October when I laid mulch rings 2" deep around the base of the sucker clumps. On the same day that I installed the mulch, I trimmed back all of the suckers at the root ball except for one spindly shoot coming out of the ground for each tree. The shoots were about 2.5 - 3 ft. tall but only about the diameter of a pen or pencil. I wrapped the tiny shoots with tree wrap, which looked comical, but I didn't what else to do. Over the winter, one was either nibbled on at the trunk or it was so weak that it snapped, and the other was no more than a dead twig in the spring.

In 2014, I watered them pretty well with dribbling hose technique to soak the ground, and they also got water when I watered the front lawn approx. twice a week. In July, I trimmed back all but about 5 shoots that each looked stronger than the ones from the previous year, hoping that at least one of the 5 shoots would survive the winter. I diligently kept trimming the suckers until winter. Also, in October I installed 4 ft tall chicken wire around the mulch circles to keep rabbits and hungry critters away from their tender stalks. This spring, the shoots weren't nibbled, but again they were basically dead twigs attached to the root ball.

What should I do this year to help them grow strong enough to survive the winter? Add fertilizer pellets? Amend the soil? Diligently trim all suckers starting now (early May)? Let them grow into thick bushes and wait to prune until next year when they're more established?

Thanks,

Mark

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Comments (9)

david52 Zone 6
11 years ago
Can you tell if the original was a grafted tree, and what you're seeing shooting up is what you want?

I liked your idea of 5 shoots - this last 8 months has been brutal for fruit trees along the front range, so it may not be anything you're doing wrong.
Mark J.
Original Author
11 years ago
How would I tell if they are growing from a grafted tree?
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david52 Zone 6
11 years ago
Most grafted trees have a distinctive swelling or bump where the original graft was - on my fruit trees, now 10 yrs old, its about 4" off the ground, but I've seen plenty of trees that were planted too deep. That same bump should exist, even if buried.

I'm no expert on crab apples, a quick google shows that many flowering varieties are grafted, and the genus is also a candidate for root stock to graft other stuff.

Thats not much help. :)
Mark J.
Original Author
11 years ago
The shoots are unmistakably crabapples. Hopefully someone out there has some tips for me to try...
treebarb Z5 Denver
11 years ago
Are the original trunks of the trees still alive? If they're dead, have you removed them? If you haven't already, I'd cut them off before the suckers get very big.

The suckers that grow may not be the original plant. If the trees were grafted and the mother plant has passed the suckers may be from the rootstock, a different type of crabapple than mama.

I'm with David. Clip out the inferiors and leave yourself with a few to let grow on a bit. I wouldn't bother with fertilizing or anything other than water when needed. Mother Nature gave them the best possible start with this rain. There's nothing for you to do but step back, watch what comes up and prune off what you don't want . With a little luck you'll end up with a new crabapple tree. Patience. It has been a rough year for trees.
Mark J.
Original Author
11 years ago
I see. No, the trunks are gone, only roots left. Thanks for the suggestions.
david52 Zone 6
11 years ago
Mark, after you've picked 4-5 shoots to try and protect, then you might want to let them get 4 feet high then prune them back by half - makes for a sturdier plant.
Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
11 years ago
Again, if it is grafted, you don't know what you'll get.
Mark J.
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks for everyone's comments and information. I'm OK with not knowing what I'll get from these trees, because after all, I didn't even purchase or plant them myself. The element of surprise will add to the enjoyment of growing the trees, especially after all of my efforts thus far.

I've removed the winter chicken wire barrier and trimmed the bundle of spring suckers back to 5 shoots per tree. They're only about 12" tall thus far. I will water them deeply with trickling hose, as needed, throughout the summer in hopes of getting some sturdy shoots by the fall. In the past, the pencil-thin shoots have only had leaves running up the length of the stalks, but if they have branches or "off-shoots" by the time they are 4' tall, then I'll prune them back by half. Happy growing!