NYBoy, when I used to grow crabapples from seed, I came to an unusual way to germinate them. See, they are really difficult to germinate, and was getting zero percent trying everything.
They need a lot of stratifying and biological scarifying to get good germination.
I happened to know where the Raccoons always pooped, right next to 2 large Poplar trees, and things sprouted from their poop. Cotoneasters, Alpine Currants, Gooseberries, Spirea, lots of things.
So I tried something that really worked. I'd leave very ripe crabapples stashed at the base of a large Nanking Cherry tree. In the morning they'd be gone. (This was in Montana, barely zone 4). In spring when the Raccoon poop started sprouting, sure enough, little crabapple seedlings, along with Rose seedlings. (I wonder if Roxi took care of that Rugosa crossed with redtwig rose seedling).
Just leave them growing there until their first fall dormancy, then transplant them to a gallon or 2 gallon pot. Their root will be a longish taproot, hopefully with nice little side roots. So dig nice and deep not to break the root.
You can grow them as trees without grafting, but some will be kind of runtlike. They may not have been bred for good roots for generations, so selection for roots has not been done. Some will be good though. The crabapple trees did not have that problem.
The time doing this will give you plenty of time to learn about grafting. One gallon pot will work for first year after transplant, 2 gallon pot the next year, and go to a 5 gallon pot the next after that. Pruning a baby apple tree is very fulfilling! Remember, an apple tree in a container definitely needs water every day during summer. So have them near where you'll go every day with a handy hose and valve.
Wasn't it chickiesmoma in nh who grafted apple trees this past year, same part of the country as you?
Growing apple trees from seed is fun. You know not to expect large fine identical apples to what they came out of, but then, those are common. You'll get unique apples, some similar to their heirloom ancestors, some with tons of russetting, some bittersweet, and those might be just what you want for your own modified pie recipes. But who knows? You just might hit the jackpot genetically, and get the next big variety, or some improvement. Chances are most will be good apples in their own way.
Pie recipes can be heirloom too. Still have not found the old meaderville crabapple pie recipe. Someone has it somewhere in or near Butte Mt.
