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Fred

Count your blessings that the crabs didn't germinate. I discourage folks from growing them from seed for the simple reason that they can take upwards of twenty years to mature (to produce flowers and fruit).

You can get some great trunks in the meantime, but I find growing crabs without the pleasure of flowers and fruit to be an empty experience. I have some seedlings that are now nearly twenty years old, yep no flowers or fruit yet.

On the other hand, I grow lots of Malus cultivars from semi hardwood cuttings in the summer. Most root quite easily and some will even flower in the cutting flats the following spring. Usually they will not flower for a year or two after that, but will begin again the third year if you dont' prune them.

Brent

1-Oct-2003	#2
Brent Evergreen Gardenworks Join Date: Sep-2003 Location: Northern California Country: US USDA Zone: 8 AHS Heat Zone: ? Posts: 311	Fred Count your blessings that the crabs didn't germinate. I discourage folks from growing them from seed for the simple reason that they can take upwards of twenty years to mature (to produce flowers and fruit). You can get some great trunks in the meantime, but I find growing crabs without the pleasure of flowers and fruit to be an empty experience. I have some seedlings that are now nearly twenty years old, yep no flowers or fruit yet. On the other hand, I grow lots of Malus cultivars from semi hardwood cuttings in the summer. Most root quite easily and some will even flower in the cutting flats the following spring. Usually they will not flower for a year or two after that, but will begin again the third year if you dont' prune them. Brent