Are the branches more upright than parallel to the earth? I am selectively pruning and spreading my branches so they are at 45-90 degrees. Branches that are more parallel to the earth should be more favorable to fruit production. I am a second year apple grower and all my trees have been planted wit...

I will try to give it a go if/when I can get my hands on some pits. Thanks!

Can I get a cutting of the French "Mirabelle" (small, yellow plum) here in the USA? A friend of mine who knows about my interest in plants, recently returned from France and said that the Mirabelle does not grow true from pit and to get a true Mirabelle, I would require a cutting and graft...

I am happy to report that even there there has been no sign of growth the past two months, the tree has new shoots now. Looks like it will make it this year.

JohnB - thanks for the link! I will send to my friend at NOAA and see what he says, maybe change is mind?

I am thinking about doing the same and currently grow Nehou, Muscat de Bernay, Kingston Black, Tremlett's Bitter specifically for making sparkling cider. Also, my other trees will be used for flavoring. Muscat de Bernay and Tremlett's Bitter are very slow growers which might adopt well to your situa...

I spoke with a friend who works for NOAA. He thinks this is the tipping point of an ice age. I have heard that theory too however I believe in global warming. Even a few degrees warmer in central PA should not hurt my fruit production - may improve production. The two years since I lived here we hav...

I have never grown hops but they look like interesting plants and should be easy to grow here. My trees are still several years away from bumper crops so for now will only eat the few that ripen. Thanks for the idea though!

My Siberian Crabapple has dark red fruit, about 1"-1.5" diameter this year. If I were closer I would send you the few I have (the tree is only two yrs in the ground but produced about 8 crabapples this year). If you can find someone close by with a crabapple tree that produces the same siz...

For the time being, it looks like the spots have not multiplied. The spots have grown to about 2mm in diameter but seems to have stopped. I checked the pictures of the Ananas Reinette on the OP website and it looks similar to the bottom center of the first photograph so I guess that it is normal gro...

I doubt they are lenticils; not enough spots!. There are about 50 grey spots and were not on my apple all season during it's development. The grey spots have not multiplied or enlargened. Will just have to wait and see if anything else happens and pray that my single apple makes it to September/Octo...

Berries drying out perhaps? Have you tried Gooseberries? They have a lot of leaves and the fruit develops on the underside of the branch. I have Hinnomaki Red and they are strong their second year in the ground. Had a bumper crop of gooseberries too :) Expanding my fruit trees and bushes next year a...

I only have one apple remaining on my Ananas Reinette and have been keeping a close eye on it. Ananas Reinette is one of the best growers in my home orchard (least amount of issues) but wondering what this new indication that I observed yesterday for the first time. The skin has grey spots that are ...

I started researching what will happen in the future to fruit trees (particularly apples). If water is not an issue, wood and fruit growth in fruit/apples should enhance growth of wood, canopy, and production (?). Can anyone add to this discussion? I am not a biologist, just a concerned citizen tryi...

For precautions:
Check http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/3000/p ... 011_08.pdf

Has four black rot resistant plums at the bottom of the page:
http://agsci.psu.edu/fphg/stone/variety ... -varieties

This site has several listed also:
http://www.johnsonnursery.com/FRUIT%20PAGES/PLUMS.htm