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Opinions of grape varieties from flavor and growth habit to disease resistance and soil preference .
Re: Steel Posts for Apple Support Trellis' - 9 months ago
Todd Parlo Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > - Claude, if you are out there, this would be the > moment for an engineering professor to give to > show his mettle. Very funny! For my part, I use T section steel posts for the training of young trees. From memory (as I don't have one on hand) the bar of the T is about 1-1/2 inch and the stem is abby Claude Jolicoeur - Orchard Systems
Re: Tool sanitizing/sterilizing - 11 months ago
Ok, so the most recent posts on this topic are now 9 years old... Michael then wrote "I stopped the practice of sterilizing my pruning tools in late winter / early spring once I understood new infections aren't going to happen while it's still relatively cool" however I am not entirely convinced as I have problems with cankers that are quite destructive, and I would like toby Claude Jolicoeur - Pruning
Bilodeau finally identified as Trail - 12 months ago
This fall, we got a genetic match between the "Bilodeau" cider apple and the "Trail" crab. DNA analyses were done by Paul Kron of University of Guelph in Ontario (see ). In 2021, Bilodeau was tested but no match was found. However some relationship was noted with an obscure variety by the name of "Tailman" whose DNA signature was in a database in the UK. Seeing thisby Claude Jolicoeur - Cider Apples
Re: Posts in Upcoming Events - 1 year ago
Todd Parlo Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Lurking in our beloved HON site is an infrequently > used, but very important section. Upcoming Events. Todd, What should we do for an event to appear in the list of "Upcoming events"? I have mentioned one in the previous post, plus I made a post abour CiderDays in another thread (Cider Makerby Claude Jolicoeur - Just Talk
CiderDays is coming soon - 1 year ago
After a few years of pandemia, CiderDays is back on the first weekend on November. Quite a lot of apple and cider activities, including: - Pomological exposition by Matt Kaminsky on Friday 4th (see ) - Lots of talks and activities organized by Ria Windcaller (Cider Chat) in Greenfield (https://ciderchat.com/ciderdays/) - Panel on use of wild apples in cider with John Bunker, Matt Kaminsky, Gaby Claude Jolicoeur - Cider Maker's Handbook
Re: Cider Planet - 1 year ago
Well, Cider Planet is now released! See And available from any good bookstore... Darlene Hayes wrote a review in Cidercraft Magazine: Hope you enjoy... Claudeby Claude Jolicoeur - Cider Maker's Handbook
Re: The cider-bush orchard - 1 year ago
Craig Bickle Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Anyone seen this book? Would you recommend it as > an authoritative source on > semi-dwarf/semi-standard rootstocks and varieties? Well, it is certainly an interesting little book that summarizes the research that has been done on cider and cider apples at the LARS research center in UK. However, I woulby Claude Jolicoeur - Cider Maker's Handbook
Re: Micronutrient maintenance sprays - 1 year ago
Josh Willis Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > This is where Claude chimes in about his marvelous trees, ha! ; ) Ha Ha Ha!!! True, I don't usually read in depth the discussions related to spraying as I don't spray much. I am too lazy and I work on the principle the tree should be able to naturally find what it needs, without my help. So I won�by Claude Jolicoeur - Spray Nuance
Re: Posts in Upcoming Events - 1 year ago
Here is one that could be added: I should be there to talk and sell books of Cider Planet.by Claude Jolicoeur - Just Talk
New book: Hardy Apples by Bob Osborne - 1 year ago
A new very nice book for us apple geeks! Hardy Apples - Growing Apples in Cold Climates, is just released. The author is Bob Osborne, the owner of Corn Hill Nursery in New Brunswick, one of the best nurseries in Canada, so Bob knows his subject... It covers most of the essentials, including the origins in Kazakhstan, tree biology, the orchard, the soil, planting and maintenance, pest and diseasby Claude Jolicoeur - Just Talk
Re: Dying bark - 1 year ago
Could it be cold damage? I can't see anything that looks like canker, which could be an other possible cause. Here in Quebec, we've had very cold temperatures this last winter (coldest since the last 20 years), and some varieties have suffered. I do have branches that were healthy last year and dead this spring...by Claude Jolicoeur - Fungal Pathogens
Re: Pear blister mite - 1 year ago
I've had an outbreak of pear blister mite about 8 years ago. My strategy has been to winter-prune all vigorous growth of the preceding year and burn the prunings. Spray of dormant oil in spring, a bit before bloom time. It took 3-4 years of this regime and the critters disappeared.by Claude Jolicoeur - Bug by Bug
Re: Root rot on young apple tree - 1 year ago
Did a repair to this tree. A few days ago I planted 2 small apple tree seedlings besides the affected tree. I also added compost to cover the dead tissues and recovered with wood chips. Today I grafted these 2 small trees to the stem. One thing this will tell: if there is something in the soil, then the 2 small trees should also get it... (click on )by Claude Jolicoeur - Just Talk
Re: Root rot on young apple tree - 1 year ago
Mike Biltonen Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > However, in your case, and based solely on the pictures, this is > not collar rot or any other disease I am familiar with. It looks like vole damage. Mike, it is not vole eating because the bark and cambium were still there when I scratched the soil. Simply that these tissues were rotten and disintegratedby Claude Jolicoeur - Just Talk
Re: Does (tree) size matter? - 1 year ago
Nathaniel Bouman Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > What a dream to live without fear of fireblight. Keeping fingers crossed... > When I visited Normandy and talked to farmers that > produce calvados they all preferred their older, > bigger trees to the young ones. Yes. Plus if they make the DOP cider, the specification requires they growby Claude Jolicoeur - Cider Maker's Handbook
Re: Does (tree) size matter? - 1 year ago
Nathaniel Bouman Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Wilding trees that are full grown and healthy probably have natural > resistance to fire blight (the ones that didn't died). Any thoughts here? I tend to agree with this - as long as this wilding tree has grown in a place where fire blight is endemic. For example, here fire blight is not a problem,by Claude Jolicoeur - Cider Maker's Handbook
Re: Root rot on young apple tree - 1 year ago
Steve Dagger Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Claude - Check out this reference to see if it > helps identify what you are dealing with: > > > Phytophthora fungi are widespread and common and > can also be confused with a few other factors. > I've had problems in the past where I have > sprinkler irrigated younger trees. Tby Claude Jolicoeur - Just Talk
Root rot on young apple tree - 1 year ago
This is some kind of collar rot that I found on a young apple tree yesterday. All the top of the tree looks healthy and the tree has been very vigorous last summer. However, at ground level, the bark simply disintegrated upon touching it. Only the solid wood in the middle remains. Out of about 80 trees I have grafted and planted in the last 5-6 years, this is the third time I see this. Inteby Claude Jolicoeur - Just Talk
Which borer is this? - 1 year ago
I met a borer I had never seen before... While inspecting a young apple tree yesterday, the trunk simply broke off at ground level upon touching it... There was simply no more wood, just a thin layer of external bark holding. This guy was about 3/4 inch long and definitely yellow. All the borers I have seen yet were much smaller (like usually about 1/4 inch long) and white, so I am wonderingby Claude Jolicoeur - Bug by Bug
Re: 2022 Thinning trials - 1 year ago
Interesting... I don't think I'd be happy living in Washington State - for sure I wouldn't be able to do the things I now do. And by the way, what does the police do for an ordinary quidam who has a decorative crab tree in front of his house? They will force him to spray?by Claude Jolicoeur - Organic Thinning
Re: 2022 Thinning trials - 1 year ago
James Smith Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Last year a 'field man' for one of the > packing sheds reported to the Pest Sheriff that I > had CM stings on my fruit. The Sheriff came by to > check and said I had a few stings, nothing major, > and said I should remove the fruit. Do you mean to say here that there is a "police&quby Claude Jolicoeur - Organic Thinning
Cider Planet - 1 year ago
I just learned today (as I had a meeting with the marketing people at Chelsea Green) that Cider Planet is now at the pre-order stage! It should be available on September 23. At this moment, I am doing the revision of the proofs, then page layout will be finalized and out to the printer... In the US, it is already on the websites of Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org And in Canada, Amaby Claude Jolicoeur - Cider Maker's Handbook
Re: Does (tree) size matter? - 1 year ago
Todd Parlo Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > This is a wonderful entry into discussing the > differences, often radical between the modern high > density dessert (and now cider) method and the > solidly traditional practice of making apples from > big trees. Actually, Todd, I wrote a 30 page discussion in my new book on traditional vs modernby Claude Jolicoeur - Cider Maker's Handbook
Re: Reference book on Grape growing? - 1 year ago
a bit old, but seems to still be on sale.by Claude Jolicoeur - Grapes
Re: Orchard ladders - 1 year ago
Josh Willis Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Claude, do you have any other techniques you use > for spraying, harvesting, or generally taking care > of your 40' seedlings? We have some old M106's > that are about that height (!), which can be a bit > challenging (ha!). Josh, Have you heard of this wonderful technique called "by Claude Jolicoeur - Sensible Equipment
Re: This & That - 1 year ago
Mason Colby Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Or is it like when two > people have children and each child is different > and unique. Yes, this is what it is. Each seedling tree is unique. However, some varieties/species do have seedlings that are quite similar (although still unique) and retain the characters of the species - like Antonovka seedlinby Claude Jolicoeur - Just Talk
Re: Orchard ladders - 1 year ago
Charlie Treichler Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hi Claude, > > Do you have a recommendation for the brand of > orchard ladders? We're going to buy our first ones > to help with pruning this year. Sorry, but no... I bought mine about 25 years ago in Canada (I remember paying about 100$ CAD or a little less for it), and I have no ideby Claude Jolicoeur - Sensible Equipment
Re: Press yields - 1 year ago
Just thinking about this... I built my current press after having written the New Cider Maker's Handbook. It is based on the design shown in the book, but I had to build one after publishing the book... So, even if you have the book, it doesn't show my current setup. So photos are here: Note the 3 last photos of the album, as this is the most recent iteration of the design - I addby Claude Jolicoeur - Cider Maker's Handbook
Re: Post-Grafting & Pre-Planting - 1 year ago
No real reason to worry... For my part, when I order rootstock they come in a box, packed in a plastic bag filled with some wet material. Once I am finished grafting, I simply put them back in the same package (and spray a bit of water to make sure the roots stay wet), and leave the box in the cidery (where the temperature is pretty stable around 8 degrees C). I never had any problem.by Claude Jolicoeur - Grafting
Re: Press yields - 1 year ago
Todd Parlo Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Another option (that > may induce scorn here) is to add water to spent > pomace, let sit and repress. This I have done. The > water will loosen the mush and solubilize the > constituents (the sugars and polyphenols are water > soluble as are many other flavor components). The > result is whatby Claude Jolicoeur - Cider Maker's Handbook