General information and discussion about cultivating fruit-bearing plants, trees, flowers and ornamental plants.
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January 29, 2017 | #1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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Crabapples.
Crabapples I remember they had them all over the place in Missouri at my grade school.
I also remember you could get them candied or pickled some way in the store. What kind were they and does anyone grow them. Worth |
January 29, 2017 | #2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: North West Wyoming
Posts: 466
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Worth,
Whitney is the one we grow here in Wyoming. It ripens about a month before any of my other apples. I don't pickle them, but my Mother and Grandmother did. It has fruits about 3 inches or slightly larger in diameter. I usually just eat them, but they start turning to mush in a few weeks on the tree. They supposedly make a good pollinator. Barb |
January 29, 2017 | #3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Finland, EU
Posts: 2,550
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Love, love them. We have several varieties of various colors and growing habts here in Finland. My fondest childhood memories were of blooming crabapple trees (one tree had delicious fruits, the other one was only pretty).
They are often more cold-resistant than larger fruited Malus trees, and what people don't always know, they can be used to prepare excellent jam and fruit compott. One interesting preserve I made was pickled crabapples in vinegar/sugar, very nice indeed. Of course these jewels can be used to make apple pie, it's wonderful with a crusty dough. A variety I liked because of it gives such a pretty red color to the filling is called Dolgo (from Russia originally I think).., they grow all over my town thanks to our municipality. (and they're freely available to all residents to enjoy).. https://www.orangepippintrees.com/tr...ink-glow-dolgo Last edited by NarnianGarden; January 29, 2017 at 02:42 PM. |
January 29, 2017 | #4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Finland, EU
Posts: 2,550
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http://www.saltspringapplecompany.com/Dolgo-(crab).htm
One more link here. I love the red plum-like look, very pretty.. and the taste, mmm... Of course, chopping and seeding these fruits is a tedious task, but the flavor is well worth the effort. I no longer leave this out from jam-making process, it gives otherwise boring-looking apple jam a striking color. |
January 29, 2017 | #5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Near Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 1,940
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They also make hard cider from many crab apple varieties!
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January 29, 2017 | #6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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January 29, 2017 | #7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Cold hardy zone 4b-5a, Heat zone 4-5, Sunset zone 43
Posts: 228
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We always made crabapple jelly from the juice. That's good too!
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Books, cats, gardening...life is good! gwendolyninthegarden.blogspot.com |
January 30, 2017 | #8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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Just for everyone's information Crabapple Cove Main is the most dangerous place in America.
Seems people are getting killed right and left there. Remember Murder She Wrote. Worth |
January 30, 2017 | #9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Vancouver Island
Posts: 5,931
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Crabapples are reliably hardy in the north. One of the few fruit trees I grew up with. Crabapples make the best pie you ever tasted if you are patient enough to core a million of them. and my mom used to can them whole in syrup when I was a child. I still make apple jelly with them too
There are quite a few varieties KarenO |
January 30, 2017 | #10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Finland, EU
Posts: 2,550
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Just had some of my canned crabapples this evening. A nice sweet-and-sour treat with rice & veggies. The canning process was succesful, as the fruit tasted just as fresh today as it did in September - only better. (and the variety was actually even not the tastiest sort - I discovered them later..)
WIll repeat next year hopefully! |
January 31, 2017 | #11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2008
Location: zone 5 Colorado
Posts: 942
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I'm with MissMoustache and KarenO with making jam/jelly from the crabapples. We have a friend w/a 50-year-old tree that is a heavy producer. He's unable to pick the apples anymore, so we've been taking care of the tree and apples for him. This year we picked 5 buckets, cooked and Squeezo-ed, make 58 quarts for the freezer, gave away all but 10, make lots of crabapple/fruit jams. Looking forward to 2017's production.
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January 31, 2017 | #12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Finland, EU
Posts: 2,550
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Good for ya!
I still have some frozen slices in my freezing compartment, might take them out soon for pie-making. All regular apple trees seem to have an occasional Sabbath year when they don't produce that much, but crabapples always have plenty. |
January 31, 2017 | #13 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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I bet pickled whole with a ghost pepper cinnamon and sugar in every jar would be good.
Worth |
February 2, 2017 | #14 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2008
Location: zone 5 Colorado
Posts: 942
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February 7, 2017 | #15 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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I wonder if there is a variety that would grow where I live.
Worth |
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