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OK, USA
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Posted: 3/6/2009 6:29:21 PM EDT
[#1]
Originally Posted By FordGuy:
Originally Posted By Cacinok:
FG, what if anything did you do to prep the ground for your trees, besides tilling? we have a perfect area for an orchard, but the ground is the worst on our property - classic oklahoma red clay. also, if you don't mind me asking, how much property do you have? red clay can be great - M7 should do well as a rootstock in clay or sand. Some rootstocks don't like clay. Do a little research on rootstocks before your purchase. For me, preparation of ground for fruit or nut trees is making the ground grow grass...if you can grow a good stand of grass, chances are you have adequate moisture and nutrients for trees. The only remaining question is do you have adequate drainage since grass can sometimes tolerate a wet spot that a tree would not thrive in. Once the field is good for grass, I lay off my rows where the trees will be planted. I put stakes down at the beginning and end. I thin drop a 3 bottom plow and plow a 3 foot wide swath up, then back, where the row will be. In my case I then took a 42 inch rototiller and pulverized the dirt, so you have this patch of dirt with grass on both sides. I then took a potatoe plow and cut a trench up the row. Then shoveled out a large hold, planted the tree, then once the row was all planted, I side dressed the trees with a bullzozer with a 6 way blade. I could have also used a tractor with rear blade, but I didn't have a 3 point blade and I did have a dozer there on site. property - probably 4 acres in apples, many other acres awating my application of muscle... thanks for the info. we have a half acre that would be perfect for fruit trees, except for the fact the grounds sucks. it will not grow grass and barely grows weeds, which, in OK, means you've got some crappy ground. i'll probably disc it up and then my wife wants to plant amaranth and other stuff i didn't catch the name of and let it all grow wild. stuff that should help rebuild the soil. man, i need to pay better attention when she's talking horticulture. |
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Posted: 3/15/2009 9:42:20 AM EDT
[#2]
Welp, it's fence time!
I am starting with 25 8 foot posts, 6 rolls of field fence, and a mess of 7 foot T posts. I'd love to post pics, maybe I'll try... I hear the deer licking their lips.... |
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CO, USA
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Posted: 10/3/2009 8:06:45 PM EDT
[#3]
I'm extremly interested in your venture, as I am planning to plant 10-20 apple, 10-20 (undetermined fruit), and a 10 or so nut trees in Pennsylvania next year or so, on my brothers propierty (a small section will be mine).
Could you please post any useful links you have? Thank you, ~DoubleA~ |
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Posted: 10/4/2009 11:55:09 AM EDT
[Last Edit: FordGuy]
[#4]
man I wish there was just one or two links. I studied dirt for a Afghan mission, (for my job) so I got smart on soils first. I read everything I could on horticulture. I have also the experience under my belt of planting trees in years past the WRONG WAY. So I have made many mistakes, and learned from every one.
Best thing to do is call me, there are far more considerations than you and I could discuss with a keyboard. but im happy to share everything I learned, and to discuss problems I have yet to solve. send me a pm and I'll shoot you my number. edit: I also owe credit to two or three professional apple growers who are also arfcomers. I relied on men smarter than me every chance I could. |
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Posted: 10/4/2009 12:45:27 PM EDT
[#5]
Originally Posted By FordGuy:
Welp, it's fence time! I am starting with 25 8 foot posts, 6 rolls of field fence, and a mess of 7 foot T posts. I'd love to post pics, maybe I'll try... I hear the deer licking their lips.... Time for a nuisance hunting permit. The crop must be protected you know. |
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Posted: 3/21/2010 8:26:56 AM EDT
[#6]
planted 50 more last week..I know, I know, pics....
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Posted: 3/21/2010 10:04:31 AM EDT
[#7]
Man you must love apples!
What varieties did you plant? My brother put in about a dozen trees years ago, and told me to go with the most disease resistant variaties I could get. I put in 5 trees...a couple MacFrees, a Jona Free, and Liberties. I picked them up from Millers. They are all doing well but they are only a couple years old, so it will be a few more years before I get some apples! |
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Posted: 3/21/2010 12:04:16 PM EDT
[Last Edit: mstennes]
[#8]
Originally Posted By FordGuy:
planted 50 more last week..I know, I know, pics.... Really, pictures or it didnt happen  . FordGuy, just tugging your chain a little Seriously though, what is your Golden lineup? Those are the best pollinizers and a VERY low maintainance apple. I would nip all blooms off any trees under 3 years, you want them growing, not growing fruit. I have read about transplanting here, you can get away with it on young trees less than 2-3 years when dormant, but it still will stunt them and you could end up loosing a year of growth. Whats your fertilizer plan? Spray plan? Are your drip lines true drip or are you using low pressure misters? What about spreading and working your tree to a propless central leader? I'm not familiar with that Fugi you planted, I have been very impressed with the Auvil Summer Fugi, the Royal Gala is next to impossible to beat for taste, its only down fall is stem splitting. Your plant is good, I'm using 10x15, some 10x18, allot of 8x15 now. With that many trees you might want to consider getting some local beeman to bring in a few hives right before bloom and run them through petal. Something else I was thinking, since your going to have to get a tractor now for spraying, mowing, etc is a program to make sure you trees dont go into alternate bearing. Good luck, and there are quite a few tree nurserys here in Washington State, that ship.
A couple I just shot fom the front door 
Heres a Google Earth shot, not sure what my exact tree count is, but theres a little over 300 acres, of Red Del, Gold Del, Auvil Summer Fugi, Galas, Braeburns. 
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Posted: 3/21/2010 2:56:43 PM EDT
[#9]
Originally Posted By FordGuy:
Originally Posted By jj01:
fordguy - do you have any recommendations for "low maintenance" apple trees - our bol is a bit far to travel to as frequently as I'd like. I'd like to get some started, if I can keep the bears away from them. 
ah, I think they are all low maintenance...but I maintain many on a medium scale, not just 3 or 4 trees. If you prune in DEC/JAN time frame, monitor for blight in summer, you should be ok. Anytime the sap is out of the tree is good for pruning, which is one of the best things you can do to enusre good tree health and large, clean fruit. You also need to summer prune, which is just removing sucker growth for the most part to allow light in. |
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Posted: 3/21/2010 2:57:42 PM EDT
[#10]
Originally Posted By Orion_Shall_Rise:
What variants would you recommend for a bit north of you? (tidewater va right now, but likely to move inland in a years or so)? as for the dormancy, when it is cold you can do pretty suprising things to trees as long as they do not dry out. ( I am a forester, but frankly do not know much about fruit trees, now if you want to grow some Loblollys...  )Except work on spreading, with the sap out it tends to make the branches break at their crotch. |
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Posted: 3/21/2010 3:02:18 PM EDT
[Last Edit: mstennes]
[#11]
Originally Posted By FordGuy:
Originally Posted By ferfal308:
Originally Posted By FordGuy:
Sorry, no pics...
I was out there friday evening opening my delivery from Stark brothers, counting trees, looking at the sizes or "caliper" of the trees as they were grouped together by size. They all looked very healthy, and were "Campbell Red Delicious" grafted onto a M7 rootstock. I had spent much time getting the rows ready, installing irrigation pipe, plowing up the rows, figuring how many trees would fit in each zone, etc. I have 50 "Coe Fuji" trees, also on M7 rootstock, coming next month. Not sure how this can help anyone, but if you guys have questions hit me... Dude... go and take some pics. I want to see those trees.
Are you using thorny bush to create some sort of perimeter against animals/thieves? FerFAL Ferdinand, the trees are delivered as whips, or branched whips, meaning they may be 6 feet tall, but their real value is in a developed root system. They actually get snipped off at "belt buckle" height after planting, this is done to put the tree on a diet so it can conserve energy the first year, It also forces the young tree to branch out and from its main leder limbs and so it can re-develop those tiny microfiliment root hairs that were broken when it was pulled up to be shipped to me. I mean to spend the first year and a half on any new apple tree just growing a strong root system. In fact, if I see blooms next year, their first year, I will pinch them off so the tree's energy can be totaly devoted to producing a root system that will last longer than I am alive. Training and shapeing young trees, is one of the most important things you can do! I have a large property - my perimeter is a road I built with a bulldozer. I am always thinking of the land in terms of defendability. I have to drive to my nearest neighbor, which is good and bad, for obvious reasons. This rules out any kind of fence that would keep 2 footed animals out. My home is just a litle farmhouse, and does not suggest wealth or anything worth taking. I have a short fuse when it comes to strangers. Intruders have only been a problem once. No security light, as around here, I "own the night" so to speak.  I'm sure intruders will be a problem in the near or distant future, and we prepare for this contingency as a family. rather judged by 12 than carried by 6, I say.
FordGuy, you really have this dialed in, I might need you to come an help manage here, have you gotten your pesticide private applicators license yet, or what ever they call it there? |
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Posted: 3/21/2010 3:03:18 PM EDT
[#12]
Originally Posted By Orion_Shall_Rise:
how ill these do planted in say a 55 gallon drum first year or so? (rental house now) One maybe ok |
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Posted: 3/21/2010 3:25:12 PM EDT
[Last Edit: mstennes]
[#13]
Something else to think about is crown rot and mice/gophers, those will kill a trees root sytems faster than anything. There are a number of ways to stop or prevent this from happening. There are some new root stocks coming out very shortly (one is out now) that are totally disease resistant. Hers some WA nursey links, heres a little secret, not all trees end up being sold, and allot of 1/2" or so go unsold ask the nursery if they have any left (keep calling) as they will often sell these for a very reduced price as all they do with unsold trees is burn them, granted they may be small, but work them for a extra year and they will do fine.
Brandts Willow Drive C&O Nursery Van Well Nursery Other Nurserys who do fruit trees Banning Nursery is where I have gotten all my Auvil Early Fugis and Ultima Galas, that said though, the Royal Gala is still the best tasting, it just has so many problems with splitting and rapid ripening, its hard to grow on a commercial scale. Oh heres a trade publication that is worth its weight in gold!! Good Fruit Grower There are other ones, but Good Fruit is oriented towards fruit trees and wine grapes now, oh hee is one last link, who do a helluva allot of tree research here in Washington WSU's Tree Fruit Extension WSU Tree Fruit Research & Extension Center Hope I might have helped a little? |
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Posted: 3/21/2010 3:30:35 PM EDT
[#14]
Sorry about the thread take over
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NM, USA
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Posted: 3/21/2010 3:38:34 PM EDT
[#15]
Damn, you guys rock. AJ, i really enjoy reading of your "Branching out."
When my son was 3 or 4 (when we got back from Okinawa) we were in a courtyard at the Fort Belvoir Hospital. I picked him up and brought him over to a fruiting apple tree. At about his eye level I pointed out, "Apple." God's wonder, I saw the light come on in his eyes as he smiled and said, "App." That's when I first knew he'd know food comes from trees, bushes, and plants and not the supermarket. |
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Posted: 3/21/2010 3:48:58 PM EDT
[#16]
I haven't read the whole thread yet, so you might have brought it up, but man, that's going to be a lot of pruning! I have a small orchard myself, and it's always a chore to get out there and start pruning!
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Posted: 3/21/2010 5:10:31 PM EDT
[#17]
I wish I had time / land / money for this.
Tag for when I have all three, or at least time to read the thread in depth. 
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Posted: 3/21/2010 5:54:17 PM EDT
[#18]
Originally Posted By Henny:
I haven't read the whole thread yet, so you might have brought it up, but man, that's going to be a lot of pruning! I have a small orchard myself, and it's always a chore to get out there and start pruning! Pruning, thinning and picking number one labor bills for a orchard. Actually afte you shape you trees an make the major cuts early on, the prunning isnt that bad, and chemical thinning cuts that cost dramaticly, picking/harvest though, that hurts. |
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Posted: 3/21/2010 6:44:31 PM EDT
[#19]
A question based on a couple of previous posts ... Is planting/growing nut trees somehow important in combination with growing apple trees ? |
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Posted: 3/21/2010 8:11:16 PM EDT
[#20]
Originally Posted By Winn:
A question based on a couple of previous posts ... Is planting/growing nut trees somehow important in combination with growing apple trees ? No not at all, a nut tree has no bearing on what a fruit tree does, I know nothing about nut trees, but I can say we dont have any though. With fuit trees you do need cross pollinzation to make the blooms set and grow apples, thats why you will see goldens with reds, others will do but those work the best, to aid we also use Manchuian Crab trees interplanted amongst the reds. |
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Posted: 3/21/2010 8:29:05 PM EDT
[Last Edit: FordGuy]
[#21]
Originally Posted By Sinister:
Damn, you guys rock. AJ, i really enjoy reading of your "Branching out." When my son was 3 or 4 (when we got back from Okinawa) we were in a courtyard at the Fort Belvoir Hospital. I picked him up and brought him over to a fruiting apple tree. At about his eye level I pointed out, "Apple." God's wonder, I saw the light come on in his eyes as he smiled and said, "App." That's when I first knew he'd know food comes from trees, bushes, and plants and not the supermarket. Sir, you didn't realize I had so many crazy hobbies did you?  Keeps me out of trouble...idle hands are the Devil's tools....haha.
I got my blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu yesterday....(pats self on back)
thanks Sir, AJ |
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Posted: 3/21/2010 8:39:15 PM EDT
[#22]
Originally Posted By FordGuy:
Originally Posted By Sinister:
Damn, you guys rock. AJ, i really enjoy reading of your "Branching out." When my son was 3 or 4 (when we got back from Okinawa) we were in a courtyard at the Fort Belvoir Hospital. I picked him up and brought him over to a fruiting apple tree. At about his eye level I pointed out, "Apple." God's wonder, I saw the light come on in his eyes as he smiled and said, "App." That's when I first knew he'd know food comes from trees, bushes, and plants and not the supermarket. Sir, you didn't realize I had so many crazy hobbies did you? Keeps me out of trouble...idle hands are the Devil's tools....haha.
I got my blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu yesterday....(pats self on back)
thanks Sir, AJ Jeese, when do you sleep, or do you just plan on sleeping when your dead ? Kind of like Predator––- "your bleeding" "I dont have time to bleed"
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Posted: 3/21/2010 8:44:35 PM EDT
[#23]
Originally Posted By mstennes:
Originally Posted By FordGuy:
Originally Posted By ferfal308:
Originally Posted By FordGuy:
Sorry, no pics...
I was out there friday evening opening my delivery from Stark brothers, counting trees, looking at the sizes or "caliper" of the trees as they were grouped together by size. They all looked very healthy, and were "Campbell Red Delicious" grafted onto a M7 rootstock. I had spent much time getting the rows ready, installing irrigation pipe, plowing up the rows, figuring how many trees would fit in each zone, etc. I have 50 "Coe Fuji" trees, also on M7 rootstock, coming next month. Not sure how this can help anyone, but if you guys have questions hit me... Dude... go and take some pics. I want to see those trees.
Are you using thorny bush to create some sort of perimeter against animals/thieves? FerFAL Ferdinand, the trees are delivered as whips, or branched whips, meaning they may be 6 feet tall, but their real value is in a developed root system. They actually get snipped off at "belt buckle" height after planting, this is done to put the tree on a diet so it can conserve energy the first year, It also forces the young tree to branch out and from its main leder limbs and so it can re-develop those tiny microfiliment root hairs that were broken when it was pulled up to be shipped to me. I mean to spend the first year and a half on any new apple tree just growing a strong root system. In fact, if I see blooms next year, their first year, I will pinch them off so the tree's energy can be totaly devoted to producing a root system that will last longer than I am alive. Training and shapeing young trees, is one of the most important things you can do! I have a large property - my perimeter is a road I built with a bulldozer. I am always thinking of the land in terms of defendability. I have to drive to my nearest neighbor, which is good and bad, for obvious reasons. This rules out any kind of fence that would keep 2 footed animals out. My home is just a litle farmhouse, and does not suggest wealth or anything worth taking. I have a short fuse when it comes to strangers. Intruders have only been a problem once. No security light, as around here, I "own the night" so to speak. I'm sure intruders will be a problem in the near or distant future, and we prepare for this contingency as a family. rather judged by 12 than carried by 6, I say.
FordGuy, you really have this dialed in, I might need you to come an help manage here, have you gotten your pesticide private applicators license yet, or what ever they call it there? mstennes, I really appreciate your kind words. But I have a lot of learning to do and I make many mistakes.... I am a beekeeper and manage about 10 full size hives and as many nucs any given year. every now and then I sell a nuc to keep the bee thing going. so we're good on pollinators. as far as spraying, I haven't ever sprayed - not that I won't just that I haven't yet. You asked about fertilization - I started with a series of soil samples tested by clemson extension service. I amended according to the analysis. The things I have done to add my own personal touch to the fertilization program, have been to increase my phosphorus, and to use calcium nitrate for nitrogen to increase calcium. I think that will cure bitter pit in the honey crisp apples. we'll see. the ones I just put in were Auville Early Fuju, and Gale gala. |
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Posted: 3/21/2010 9:13:35 PM EDT
[#24]
mmmmmmmmmmm Pieeeeeeee
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Posted: 3/21/2010 10:17:37 PM EDT
[#25]
Anybody order from Burgess Seed and Plant Co? I just placed a small order with them last week to try them out.
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Posted: 3/22/2010 1:47:29 AM EDT
[#26]
Originally Posted By Chucks1911:
Anybody order from Burgess Seed and Plant Co? I just placed a small order with them last week to try them out. Their aimed at the small gardener/back yard grower |
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Posted: 3/22/2010 1:55:46 AM EDT
[#27]
Originally Posted By FordGuy:
Originally Posted By mstennes:
Originally Posted By FordGuy:
Originally Posted By ferfal308:
Originally Posted By FordGuy:
Sorry, no pics...
I was out there friday evening opening my delivery from Stark brothers, counting trees, looking at the sizes or "caliper" of the trees as they were grouped together by size. They all looked very healthy, and were "Campbell Red Delicious" grafted onto a M7 rootstock. I had spent much time getting the rows ready, installing irrigation pipe, plowing up the rows, figuring how many trees would fit in each zone, etc. I have 50 "Coe Fuji" trees, also on M7 rootstock, coming next month. Not sure how this can help anyone, but if you guys have questions hit me... Dude... go and take some pics. I want to see those trees.
Are you using thorny bush to create some sort of perimeter against animals/thieves? FerFAL Ferdinand, the trees are delivered as whips, or branched whips, meaning they may be 6 feet tall, but their real value is in a developed root system. They actually get snipped off at "belt buckle" height after planting, this is done to put the tree on a diet so it can conserve energy the first year, It also forces the young tree to branch out and from its main leder limbs and so it can re-develop those tiny microfiliment root hairs that were broken when it was pulled up to be shipped to me. I mean to spend the first year and a half on any new apple tree just growing a strong root system. In fact, if I see blooms next year, their first year, I will pinch them off so the tree's energy can be totaly devoted to producing a root system that will last longer than I am alive. Training and shapeing young trees, is one of the most important things you can do! I have a large property - my perimeter is a road I built with a bulldozer. I am always thinking of the land in terms of defendability. I have to drive to my nearest neighbor, which is good and bad, for obvious reasons. This rules out any kind of fence that would keep 2 footed animals out. My home is just a litle farmhouse, and does not suggest wealth or anything worth taking. I have a short fuse when it comes to strangers. Intruders have only been a problem once. No security light, as around here, I "own the night" so to speak. I'm sure intruders will be a problem in the near or distant future, and we prepare for this contingency as a family. rather judged by 12 than carried by 6, I say.
FordGuy, you really have this dialed in, I might need you to come an help manage here, have you gotten your pesticide private applicators license yet, or what ever they call it there? mstennes, I really appreciate your kind words. But I have a lot of learning to do and I make many mistakes.... I am a beekeeper and manage about 10 full size hives and as many nucs any given year. every now and then I sell a nuc to keep the bee thing going. so we're good on pollinators. as far as spraying, I haven't ever sprayed - not that I won't just that I haven't yet. You asked about fertilization - I started with a series of soil samples tested by clemson extension service. I amended according to the analysis. The things I have done to add my own personal touch to the fertilization program, have been to increase my phosphorus, and to use calcium nitrate for nitrogen to increase calcium. I think that will cure bitter pit in the honey crisp apples. we'll see. the ones I just put in were Auville Early Fuju, and Gale gala. Auvil Early is a excellent Fugi, and ready before Novemeber. I had some Gales, but never could get the size I really wanted, its a solid/blush red variety of Gala where the Ultima is a striped. Problem with both is they thickened the skin to slow the spliting, and in doing that they lost allot of flavor the Royals are famous for, but the Royal also didnt color good like a Gale or Ulitma. Check out the WSU Tree Fruit link and also Good Fruit Growers. I use allot of calcium, boron in sprays as a folier nutriant. A first cover with solubol oil (smothers the eggs) is needed to control codling moth (worms) than as needed as the moth traps catch them at brood times. There is allot to learn but your on the right path, sounds like we need to get you a program. |
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Posted: 3/22/2010 2:19:24 AM EDT
[Last Edit: slappomatt]
[#28]
so not a red delicious fan. The fuji you have coming is a much better choice. I can't understand who came up with the name red delicious when they are barely edible.
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Posted: 3/22/2010 3:17:15 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Duggan]
[#29]
Originally Posted By slappomatt:
so not a red delicious fan. The fuji you have coming is a much better choice. I can't understand who came up with the name red delicious when they are barely edible. They're soft and hardly taste like anything in my experience. They give me flashbacks of public school lunchroom cafeterias ... not good. Whereas Fuji are one of my favorites. |
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MI, USA
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Posted: 3/22/2010 9:41:47 AM EDT
[#30]
In addition to apples, you should look into planting Asian pears-very similar to apples,but twice as juicy and much tastier. We have about 100 of them dotted around our yard, along with peaches,apples, persimmons,and chestnuts. The Korean variety of pears we grow are extremely popular,and carloads of Koreans come out each fall to pick them. The care of these trees is really no different than apples,and they can be used for many of the same things-we make pear juice in addition to apple cider each fall. The type of tree to get is the "Large Korean" or "Olympic" variety of asian pear.
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Posted: 3/22/2010 10:03:41 AM EDT
[#31]
Originally Posted By rusteerooster:
Pics of my 5 apple trees from forguy. http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc282/rusteerooster/garden007-1.jpg pear trees http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc282/rusteerooster/garden009-1.jpg Wow I thought the future would be different.
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Posted: 3/22/2010 1:56:01 PM EDT
[#32]
Originally Posted By Winn:
A question based on a couple of previous posts ... Is planting/growing nut trees somehow important in combination with growing apple trees ? Some nut trees, particularly walnut, produce a substance called juglone with will hamper the growth of other plants in the vicinity. I think it does hurt apple trees. |
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Posted: 3/22/2010 7:28:23 PM EDT
[Last Edit: mstennes]
[#33]
Originally Posted By jeep44:
In addition to apples, you should look into planting Asian pears-very similar to apples,but twice as juicy and much tastier. We have about 100 of them dotted around our yard, along with peaches,apples, persimmons,and chestnuts. The Korean variety of pears we grow are extremely popular,and carloads of Koreans come out each fall to pick them. The care of these trees is really no different than apples,and they can be used for many of the same things-we make pear juice in addition to apple cider each fall. The type of tree to get is the "Large Korean" or "Olympic" variety of asian pear. Problem with pears are they are very slow gowing, and very susceptale to blight and pscyla, which in turn can get into apple trees, without control you can loose every tree you have. |
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Posted: 3/22/2010 7:30:22 PM EDT
[#34]
Originally Posted By slappomatt:
so not a red delicious fan. The fuji you have coming is a much better choice. I can't understand who came up with the name red delicious when they are barely edible. It depends on what variety of red you choose, some do taste like a patatoe, others well they taste the best, imo. |
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Posted: 3/23/2010 3:08:20 AM EDT
[#35]
Originally Posted By Duggan:
Originally Posted By slappomatt:
so not a red delicious fan. The fuji you have coming is a much better choice. I can't understand who came up with the name red delicious when they are barely edible. They're soft and hardly taste like anything in my experience. They give me flashbacks of public school lunchroom cafeterias ... not good. Whereas Fuji are one of my favorites. gentlemen, I do not completely understand this analysis. I wonder if your apples that formed your opinion were storebought or ones you grew? I love me campbell red delicious. A tip - I consider them a "survival" apple becajuse of their storage properties. another good homestead survival apple is the Arkansas Black. Some don't like the taste of these either (I love them) but you can pick them up off the ground in january in cooler climates and still eat them and they taste better with age. The red delicious that dissappoint are ones the store has kept in cool storage for so long they taste bland. Try growing your own, you may change your mnind! |
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Posted: 3/23/2010 3:10:09 AM EDT
[#36]
Originally Posted By jeep44:
In addition to apples, you should look into planting Asian pears-very similar to apples,but twice as juicy and much tastier. We have about 100 of them dotted around our yard, along with peaches,apples, persimmons,and chestnuts. The Korean variety of pears we grow are extremely popular,and carloads of Koreans come out each fall to pick them. The care of these trees is really no different than apples,and they can be used for many of the same things-we make pear juice in addition to apple cider each fall. The type of tree to get is the "Large Korean" or "Olympic" variety of asian pear. Jeep, you and I have traded messages on asian pears! I have about 10 (not much compared to you) but I am HOOKED on these things and will not pay for one from the store ever again! I love them! |
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Posted: 3/23/2010 10:36:42 AM EDT
[#37]
Fordguy, do you have any Che or Jujube trees?
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Posted: 3/23/2010 1:18:06 PM EDT
[#38]
Ha! I sure do! I got sherwood and I also have sugar drip. Can't wait till those babies start bearing!!!!! talk about survival food, dries itself on the tree!!! Preserved by mother nature!
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Posted: 3/23/2010 3:36:13 PM EDT
[Last Edit: mstennes]
[#39]
Originally Posted By FordGuy:
Ha! I sure do! I got sherwood and I also have sugar drip. Can't wait till those babies start bearing!!!!! talk about survival food, dries itself on the tree!!! Preserved by mother nature! I forgot to ask you about your water system. Drip, low pressure or impact. Do you use foliar nutriants? Calcium is great when sprayed on reds for maintaining freshness and storage. My program I have used is getting my apples for long term storage, which I have been pretty sucessful at. Allot of growers dont use the calcium, which as posted above makes stored apples taste like crap. |
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Posted: 3/23/2010 3:44:22 PM EDT
[#40]
Originally Posted By FordGuy:
Ha! I sure do! I got sherwood and I also have sugar drip. Can't wait till those babies start bearing!!!!! talk about survival food, dries itself on the tree!!! Preserved by mother nature! They're possibly the ultimate shtf fruit tree. I wish I had a thousand of them. |
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Posted: 3/23/2010 3:46:42 PM EDT
[#41]
Originally Posted By mstennes:
Originally Posted By FordGuy:
Ha! I sure do! I got sherwood and I also have sugar drip. Can't wait till those babies start bearing!!!!! talk about survival food, dries itself on the tree!!! Preserved by mother nature! I forgot to ask you about your water system. Drip, low pressure or impact. Do you use foliar nutriants? Calcium is great when sprayed on reds for maintaining freshness and storage. My program I have used is getting my apples for long term storage, which I have been pretty sucessful at. Allot of growers dont use the calcium, which as posted above makes stored apples taste like crap. Drip. I had a local irrigation company design it for me. In return I bought all my materials from them. I then borrowed a friends' trencher and put in all the pipe. Foliar, maybe once every two years as it is so labor intensive and will depend on foliar samples. |
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Posted: 3/23/2010 7:42:10 PM EDT
[#42]
mstennes, what rootstocks are you running on your trees, what soil type do you have?
I have a degree in Horticulture...but I'm in nursing school now; so no land to plant on for a couple more years
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Posted: 3/23/2010 9:03:59 PM EDT
[#43]
Originally Posted By mcooper:
mstennes, what rootstocks are you running on your trees, what soil type do you have? I have a degree in Horticulture...but I'm in nursing school now; so no land to plant on for a couple more years EMLA 111, and some old M26, I'm slowly working the 26 out as it is so dang suseptible to crown rot. Theres a new one out that is amazing, its not quite ready to be sold yet, but it will be my new root stock of choice, it is resistant to crown rot, blight and other root diseases. |
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Posted: 3/23/2010 10:20:22 PM EDT
[Last Edit: mcooper]
[#44]
Originally Posted By mstennes:
Originally Posted By mcooper:
mstennes, what rootstocks are you running on your trees, what soil type do you have? I have a degree in Horticulture...but I'm in nursing school now; so no land to plant on for a couple more years EMLA 111, and some old M26, I'm slowly working the 26 out as it is so dang suseptible to crown rot. Theres a new one out that is amazing, its not quite ready to be sold yet, but it will be my new root stock of choice, it is resistant to crown rot, blight and other root diseases. That's too bad m26 is a full dwarf rootstock and iirc will produce faster. What's your spacing on 111; it's a semi dwarf right? How are you harvesting and do you worry about chilling the crop post harvest (on site)? In Mississippi the extension service recommends mm111 and m7a.hopefully the new 26 will be out soon...I don't mind supporting trees in return for not needing a ladder to harvest. |
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Posted: 3/23/2010 11:12:35 PM EDT
[Last Edit: mstennes]
[#45]
Originally Posted By mcooper:
Originally Posted By mstennes:
Originally Posted By mcooper:
mstennes, what rootstocks are you running on your trees, what soil type do you have? I have a degree in Horticulture...but I'm in nursing school now; so no land to plant on for a couple more years EMLA 111, and some old M26, I'm slowly working the 26 out as it is so dang suseptible to crown rot. Theres a new one out that is amazing, its not quite ready to be sold yet, but it will be my new root stock of choice, it is resistant to crown rot, blight and other root diseases. That's too bad m26 is a full dwarf rootstock and iirc will produce faster. What's your spacing on 111; it's a semi dwarf right? How are you harvesting and do you worry about chilling the crop post harvest (on site)? In Mississippi the extension service recommends mm111 and m7a.hopefully the new 26 will be out soon...I don't mind supporting trees in return for not needing a ladder to harvest. I wouldnt waist my time on 26 or 106, there are new ones coming out that are far supeior. spacing varies on vaiety and root stock, I have locks at 15x20, 10x15 an 10x8. No we haul directly to the warehouse as fast as thei picked, when you have 100 plus pickers it gets intense, we run our own A trains hauling 70 bins at a shot. We use 8' and 10' ladders epending on tree size and lock. ETA, you can get a tree in production pretty fast with ground and foilier nutriants, and removing blossoms for the first 3 years. |
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Posted: 3/23/2010 11:16:13 PM EDT
[#46]
Originally Posted By FordGuy:
Originally Posted By mstennes:
Originally Posted By FordGuy:
Ha! I sure do! I got sherwood and I also have sugar drip. Can't wait till those babies start bearing!!!!! talk about survival food, dries itself on the tree!!! Preserved by mother nature! I forgot to ask you about your water system. Drip, low pressure or impact. Do you use foliar nutriants? Calcium is great when sprayed on reds for maintaining freshness and storage. My program I have used is getting my apples for long term storage, which I have been pretty sucessful at. Allot of growers dont use the calcium, which as posted above makes stored apples taste like crap. Drip. I had a local irrigation company design it for me. In return I bought all my materials from them. I then borrowed a friends' trencher and put in all the pipe. Foliar, maybe once every two years as it is so labor intensive and will depend on foliar samples. Drip is good, we used to use impact but went to low volume misters as it keeps the grass green between trees. I highly reccomen foliar nutriants if you get your self a small sprayer (your going to need it) and a small tractor its really not bad at all an very well worth it. |
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Posted: 3/24/2010 10:36:18 AM EDT
[#47]
thought about making a sprayer - have 2 tractors, so i'm good there. one little for mowing, one hoss for work.
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Posted: 3/24/2010 10:45:33 AM EDT
[#48]
What sprayer system do you run?
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Posted: 3/24/2010 2:27:21 PM EDT
[#49]
Originally Posted By mcooper:
What sprayer system do you run? I run Rears 400 gallon stainless steel power blaster, but anything in the 200-300 gallon range would work fine, even a 100 gallon one would work other than you would be filling up allot. The key is a good fan and enough power to run it. Air-O-Fan, and Turbomist are great also, I have a Turbomist which has a little more versitility as it runs a handgun so well, and we made a spary ar for dandilion spraying in the spring, we also use it with water solubole spary oil for dust control on the dirt roads. Problem with pack tanks are by time you get a 100 gallon load and fan on the back, you have to hang so many weights on it to steer, you can make do with a weed sparyer and handgun, but its next to impossible to meter your coverage as its all handgun spraying. Some sparys go on 100, 200 and 400 gallons per acre. |
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Posted: 3/24/2010 4:46:09 PM EDT
[#50]
tag to remember to ask you questions and actually order them for my creekside....
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