Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
appleseed70

2nd Year Goldrush EMLA 26

appleseed70
9 years ago

Nothing special here guys just a couple pics of a 2nd year Goldrush on EMLA 26 rootstock. This tree was purchased from Boyer nursery in Biglerville, PA.
This is it's first year fruiting and I thinned about 30+ fruit minus the normal drop. I'd say there are still too many and probably I should have removed all fruit in order to focus energy on structure growth.
Why did'nt I do that? I did'nt do it because I wanted to see it produce. Fruit tree mortality has proven somewhat high here with disease pressure, deer, vole/rabbit girdling etc. I figured I'd go with the old adage "a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush". Aside from that, I liked it's growth habit and size at this point. Not only did I allow it to fruit, I hand pollinated it from Honeycrisp bloom. They both bloom at almost exactly the same time here. I also pollinated by hand my Honeycrisp from the Goldrush.
In the photos you will see CAR; of which Goldrush is susceptible. First year ever for me to see CAR in living color. I did NOT do a dormant oil spray this year and I DID NOT apply any spray before petal fall. I knew better, but time/circumstances etc did'nt allow it.
It has just rained hard and is still raining when the photo was taken.

Comments (28)

  • appleseed70
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Another pic. This tree was girled badly over the cold winter (probably voles, but the teeth scrapes look more like rabbit). I thought the tree was a goner as it had ringed more than 1/2 of the tree. A grafter named "67 Impala" (maybe it's 69) on youtube said he recommends replacement if more than 1/2 is girdled as opposed to bridge grafting to attempt saving it. By circumferential measurement it was more than 3/5 girdled, possibly 4/5. If you haven't seen any of this guys video you really need to...he's a dieing breed. Very interesting. I let it go as opposed to applying any coating at the recommendation of many. After it was clear that it was make or break I applied a coating to all my trees. The coating was as per UC Davis: flat white interior latex flat house paint. I also added chlorothalonil, carbaryl and triazicide to the paint. I hope this will discourage further gnawing and figured the encapsulated chemicals may offer some longer term protection againt borers etc (mostly on stone fruits). This paint also acts to prevent sunscald on the bark. Questions? Comments?
    Don't like something I've done? Tell me...I won't get mad...I like opinions.

  • fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX
    9 years ago

    I doubt adding the chemicals to paint has any long term benefits. It will still breakdown fairly soon. Other than that vole control seems in order.

    The foliage is sparse but that may be related to girdling. I hope your tree thrives.

  • appleseed70
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I doubt the chemicals in the paint do much either Fruitnut, but it would be interesting to see a study on it. Spectracide claims up to 8 weeks protection, many here claim 2 weeks...both claims are pure BS. It takes 1 rain in my experience to diminish triazicide's effect by 80% or more...it simply washes off. The foliage is indeed sparse and I don't like that. I pruned off a ziploc bag full of the most CAR diseased leaves on the tree and I'm not sorry I did it. The tree foliage has since improved dramatically and new growth is easily seen (non-diseased growth). To me, when the upper leaves are diseased all it takes is water and gravity to carry down spores from above which effect leaves at the lower level.
    I DO question whether there is enough foliage to support the 27 apples on the tree. In that, I have serious doubts.

  • appleseed70
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Oh...BTW Fruitnut...vole control is once again renewed and currently underway, using both old and new tactics. Thank you Fruitnut for your comment and response. Your trees in that greenhouse are amazing. I must seem like a trailer park moron to you. Exactly where in TX are you friend?

  • fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX
    9 years ago

    It's not too late to thin more although it might be too late to improve bloom next year. One yr without fruit and you'll likely thin more. I'm always anxious for a crop as well. But I'm usually satisfied with a small crop on young trees. This yr I thinned some stone fruit too much and suffered shattered pits. Live and learn.

  • appleseed70
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I probably will thin more...I think tommorrow. What do you mean "shattered pits" from too much thinning. Explain this to me...I don't know what you mean. Appleseed feeling kinda stupid...lol.

  • alan haigh
    9 years ago

    Goldrush is not a vigorous cultivar, it just wants to fruit. You want to make sure it has adequate vigor and that tree could use some more, as FN noted. Be easier to grow on 111 and would still be capable of fruiting 3 to 4 years after planting. M26 for Goldrush is like M9 for a Fuji or an Abermarle Pippin.

    It may be a bit late to juice the tree up with extra N. but at least make sure there's no weed competition under the tree and maybe give it some extra N next spring around first signs of growth (if it's quick release).

    For now, make sure it doesn't suffer from too little (or too much!) water. M26 is very sensitive to drought. Any fruit on that tree is probably too much stress right now, IMO.

    I believe M26 is a very attractive root stock to voles. I've managed orchards with mostly free standing root stocks where voles ignored scores of trees to only girdle a couple of trees on M26. If you are having trouble keeping trees alive, 111 may be a much better option in general. The more vigorous the tree the more adversity it can likely overcome.

  • appleseed70
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Harvestman...there are/were other considerations in play. 1) M11 is a larger tree and this tree is I think 7' from my property line. My neighbor has been in property disputes with both his bordering neighbors. I wanted to stay well clear of any branches over-extending the property line 2) My family will be building our dream home (where I'll die) in the very near future. Therefore for harvesting and experimentation purposes, bearing time was more important.
    As I said to Fruitnut, I should really have culled all the fruit to develop structure (I know that)...but again, mortality is high here and these are all basically experiments to gain knowledge. Also #1 and #2 apply.
    Interstingly enough, the Goldrush, Improved Winesap, Montmorency Cherry, Red Bartlett Pear, Potomac Pear, Honeycrisp and 2 Methley plums were undisturbed by the voles. Goldrush was girdled and I'm blaming it on voles, but the teeth marks were rodent and looked like rabbit...I don't know what a voles teeth look like..it could have been voles, but no subterranean excavations.
    I think a water soluble (Miracle-Gro) application would be ok at this point, don't you?
    I think I'll also thin some more tommorrow. Water for this tree is not and will not be an issue. I'll make sure it has adequate water...it's easy because I have a hose bib close by.
    Harvestman: Do you guys normally stake EMLA 26? Because as you can see, this has no trouble standing on it's own...it's already been through Hellish windstorms with no trouble.
    I've recently (last week) removed all mulch. The only competition (as you can see in the photo) would be my lawn which at this point is 90% dutch white clover...water consumer, but nitrogen fixer.
    Harvestman: There are 2 kinda folks...the under-doers and the over-doers...I'm the latter and often times that's worse than the former. It'll be able to get ample water and nitrogen...that I can assure you.

  • appleseed70
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Harvestman: If M111 is a more vigorous rootstock, I should have chose that...I should have been able to easily maintain that with pruning to not over-extend the property line. Thinking back...another thing I remember being concerned with is that this neighbor has Tru-Green (aka Tru-Brown) service his lawn weekly. I was worried about the pimple faced kid with the herbicide hose getting a little reckless while simultaneously posting on Facebook.

  • alan haigh
    9 years ago

    No matter how much research you do you are bound to have to adjust your methods and expectations whey you try to grow fruit. Most people come into it with some gardening experience, which is certainly helpful, but not a ticket for a free ride.

    M 26 is usually staked with a single piece of conduit by commercial growers, but it depends on the cultivar as well. It will become capable of standing on its own in time in most soils/sites if it doesn't runt out along the way. The danger is often the year it holds its first heavy crop. If the tree feels well anchored it is if its wobbly you can always stake it after the fact.

    My main experience with it is at a small commercial orchard that I prune and consult where it was used along with a several other rootstocks- all planted without consideration of relative vigor and with inadequate irrigation. Many of the trees on 26 had runted out by the time I got there because of stress and probably bearing heavily when too young.

    All rootstocks come with their set of pluses and minuses. 111 is a warhorse but is frustratingly slow to come into full bearing with most varieties and requires much more skill and actual work to prune than 26.

    People don't consider the affect of the scion enough when selecting a rootstock. Less vigorous scions should be matched with relatively more vigorous rootstocks. Nurseries that supply commercial growers are aware of this and that is why varieties like Goldrush and Honeycrisp are sometimes available on 111 when sports of Fuji are only available on 26.

  • fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX
    9 years ago

    I'm in Alpine TX and can't even get Goldrush to grow on MM111. I've got Golden Delicious and Ginger Gold on M9 and M26. Those trees are growing OK in a somewhat sheltered area. I've had Fuji on G16 and M26 growing in grass with weed free strip by tree that grew well. But my other trees on 111, 106, G11 growing in black weed barrier will hardly grow. No genius here.

    My plan is to reduce tree numbers, get away from black weed barrier, and try growing under shade cloth. I think the weed barrier is warming soil and air thereby reducing winter chilling and making summer too hot.

    Shattered pits only occur in stone fruit. It's when the pit is pulled to pieces as the fruit expands.

  • rayrose
    9 years ago

    I agree with everything Hman said about M111. You could still have kept the tree pruned to stay within your 7' limit. Instead of doing the paint/chemical treatment, it would be a lot easier and a permanent fix by placing a simple rabbit guard around the tree, when you planted it I do it on all of my apples and have no damage at all. You can still do it, and I certainly would have culled all of the fruit. Some of your earlier bad experiences could be the result of what you're doing.

  • tcstoehr
    9 years ago

    I also have a Goldrush on M26. This picture was taken on 7/15/14. I think this is its 4th year since I bought it as a whip. It is growing quite slowly, which is fine with me. It blooms like crazy and sets a ton of fruit. Last year I let it keep a handful of apples and I didn't think they were ripening even late in the season. I sort of gave up on them and left them on the tree into the late October rainfall, which caused some cracking. I finally did eat them and they were *very* sweet and delicious, although quite small. I wonder if they's size up this year. I also wonder if planting this tree in the same spot where I removed a different apple tree is causing issues.

  • ltilton
    9 years ago

    I KNEW last year that I shouldn't have let my new Fuji fruit, but I did it anyone, and sure enough, no fruit this year. But this is the Year Of No Fruit, so I'll have to wait til next. Tree seems healthier this year, at least, but not as vigorous as I'd like.

    Still wish I hadn't done it.

  • skyjs
    9 years ago

    Gold rush is my favorite variety: tastes great, late, disease free, and still tastes good in April/May. Many keep out voles by planting daffodils around the tree or leeks/garlic/onion.
    John S
    PDX OR

  • johnthecook
    9 years ago

    I made the mistake of allowing my Goldrush to fruit last year and saw very little growth this year. I took all of my fruits off this year to see if it helps it for next year. I have two other Goldrush in another area and they have grown much more vigorous with an extra year of no fruits left on them. This year they have put on good growth and apples.

  • appleseed70
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Yeah...I should have removed them...I knew that. At least this way, I'm sure it is indeed Gold rush.
    BTW...I think I wasn't clear on my intentions with the trunk paint. It is primarily for sunscald protection, the chemicals were added for borer protection. I have black corrugated 4" drain pipe here for protection in the winter I just forgot/was too lazy to put it on last winter. I don't like the looks of it, so I leave it off in the summer. I have read however that trunk paint does deter some animal chewing.

  • tcstoehr
    9 years ago

    skyjs, what rootstock are your Goldrushes on? Both of mine are on M26 and are very non-vigorous, which is fine. But the leaves are somewhat pale and the fruits end up about the size of golf balls. I wonder if M26 isn't the best choice. I'm in Canby, just south of Wilsonville.

  • Chris-7b-GA
    9 years ago

    Here is my 2nd leaf Gold rush on G-11/rootstock. I have tied down some of the branches to induce cropping and slow down the tree growth, I am not sure that helped but as you can see, it is pretty loaded with fruit.

    Goldrush and Sundance are by far the most precocious of my 15 - 2nd leaf varieties. I also have a 3rd leaf Goldrush on M-111 that, even though a larger tree, has about a 3rd of the apples of the G-11 Goldrush tree so I have become a real fan of these Geneva rootstocks.

  • appleseed70
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Nice Chris. Is the mulch around your trees the free stuff from the tree trimming companies? Here the company is Asplundh that will sometimes give it away. It looks nice whatever it is, do you use weed barrier underneath?

  • 2010champsbcs
    9 years ago

    Chris. Nice work pulling down the limbs, Your Goldrush apples look larger than the ones on my tree. Last year I only had two apples that ripened m-Sept. From what I read this apple is a L-Oct. ripen-er. Roughly when does yours ripen? Thanks Bill

  • appleseed70
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    2010Champs...they are a bit larger than mine too, but he's in Z10. He got the jump on us.
    This is the first year for mine and I'm hoping they hang on to late October also. Actually, ACN lists Goldrush maturity date as NOV. 10. Their climate would be maybe 6B possibly 7. If that's true very late OCT sounds about right for you. ACN (Gettysburg, PA) is about 1 1/2 hours from me.

  • Chris-7b-GA
    9 years ago

    Appleseed, it is free wood chips, I convinced a tree company working in my neighborhood to dump a truckload in my driveway. I have started putting down black fabric underneath the wood chips around my fruit trees to keep down weeding. I also have some wood chips under the fabric in a 2 foot circle around the trees. I have learned to put down a light coat of the chips of an inch or so on top of the fabric or else the weeds just start growing on top of the fabric as the mulch deteriorates.

    Champs, this will be my 1st Goldrush crop but from what I have read, they should ripen in late October here in Atlanta.

    I experimented last year that Goldrush tree bending over the central leader with rope while it was still flexible (see enclosed picture). The tree was growing so fast in its 1st year, and I wanted to keep it at 8 feet max. I am not sure if that has helped produce the nice 2nd leaf crop. I got the idea from Bob 6z, a regular poster on the site. It seems to be working so far keeping the height in check.

    {{!gwi}}

  • Chris-7b-GA
    9 years ago

    Here is the picture that I should have gone with the last post

  • appleseed70
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I've had oppurtunities for those free wood chips here also. I was concerned about introducing disease or bugs from them. Do you guys think that is a valid concern?
    Looks like you have a nice place there Chris.

  • tuffametuffayou
    9 years ago

    Appleseed: I'll be in the greater Harrisburg area in Oct. last year went to an Orchard in Bigglerville and got some great Cox's Do you know of any u-pick or retail orchards in the area that offer antique varieties?

  • appleseed70
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I'm sure the orchard was Boyer...that's where I got the Goldrush from in the beginning of this thread. I think they have their own orchard too.
    As far as the antique apples...I sure don't know where you could get some, but I really don't know the Harrisburg area at all. Only been there a few times in my life. Give Boyer nursery a call. I'm certain if they don't have anything that interest you they could point you in the right direction. They have a decent website too.

  • alan haigh
    9 years ago

    There may occasionally be a disease that can be spread by wood chips and if its a problem regionally presumably your cooperative extension should be aware of it. If you get chips from an arborist he (most likely male) will know where they came from.

    I have used both fresh and aged woodchips for mulch for decades and the only place I've ever had a problem with it was in the vegetable garden one year. The chips were pretty fresh and I will never know what was in them that hurt the tender plants but fruit trees are pretty tough, comparatively. Alleopathic compounds in wood do break down pretty quickly after chipping and sitting but for trees chips don't generally need to be aged before use.

0