Is that screening material you’re using for rodent protection?
Yes we have mice, rabbits, voles round these parts.
1 Like
I know you only started planting trees a couple years ago, but are any of them producing any fruit yet?
I planted three apples (Alkmene, Suncrisp and Zestar) in March of '17, and they all have some fruit on them already. Not more than a couple per tree, but still that’s good. The Alkie has about half a dozen on it, and it’s way smaller than the other two trees, so I’ll have to thin those down to just a couple, don’t want it to runt out.
1 Like
Zestar is known for fruiting early. My moms 3rd leaf G30 I grafted is loaded this year with flowers.
My winter wildlife crab has fruited last year. Nothing else yet.
Actually my Zestar is a G30, and since it was planted in '17, I guess it’s third leaf too.
I have 14 fourth leaf apple trees, and only 4 fruited this year for the first time, and not a lot at that.
1 Like
Looks so good! How many trees do you have now? Love that the orchard has a previous history and you are keeping that tradition alive 
The orchard right now I could go another row south but I’m not sure i’m going to. The more I think about the fruit load when these thngs are 10-15 years older the more I think, what did I just do. 
Standing at about 55 right now when some replacements are done it’ll be 58ish.
I have an orchard at my house as well which is 12 or so.
You start to wonder what to do when you think long term cuz i’m going to have fruit coming out my ears!
It’s a labor of love so oh well, IDC!
4 Likes
Same age here, same reaction. I mean, I don’t have as many trees you do, but 29 right now seems crazy, along with all the berry plants I have. Oh, I have to find a place for 6 potted trees, too.
Did you get any fruit last year? We got about a dozen apples from five trees in '19.
2 Likes
All of my trees are on B118, Antonovka, or Ranetka. I don’t expect to see fruit for some time but I have an Enterprise on Antonovka that is getting large very fast.
I had a few pears fruit on this orchard but that is it so far.
My house orchard has smaller rooting stock so I have a Gala that gives me lots, Cortland is getting there, and a bunch of others shout start fruiting next 2 years.
3 Likes
Got my mail orchard trimmed up (did half last saturday) and completed the job yesterday.
Managed to snap a pic of my trimming my Winter Wildlife Crab I cleft grafted onto to B118 on the 9th of April, 2015. This tree is 1 of only a handful I was successful on my very first year of grafting in 2015. The scion came from @greyphase , it’s about 8-9 feet tall now has some strong caliber size. This variety loves to throw branches and flower when it’s young, I do my best to stop it from setting fruit, I promised my self this year would be a solid maintenance year of babying these trees the best I can to get these sobs tall and get some scaffolding. Not sure how I’ll fertilize yet to get some proper growth on the ones from 2016 or the majority of my orchard that was transplanted in 2018.
I have only lost 4 trees out of the orchard. They were lost in 2019 after the transplant, 1 woke up but died that winter, the other 3 for 1 reason or another stopped growing but the root stock has taken over. I’m replace all 4 of these this year I hope. I have some trees in my nursery at home, I plan to look at that the next few days and make a decision to buy some replacements or move what I have on hand.
So here is the Winter Wildlife Crap before and after trim pics.
5 Likes
Planted 3 Meader Persimmons, 2 early Golden Persimmons, 2 PA Golden paw paw, & 1 davis paw paw from @39thparallel today. Nice stock, however, since I live in Michigan and my governor…
I can’t buy dirt, lime, fert, etc… So I used the dirt there, watersorb (already had), & tree tubes.
Forgot to snap a pic, I dub this the covid planting.
All on the same property as my orchard but a diff section.
3 Likes
It seem like agricultural supplies should be essential.
2 Likes
Thanks for those that have sent scion trade requests. 2 days after my April 2020 post. My since ex wife left for other men and the party scene. I lost my orchard and never went back.
I don’t know the trees status or what happened to them. Thats just life i guess, people make choices and thats the way it goes with free will.
Hope all the regulars that I interacted with here are doing well. I have a few trees here at my home but all thats all I got. Lifes doing well on this end though.
Merry Christmas all you fruit folks!
4 Likes
Hey Applebacon, really sorry to hear that about your situation. Hope things continue to improve for you.
Hi Dan
Just noticed this post. Sorry to hear that your life took a bad turn. Have often wondered what became of you. I have a tree growing from scion from your grandmother’s crab. It hasn’t fruited yet but should soon.
Harrow sweet pears can fruit in no time 1-3 years. Maybe get those so you have some fruit coming in. Peaches are another fast producer. Bought my friend a couple of reliance peaches and they buried him in peaches starting year 2-3.
It’s not so bad, I just wanted to let people know the varieties I had I no longer have the ability to share them mostly. Beauty from ashes folks, redemption at it’s finest. I remember all 3 of you, surely Rick in PA. 
3 Likes