Crab Apple Trees (flowers, growing, Fruit Trees, vines)
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I just bought a house and the former owner has 3 mature crab apple trees in the middle of the yard. I know they aren't edible but wondering if it is worth keeping them? They seem pretty messy. They have benches under the tree and lights pointing up so they must be pretty some time during the year.
They also have regular apple trees and apricots, I see seeds all under the trees. As much s I like fruit trees, I am just wondering if keeping them up will be difficult?
The former owner also has grapes, but look to be pretty neat right now, but do the vines get out of control and do I have to clean them out every fall or summer? I have no idea how to care for my backyard, even though it's gorgeous right now.
Location: ๏̯͡๏﴿ Gwinnett-That's a Civil Matter-County
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Crabs are nice trees, their main ornamental feature is the flowers (spring).
Unfortunately they are sometimes prone to a number of pests and diseases but if they aren't showing any signs of those diseases I don't know why you'd want to remove them unless they're planted in a bad spot.
The edible apples on the other hand.... I would and . They are a p.i.t.b. At least in my climate they are.
How are the regular apple trees? If you have the time and interest, why not consider taking care of 'em? Nothing better than a source of food other than the grocery store, ya know what I mean? Even if the apples aren't picture perfect, turning them into applesauce will take care of that! Nothing better than homemade apple sauce!
I just bought a house and the former owner has 3 mature crab apple trees in the middle of the yard. I know they aren't edible but wondering if it is worth keeping them? They seem pretty messy. They have benches under the tree and lights pointing up so they must be pretty some time during the year.
They also have regular apple trees and apricots, I see seeds all under the trees. As much s I like fruit trees, I am just wondering if keeping them up will be difficult?
The former owner also has grapes, but look to be pretty neat right now, but do the vines get out of control and do I have to clean them out every fall or summer? I have no idea how to care for my backyard, even though it's gorgeous right now.
If you do not like edible plants than remove them.
My Dw cans so she harvests crabapples to make pectin.
We have an orchard, which includes apples, peaches, pears, cherries, elderberries, nuts and herbs. All of my apple trees use crabapple as their rootstock. If you do not like crabapples, you may have a sweet apple grafted onto your crabapple trees.
Fruit trees usually need to be sprayed with a 'dormant oil spray' every fall to control pests. An early spring pruning works good for most fruit trees. Then leave them alone the rest of the year.
Grapes usually require periodic training through-out the growing season, and pruning after harvest.
Local nurseries should run free classes to teach these skills every year. Or else they should be able to recommend various local gardeners who can do it for you.
Your local Ag extension office should also have classes.
Many birds will go for the crabapples. I'd keep them just for that reason alone. I notice, too, that the more birds I attract to my property the fewer insects I have. Think about this a bit before rushing to remove them.
I'd leave all the trees for at least a year so you can see them. Apples are pest/fungus prone...but they're still edible and do produce pretty blossoms in spring. There's a wild apple tree in the woods behind my house, and the fruit's buggy, but it is still delicious.
Makes me feel a little sorry for the previous owners. They'd probably worked pretty hard to plant all the trees and things...only to have someone cut them down...If the op doesn't like fruit, I guess the trees are problematic...but picking/eating the fruit may reduce the mess.
You can make jelly out of crabapples. The other fruit can also be made into jelly/jam or eaten fresh. One way I clean up the "mess" under my fruit trees is by throwing the fallen fruit into the compost pile. I use the compost to enrich bad soil and on my veggies.
Decided remove all the trees in plants in the back yard and start over fresh. Such a shame because they are so huge right now.
Why don't you wait until you see the area in the spring? You might not be able to duplicate the beauty.
You could be making a BIG mistake if you take out all the old trees.
Why don't you wait until you see the area in the spring? You might not be able to duplicate the beauty.
You could be making a BIG mistake if you take out all the old trees.
Because I just found out one of the former owners hung himself in the shed way in the back. Fortunately the yard is big and the shed was far as it could be from the house. Getting rid of everything including the shed and starting new. Yuk.. so creepy the last owner kept the shed.
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and 
. They are a p.i.t.b. At least in my climate they are.
