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Post by paulf on Oct 1, 2017 13:30:37 GMT -5
While out finding spots for a bunch of divided daylillies, my wife looked up and realized what we always thought was a crabapple is actually a full sized apple tree. It is about four years old and we are finally orchardists...well, sort of. We harvested three apples from two different trees. Two pears from one of the pears and a pile of peaches from the two trees. An eighty year old apricot has given us a lot of apricots...about every three or four years. We are trying to buy a neighboring property and turning it into a real orchard, that is if I live long enough. So look up every once in a while, look around and pay attention. two apples, one bottom left and the other top right
not quite ripe yet, but pretty nice and no rots or spots
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Post by september on Oct 1, 2017 18:58:05 GMT -5
Paul, I had a similar find! I planted two apple trees a few years ago, and they did not do well. The Honeycrisp died, and sent up oodles of root stock, I had planned to remove it all but never got around to it. The other tree was a Red Baron, the central branch died out, but it has put out a few side branches which look good for a year or two before they die as well. I did not notice any blossoms this spring, and didn't expect any. So it was a big surprise when someone pointed out that I had 5 nice apples on the Red Baron this fall! Unfortunately, I picked one too early when it was still hard, the next two were low enough so the deer got them. The last two were too high to reach, so I backed the truck up to it and stood on the tail gate. I managed to pull the branch down to pick the apples, but it was weak, and I broke it off at the base! I don't think I am meant to grow apples. P.S. The red area in the woods off to the right is my non-compost pile that I mentioned in the compost thread. I think it's red because I threw a large bunch of old ferment seed tomato skins and pulp there that day.
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Post by ladymarmalade on Oct 2, 2017 10:22:47 GMT -5
I love this!
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reubent
Pro Member
Posts: 389
Joined: May 2011
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Post by reubent on Feb 6, 2019 22:44:57 GMT -5
Yah, we tried to start an orchard over 30 years ago but most of the trees died eventually. Later I figured out our planting technique was in error for the soil type we had. Should have pursued it further but didn't. Now I'm attempting again in a different location and will hopefully get it right this time. Headed out on a road trip tomorrow to pick up a semi truck and hit Willis orchard on the why through an get a few nut and fruit trees.
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Post by paulf on Feb 6, 2019 23:01:10 GMT -5
An oldie but goodie comes back to the surface. We were not able to purchase the land for an orchard (some shenanigans between the USDA and the previous owners' representatives and a sweetheart deal under the table).
Since this post we have planted ten more fruit trees; peaches, pears, apples and apricots. We shall see what happens.
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Post by hairymooseknuckles on Feb 6, 2019 23:47:08 GMT -5
paulf, We have 2 or 3 Plum trees and a persimmon. Used to have several peach trees, but they all died off.
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Post by brownrexx on Feb 7, 2019 8:10:40 GMT -5
We have 4-5 pear trees and an Asian pear apple which really produces nice fruits and lots of them. We had 2 cherry trees for several years but the borers got the trees and we had to cut them down.
Lots of insect problems for fruit trees in my area and we don't use sprays so we don't even try to grow apples or stone fruits. Actually I was just remembering that we had a plum tree and the Japanese Beetles got more for the plums than we did so we gave up on that.
I am usually able to harvest lots of nice pears even without spraying.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Feb 7, 2019 10:10:06 GMT -5
hairymooseknuckles, peaches are short-lived trees under the best of circumstances. So if you got some good years out of them before they died, it might be worth planting more. And you won't have to wait long for fruit - a grafted tree produces after just 1-2 years from planting, and from seed a peach tree can start to produce in only 3 years. (In areas with a long growing season, at least. It might take longer up north; I don't know.) Peaches also usually grow true from seed, so it could be as simple as planting seeds from a particularly good peach that you eat this summer. (Ideally the peach would be one grown in your area rather than imported from CA or somewhere, so it will be a variety that's adapted to your climate and soil.)
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Post by hairymooseknuckles on Feb 7, 2019 12:23:36 GMT -5
Laura_in_FL, Yes, we did get many years from them. I think my Uncle said he planted Alberta. I probably messed up the spelling. I didn't realize they produced that quick. Thanks so much for the info!!!My wife will be planting trees real soon! I'm fixing to go tell her the good news. "Oh Honey, You got some planting to do!" Hahahaaaaa
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reubent
Pro Member
Posts: 389
Joined: May 2011
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Post by reubent on Feb 11, 2019 21:40:27 GMT -5
Peach family seems to be susceptible to disease pretty bad, it kills them out after awhile commonly. But what causes disease? Actually the cause my be harder to deal with than to get the trees immune to the cause. Plants/trees have an immune system just as we do. It guards the plant against the attack of disease organisms. Nutrition plays a big role in how strong the immune system is, so just by providing the plant with the very best nutrition we can come up with, we just might get them to live much longer and produce much heavier. Plus it seems that same nutrition boost also helps guard against insect attack as well. Bugs are natures cleanup crew for sick plants for the most part. Or rather it seems that everything not at the peak of health gets ate, although I guess there are a few that will eat no matter how good it gets. Mammals or rodents on the other hand are like we are, the healthier the plant is the more they like to eat it. Normally toxic chemicals get used on the insects that want to damage and devour, but I won't use poison on my food. So I will try to nutrition boosting method and if it works fine. I know it will work more or less.
I have about 50 peach, nectarine, and plum seeds laying out here, we ate the fruit last summer, we got from a farm market in Indiana. I saved the seeds and am leaving them out all winter to get cold, I'll put them in pots come spring and see how many will grow. If even half of them do I'll have quite an orchard to get planted. I'd like to add some apricots as well. They all tend to bloom pretty early so having them up on the mountainside where it stays warmer on frosty spring nights will help, along with water to mist them, and maybe some tarps to throw over them if needed.
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