I just found 5 acres and independence at an online thrift store for $5. Thank you for the recommendation! As for the orchard it’s mostly just for hobby. I had the idea to start planting fruit trees the same year my son was born. Kinda just a benchmark/legacy. I’m hoping to just give fruit to family and friends, feed wildlife and pasture sheep in the orchard.
Not sure about sheep, but I have seen cows totally destroy fruit trees. Just in case you have any of them.
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From what I’ve read sheep can do very well in orchards with full size rootstock and a few years of head start. They are excellent fertilizers, lawn mowers, and do well eating the abandoned fruit. Cattle, goats and pigs not so much. You’re correct about persimmons, they probably wouldn’t be ready to pick though. I’ll probably put them elsewhere. Do you have any advice for persimmons? Types, planting, cross pollination, etc. I heard that persimmons are hands down deers favorite food
Thanks in advance
Suggest you try Illinois Everbearing mulberry. If you prune it correctly by limiting its height, and forcing it to spread, you can someday harvest by walking around underneath a tree that measures 30’ -40’ in crown diameter with most fruits within reach from the ground. It’s very prolific, very sweet, and if you water it during drought periods it will bear fruit most of the summer. This year my family sold about 50 lb of fruit from our 20 year old IE. Also I would plant as many wild plums varieties as you can find in sunny areas where you can alllow the thickets to grow
Dennis
Kent, wa
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@RayW
In general I don’t like livestock in a orchard.
They can cause problems. My main concern would be soil compaction. I would only allow sheep , or any other livestock ,in a orchard for short periods of time . When the soil is dry .
Allowing them to quickly graze it short , then putting them in a dedicated pasture area . Before the cause other damage .
You would not think a sheep would compact the soil much ?
But ,in fact all their weight is on a very small foot. Can result in high soil compaction in your wet clay soil.
That’s my opinion,
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@RayW — in your list you mentioned — Slope ???
Perhaps with anti erosion in mind… but I do think that the direction of your Slope (that you choose for orchard site) can help or hurt with things like late spring frosts.
I have been considering this myself, since I will be starting over in a new location in the next year or two. My new location includes ridge top (flat)… but it includes areas that slope to the East, South and North.
I am thinking that fruit trees planted on the North slope would bud and bloom out later, perhaps giving them a better chance in areas prone to late spring frosts (like mine).
You may not have had that in mind, when you questioned Slope… but I do. If you have choices and different slopes directionally… perhaps placing your fruit trees that are most susceptible to late spring frost in the best location would help.
That is a question I would like to see some experienced comments on…
If I have ridge top flat, and it rolls off to North Slope, East Slope and South slope…
Where is the best place to plant my favorite late frost prone fruit trees ?
I am thinking near the top of that North Slope (just off the ridge top flat).
Would love to hear someone confirm or correct me on that.
Thanks
TNHunter
Hey RayW I live in WV too in Lincoln County about 40 mins from Huntington. 87 Acres here.
I just got started revising my farm last year… so im no expert.
I am mostly into Blackberries and Raspberries they do really well here. I am adding Mulberry, Peach, Apple, Plum and maybe Pear.
I am also getting into hazelnuts…which i am really excited about.
My plan is permaculture. I want diversity and sustainable life in my orchards.
To each his own but this is what i am going for.
Other thoughts to consider that not many people do- Leaves- I have collected around 2 tons or so from my property… And have been adding to the soil as i go, as mulch.
Biochar- I make my own biochar from twigs and branches that fall all over my property.
Worm Bin- 100 collected turns into thousands and thousands… all they want is rotten leaves and grass and my vegetable waste…
Bees- I am making a fairly large bee home for Mason and Leafcutter bees- Also from my property- I am drilling holes in cross cut fallen logs and making a box with hardware cloth to keep out woodpeckers. I hope to house several thousand bees.
Brush- my property is full of it, what i dont use to make biochar i am making thickets near the orchard to house insects, and cover for birds and other things.
Deer- I am in the last stages of my battle. A fence is going up… but nobody will tell you or believe it… but i spray with chewing tobacco tea wherever i do not want deer… it works. Eggs do not work for long, Irish spring is a joke. I do not chew tobacco but i pouch makes about 5 gallons of spray. I am going to experiment with cigarette butt and ash tea next. I know it sounds crazy but an old man told me it worked like none other. He also taught me about chewing tobacco tea. His trees are spotless and perfect.
Animals- I only plan on chickens. The goal is to give them my rotten spoiled or unused fruits and vegetables and they make me eggs and fertilizer. I would love to do an electric net and let them totally revamp areas at a time…but i will need a chicken tractor to do that. The net idea is amazing…at least to me.
I could go on and on…but in the end do what makes you happy- its your Almost Heaven piece of land…and you will be the one enjoying the rewards.
I will end on a note of some of my selections
Blackberries- I have just about every variety of thornless that is sold- they all do well. Raspberries- I have almost every top rated variety- they seem to be doing well…next year will tell.
Hazelnuts- I am going to get into them fairly big time. I am going with American and Hazelberts to start.
Peach- Contender and O’Henry - my two favorite…
Apple- GoldRush and Grimes Golden- my favorite.
Plum- Mount Royal and Purple Heart- They look to be great for my area.
Pear- Undecided.
Natives- I will add wild american plum mostly for early bee pollination and as a pollinator for my plums.
Mulberry- I have about 5 varieties that i am going to try… they are very easy to root from scions.
Ive made tons of mistakes and will make tons more… always learning and always adapting.
Would be nice if we could share ideas and help each other out in ways if possible… since we are fairly close together.
Good Luck
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