I have issues with Japanese beetles. Have been trying to figure out a solution, and have been looking at spreading nematodes to kill the grubs. Does anyone know if there is adverse effect of nematodes on apple trees? I'm getting sick of stomping down mole hills that are in my yard eating the beetle ...

I have not...but it sounds very interesting!

That's a good idea. I live less than a mile away from a National Wildlife Refuge and i've counted 20 deer in my backyard once. Chased single deer away as well.

I wondered about that. It seemed logical, but far too easy. Thanks Richard!

I'm not totally positive I have this correct, so i'm going to ask y'all. This past fall, I bought some Northern Spy apples. Northern Spy is where we got the MM111 rootstock. If I planted some Spy seeds and grafted a new variety on top after the first year, would I basically have a tree on MM111? Is ...

Wolf River apples are ok. If you want to make a pie, they work great! Eating them can be like biting into wet sawdust.

Thanks for the tips!

I don't know much about cider making because i'm just a "noob" about the processes. Does the sulfur dioxide leave a flavor?

Good luck! Make sure you come back and post how it turned out!

Are you hoping for Brettanomyces in the wild yeast? I'm a big fan of Brett beers.

If I understand correctly, if you cut/score the bark at different points, it encourages growth at that location.

I'm sort of new at all of this, so please research it more before you start scoring the bark.

If cider is all about blending of the four different types of cider apples, (bittersharps, bittersweets, sharps, sweets) what are some good blends to make?

Or is that the trick with cider? The right mix of those four styles? What are your top 5 cider apples?

The best cider i've tasted this year is from a place called Sietsema Orchard in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They call it "Orange Label." What makes it special is that it's aged in bourbon barrels. When it's fresh, you can taste the bourbon. Almost to the point that it almost burns going down y...

Here is another one, probably a bit cheaper.

http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/studio/ ... s-n-barrel

PA_Docent wrote:I will never by another (fruit) tree from a mail order catalog.

I had luck with Trees of Antiquity, but I understand your point. They won't need to get acclimated to the weather in a different state. California is much different than Michigan, but mine are doing well.

Thanks Mike. The bark looks smooth at the moment. I scraped a tiny bit away and saw green underneath, which I've read is a good sign? It looks like it might have tried to grow leaves or new shoots on the very tip of the side branches, as they have softer shoots that have dried up. No leaves yet, bu...