Fruit Tree success stories?

[ThrottleJockey]

Check out Rodale Books - Stocking UP Series they have some good information on root cellaring and other storing options. They list some creative ideas like using old freezers, window wells, and different methods of in ground storage. Lots of good canning and freezing tips and grain storage info, too.

The one I have is copyrighted 1986. Stocking UP III, America's Classic Preserving Guide. I would imagine they probably have a newer version by now.

I have a plan for a cellar that involves a space between the dirt walls and the inner walls that can be filled with blocks of ice cut from the pond and sawdust much like the icehouses of days gone by. I suspect this will make it much like a walk-in cooler you would find in restaurants keeping the temp in the high 30s low 40s instead of 50-55....this should also allow me to have cold beverages with ice in them year round without power.

 

[PAMom]

I have a plan for a cellar that involves a space between the dirt walls and the inner walls that can be filled with blocks of ice cut from the pond and sawdust much like the icehouses of days gone by. I suspect this will make it much like a walk-in cooler you would find in restaurants keeping the temp in the high 30s low 40s instead of 50-55....this should also allow me to have cold beverages with ice in them year round without power.

Sounds like a plan. We Have our sap holding tanks perched atop a wall built into a dirt bank. Our drums of finished syrup are stored in an earthen room in that bank. Makes for good cold storage. We don't worry too much about temp. or humidity - the syrup is hot packed in stainless barrels and it tolerates any temps but heat.

 

[philo]

What time of year do you prune fruit trees?

Thanks.

While the trees are dormant...

Normally, yes you would prune them when they're dormant. Sometime in the next 2 months would be perfect. When the trees are on standard (non-dwarfing) rootstock, or when they have been left un-pruned for many years, it might be best to do most of the pruning during the summer (no later than mid-August).

Pruning too heavily during the dormant season encourages the trees to have excessive lush vegetative growth. This can make them very susceptible to fireblight in the case of apples and pears. It can also keep them from flowering for a season.

If you're going to rejuvenate neglected trees, don't take more than 20% of the wood off a tree during dormancy. Then go back in late July or early August and prune much heavier. You will be more successful in the long run.

 

[Loco179]

My newly planted trees are doing awesome. I planted them in early Nov. The only down side to their area is the wind. I have a wind break for them but it just seems very windy this year. They are doing well anyway.

Willis Orchard Company: Fruit Trees | Flowering Trees | Berry Plants | Shade Trees | Walnut Trees

That is the site I have heard very good things about. The stop shipping trees in April. I am going to do a order here in a week. I will let you know how it turns out.

 

[jeremy]

I tend to try and keep my fruit bearing trees looking more like large bushes than trees. By keeping the trees smaller it ensures larger fruit, and it makes picking the fruit much easier.

 

[J man]

Just ordered 2 apple, 2 pear and 3 nut trees.

 

[Zoub]

If you are dealing with Deer, ask around and see if any of your friends are members of the NAHC, North American Hunting Club. Ask them if you can see this months magazine and look at the article on the set up used to keep deer out of the soy bean food plots.

All I can say is I never would have set up my wires that way and clearly it seems to work. I am going to see if a friend of mine wants to test the set up this year on one of his orchards.

I will look later to see if the article is online along with the pictures of the set up so I can get a pic posted in here.

 

[Hoosierbuck]

I specialize in training NWI deer to stay away from fruit trees. Here are some of my successful trainees:

PM me if you need some help "training" your deer.

HB

 

[teddy12b]

This has been a nice thread for me to read. My wife and I are going to be building a home this year on about 5 acres give or take that's largely an acre wide by 5 long. I'd like to plant two small orchards on the property. One at the far end and the other towards the middle.

What I'd like in my small orchards are 2 apples, 2 pears, 2 cherry, 2 plum, and some strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. Basically I want a little bit of everything in each of the locations. If one has a bad year I want the other to be able to have made up for it. I also want the other orchard at the far end hoping that would isolate the deer & wildlife to one of the orchards and leaving the other alone. It'd be a 200 yard shot to the far orachard from where the back porch will be so I've given that some thought as well and I have just the right tool for it.

I've been looking at a lot of websites for fruit & nutt tree information and here are a few sources:

Seed Catalog, Garden Seeds, Fruit Trees, Vegetable Seeds, Strawberry plants, Vegetable Plants and More - Gurney's Seed and Nursery

Heirloom Apple Trees | Heirloom Apple Trees for Sale

Willis Orchard Company: Fruit Trees | Flowering Trees | Berry Plants | Shade Trees | Walnut Trees

I plan on making a big investment into getting the orchards going once we've started building.

 

[jeremy]

This has been a nice thread for me to read. My wife and I are going to be building a home this year on about 5 acres give or take that's largely an acre wide by 5 long. I'd like to plant two small orchards on the property. One at the far end and the other towards the middle.

What I'd like in my small orchards are 2 apples, 2 pears, 2 cherry, 2 plum, and some strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. Basically I want a little bit of everything in each of the locations. If one has a bad year I want the other to be able to have made up for it. I also want the other orchard at the far end hoping that would isolate the deer & wildlife to one of the orchards and leaving the other alone. It'd be a 200 yard shot to the far orachard from where the back porch will be so I've given that some thought as well and I have just the right tool for it.

I've been looking at a lot of websites for fruit & nutt tree information and here are a few sources:

Seed Catalog, Garden Seeds, Fruit Trees, Vegetable Seeds, Strawberry plants, Vegetable Plants and More - Gurney's Seed and Nursery

Heirloom Apple Trees | Heirloom Apple Trees for Sale

Willis Orchard Company: Fruit Trees | Flowering Trees | Berry Plants | Shade Trees | Walnut Trees

I plan on making a big investment into getting the orchards going once we've started building.

DO your home work on the trees you wish to plant. I would highly recommend dwarf trees, for fruit trees...

 

[teddy12b]

I'm definately going to get dwarf trees as much as I can. I'm not going to be getting on ladders or knocking fruit off a branch with a stick.

 

[snapping turtle]

Strawberries are rather easy but for the largest berries you need to rotate them out every 3 years with new plantings. Start one nice raised bed this year with landscape fabric. The next year start a second. That year will be your largest beries in your first bed. The third year you will be crawling with medium berries in the first bed the second bed will have the large ones and the third bed needs started. After that just spray and till the first bed and start over. Add plenty of compost and 10-10-10 that year.

After 3 years the berries get smaller and the bed get impossible to weed and pick. Start over with new sets.

My grandfather used to sell lots of berries every year, He used this method and I must admit it works well. He had no landscape fabric back then, I find it makes thinning the runners out easier.

 

[sbsg2005]

Biggest problems we have had with strawberries is coons. I think they like them sweet red berries more than my wife and kids and nothing seems to deter them.

 

[jeremy]

I'm definately going to get dwarf trees as much as I can. I'm not going to be getting on ladders or knocking fruit off a branch with a stick.

Depending on the fruit tree, you may be able to keep it trimmed down like a bush. I do this with Mulberry and Persimmon Trees.

 

[Walkersdlx]

My apples and pear tree are growing well. I was thinking about adding a few walnuts to the tree line.