I do! once really good graft took off!
I have a chestnut crab, a dwarf granny Smith, Arkansas black, and a trailman here too hoping to fertilize- and a winter banana. all have a variety of grafts too so I should get plenty of pollination for this and my gravenstein. (the other “taker”).
my reinette actually has two apples on it this year, which is a bit shocking as it’s second leaf
Nice looking plums! Still waiting on Bavay’s Green Gage. This next spring will be its 4th. Hopefully, some blossoms in 2025. If not, I may need to move it. It receives approximately 6 hours of sun per day, which may not be enough.
Anyone else doing fall dormant oil spray? We have a couple mild 50 degree days and my trees are now fully dormant after a couple weeks of overnight lows in the 20s and 30s. Sprayed 11 trees today. Do others here spray in fall? When do you typically spray next?
Ersinger makes a very agreeable prune. Had I eaten some of these as a kid I would have formed a positive attitude toward prunes. The floral overtone remains when dried & is much tastier than those obtained at the super market.
Next year I hope to dry enough to use in several baking projects. maybe even an English pudding.
I got soil test from USU this fall.
Closely planted apples (plus a couple plums, peaches), trimmed to be “small trees” most on M111. The trees put out 18-24" summer growth, I prune back, then get another 12", so they are definitely growing.
One set 6 yrs in ground, other 2 yrs, all planted as whips. 6 yr old trees got some fruit this season, but I’d been too aggressive with pruning before, so my bad. The newer trees I’ll let bear this coming year because the caliper is fine, at 2" or so.
What are your thoughts on fertilizing here, after reviewing USU info? I’ve put call into local big nursery to talk with a pro, the MG group isn’t responding to my queries. I’m torn because according to the sheet titled “Fertilizing Fruit Trees and Small Fruits” it looks like I should (relatively tightly packed trees, some in raised beds), but the growth is fine.
Several sources have said high nitrogen creates problems: rapid growth in the plant & larger fruit of lesser quality. In each case the recommendation was to fertilize lightly in early spring - once - each year. Since your trees are doing well, I would limit myself to compost in spring out to the dripline (or beyond it if the tree is more of a whip). Then mulch well over that, but keep that clear of the base of the tree to mitigate chance of collar rot or varmints sneaking up to chew bark on a young tree at ground level.
I also add either gypsum or dolomite under each tree, since calcium levels influence fruit development & diminish bitter pit. My soil isn’t as good as yours.
I had good discussion with a pro from local nursery in the meantime, and pretty much that’s what I got from him as well. some N every year, just to keep up, but not much, given I have to beat my trees with a stick to keep them under control. A sharp stick. I intend to work to get that pH down a little, because I’ve had some leaves showing signs of Fe deficiency, and likely get on with using chelated iron as well. I had no clue if the amount of organic matter was good, bad, or what, and he advised me it was VERY good! Well. That’s nice. Thanks for your input!
I’m no professional, but did have good success with peaches, nectarines and plums over 7 years at my last home. My soil was fairly similar to yours. I stuck to fertilizing with worm castings and some well rotted chicken manure in the spring and then added fresh much on top.
Anyone had any luck with cherries in high desert climates? Here in Bend we sit at just under 4000 feet. We have long warm summers, but are prone to late frosts, sometimes into late May. Anyone found any varieties that work in similar climates?
I planted 4 cherries last year at 4k feet elevation (I’m outside of Reno). I had excellent growth with 6’+ of healthy growth several of them. There is a house nearby with a huge cherry tree that bears fruit most years, however we haven’t had a frost past the first week of may now in a few years. I would expect a late may frost would dampen productivity.
Bing grows huge & fruitful across the street. The orchards near town are about 2500 ft elevation & grow plenty of cherries, sweet & pie. Some years we get frost by May 10.
OK, sounds like I have a fair chance of success if you also have frosts into May and see fruit.
I have success with Lapin cherries. (Zone 7b NM, 4,900’). They are self fruitful, too.
Do you have late frosts in May?
Sometimes. We often get a late April or early May hail storm. Not sure what our actual last frost date is, but conventional wisdom here is to wait until Mothers Day to plant tomatoes.
one half is on my gravenstein on a good side branch out of the wind. the other half will go on the winter banana apple tree where I can watch it like a hawk and worry over it all the time. thanks again!! hoping they both take.
Montmorency Cherry does pretty well on Colorado front range at 5000’. We definitely get frosts into late May. They often flower before the apples, but once they’ve flowered they seem to weather later cold/storms pretty well. I’d say we get fruit 80% of the summers. By “we” I mean mostly the birds. Also, sour cherries get a bum rap- IMO they’re quite good off the tree. I am trying a multi-cherry with Lapins, Stella, etc., but it is young, so I have no knowledge, just hope.
We have a neighbor here in Bend, OR (6b, although 7 most years lately) and it handles the cold and late frosts here well. The fruit is really tasty. No idea which variety. It was inherited with the purchase of the house.
I once grew Morello sour cherry, then North Star sour cherry. The last frost was never an issue with either.
I’m the afternoon on May 4th I’m doing my free stuff table/swap. I have some few grafting extras this year too
thread about the table. bring what you don’t need, take what you do. no money involved just garden things and plants etc. I’m always looking for the crappy leftover pots for the following year, soil bags etc so I can start things for this the following spring.
I’ll have a lot this year.
this is about half of what I’ve got extra to give. hardening off time. plus grape props in bags/peat, some mulberries the same, might have a few black raspberries rooted. no baby lilac this year. some grafting tape, a few apple scion, etc etc etc
people bring all kinds of things too I never know what will arrive. would love to see any and all of you local to me there if you can make it.
