There are plenty of times that I find myself enjoying the planning and planting as much as the actual hunting.
Sadly I fall into this as well..I say sadly because if I could have it my way I'd be at the property all the time pruning, cutting, planting, checking and such....which isn't good for sanctuaries or just letting the property be.
Update: I'll be clearing a little more in a specific area and planting a half dozen apples and a couple pears this spring as I design an Orchard plot. This plot will stay in a clover/chicory blend otherwise and outside of drip lines will also get worked from time to time (2 or 3 years) for reseeding and possible top dressed with cereal grains in the falls depending on state of clover/chicory. Sadly losing my grandma obviously has take presidence and time has been limited but chainsaws will get purring here within a week or so.
Well went ahead and placed an order while they still had stock (some nurseries/orchards) already running out obviously. Went with Stark Bro's out of Missouri after quite a few fellas directed me to them and their free shipping over $99 order helped some (1 year replacement policy too). I have the following coming to me: Apples: 2 - Chestnut Crabapples (Semi Dwarf) - These are great pollinators and will be one of the first each year to set fruit which is fine by me in early/mid September. Being the Pollinators they are they'll probably go one the outskirts of the plot with others between. 1 - Enterprise (Dwarf) - Claimed to be very disease resistant. Ripens in Mid-October. 1 - GoldRush (Dwarf) - Again supposedly good resistance to disease and ripens Mid/Late October. 1 - Jonafree (Semi-Dwarf) - Disease resistance is good and ripens Mid-September 1 - Arkansas Black (semi-Dwarf) - These are not pollinators but everyone claims the fruit is incredibly firm and will last a long time even if on the ground (doubt deer let that happen though). Ripens in October. Guys have told me I'll fall in love with this one...and hope to graft some from it onto rootstock in future. Pears: Colette Everbearing Pear (Dwarf) - A partially self-pollinating Pear, which is unique in that it sets its first fruit in mid/late September but then will set more until frost hits and goes dormant. Will pollinate the Anjou below. Anjou Pear (Standard) - Very cold hardy and firm fruit which can hold into late October even. Ripens late September...pollinator for Colette Kiefer Pear - Not on this order, but going to keep eye out as I desire to include one or two of these as well. Due to me around March sometime...will see what happens may heal them in or plant asap if warm enough.
I listed if Dwarf, semi or standard. Most will have a diameter of 3/8 minimum with a few as large as 3/4 inch. Stark said a few may produce first fruit in a couple years but said to not allow any to really produce fruit and focus on growth till 3rd season in the ground at earliest. I wanted all semi-dwarf or dwarf for ease of working but the one pear they only had standard but I can keep it trimmed if gets too tall.
Anjou Pear trees are mind blowing. I get some pears that are over a pound. After the 3rd or 4th year the dwarfs are pretty good.
So I have heard. If it takes well I'll probably add another in the future or attempt some grafting to a few of the wild pear kinds I have on property all over...a local nursery guy said some of the wild ones will graft and take or will not, no way of knowing but worth a shot.
New video of some work I got done yesterday and a good look and discussion on bedding areas. [video]https://youtu.be/fr4nHyyblcs[/video]
Another quick trip to the property for further cutting and the trees discussed earlier got put in the ground.
Got some organic fungicide on its way. Attempting to be as easy on the pollinators (bees) and such to avoid cedar rust and other issues. I'll see how it goes for a year or two and only up fungicide power if needed. Anyone else have experience in the fungicide area for pears and apples? Also grabbing some dormant oil this weekend to spray the apple and pears stuck in the ground last week. Nothing should bud on the new trees for a little bit atleast, despite all the wild pears on the property already starting. So the plan this weekend is mulch, dormant oil spray and probably a little more cutting in spots but until we get the brush hog over to prep more planting spots not a terrible amount of stuff to do.
Oil didn't come in time sadly but got all the trees mulched and while there checked em and all appear to have taken but still only been like a week and a half and signs of death may not be visible. A few had buds forming though so I took that as an EXCELLENT sign. I expect the Pears to take the longest as they have such a cut back root system when sent catch up for them I'm guessing is going to take a while. Don't expect much though anyways till year 3 or 4 as they say, sleep, creep and explode are the 3 years of fruit trees. The place said though the grafted trees have been known to produce as early as the 2nd or 3rd year (they recommend if any spotted in year 2 just remove and allow tree to focus on establishing).
I used some stuff last year on mine that was mostly just Neem oil. I had apple aphids and it wiped them out handily. Bought it on Amazon.
Yup, Neem Oil based is what was coming. Researching things which will assist the already disease resistant trees from nearby cedars causes rust. This whole fruit plotting is fun but brand new to me.
