Last year we grafted 4 apples on G890 rootstock They have grown extremely vigorously. They are being trained to Modified central leader. They each have 3 branches and a central leader.
We are planting them in ground in March and they will need staking for a few years even though G890 is supposed to be freestanding. Right now I have them loosely tied down low to a bamboo trellis.
When we plant them in ground I was thinking about using 1/2" by 10ft emt conduit. Is it hard to drive in ground?
2 Likes
Haven’t used it.
Have used 1/2 rebar 10’ lengths. You can push those into (my) wet clay ground by hand unless you hit a rock.
Not a super fan as it wiggles pretty readily. Would expect conduit to do something similar. The orchards I’ve seen use conduit have also tied it into their trellis.
if you have trouble pushing it into the ground you can certainly drive it in with the cheaper (light) post hole pounder that big box stores sell. I think they are like $30.
Probably should cap the conduit but idk what commercial growers do.
1 Like
I’d use something larger than 1/2” unless it was rigid. I’ve used 3/4” for tomatoes. You can put a connector on the pipe before hammering it in then take it off and use a 90 connector.
2 Likes
I’ve used 5ft sections of 1/2" conduit to support small trees. It’s fairly easy to drive in the ground. The only downside is they fill with water that drains very slowly. Bump into them and you get a nasty spray of rusty water.
1 Like
@boylan. thanks for the help
@Plants thank you they are young trees i may try 3/4’’
@nbarrett thanks does the 1/2’’ conduit bend or collapse in the middle when driving in ground or is it pretty rigid?
No issues for me with bending. I use an engineers hammer to bang it in.
1 Like
I used a lot of 1/2” for a few decades running pipe as an electrician so if your cutting them short they’re strong but if your using 10’ length pieces it’s very weak in the middle with any weight or winds if it’s not strapped down to a wall especially.
2 Likes
Here’s my take on the subject:
The square-link plant ties are Chainlock.
The following recipe requires duct tape, the handyman’s secret weapon.
I provide here a snapshot of my home-made post driver:
It consists of a two-foot length of 2" galvanized pipe for heft. Threads on one end must be in good condition to accept a cast cap as a hammer. To use, slip the open end over the conduit. Set the conduit upright, lift the driver, and hammer the conduit into the ground, using the pipe as a guide. It takes some effort even in sand. You may need a ladder for this. I do.
Use duct tape to mark the four-foot point on the conduit before driving it in the ground.
I use 3/4 conduit for espalier posts and top rail. 1/2 is bending mach easier and doesn’t stay strait in the ground. We usually take 2’ cut of 1’’ conduit, make one end pointy and hammer it into the soil. Then 3/4 conduit just goes in. It is proven to hold.