Hey John, I was able to ripen a few Contender! I was at the orchard today and noticed most of the Contenders were on the ground (probably had some help getting there) so I picked them all. Tried one that was bird pecked and it was pretty good. Still have some China Pearl on the tree, hard as rocks.
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Our Contender tree waited until our grandkids visited two weeks ago. The two of them picked half a bushel. I had picked several drops before they arrived.
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I pulled all the remaining trees from the old nursery bed today and heeled them in on an unplanted row. I’ve been offering these trees for free to neighbors, and only one has actually shown up to dig some trees. People are excited when they hear they can have them for free, but nobody shows up to to dig’em out. Now I’ll till under the old nursery bed and extend the first 3 rows to occupy that space. I’ve been wanting to get this done for 3 years now. Wish someone here was closer!
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Got the nursery bed tilled under, looks strange with it gone! While I was at it, I tilled the last remaining space in rows 13 & 14. I’m toying with the idea of doing a high density planting there. The last of the free trees are waiting for neighbors to come get them.
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It’s really shaping up nicely Andy. Excited to hear your reports for next year!
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Wow beautiful work Andy! I will be sure to watch your thread and try to copy what you do (wont be as nice though). I wish I was your neighbor haha I’d have cleared you out already I think.
I have tons of questions will try to keep them brief. I grafted for the first time this year and grew out about 65-70 apple whips in my garden nursery to transplant. I have about 40 2-3 year transplanted trees in my field that will be joined by the whips in the spring. I planted 3 2nd leaf bench grafts earlier this month and have been picking up woodchips from the side of the road the past few weeks.
First of all, what is the spacing between the trees in your photos? And is there a method you have for lining up the rows of trees and keeping them uniformly spaced between rows? They look picture perfect.
Second, you say you till up the rows to prepare them. What sort of implement/attachment are you using to do that? I might get a handoperated rototiller in spring but I’m guessing that long a row you do with a Tractor? The tractor pictured is how many hp? Is it enough for your whole operation?
Maybe you answer all these questions on YouTube. I watched pt 1 and 2 but didnt see the tilling part in there. Nice videos
Spacing of trees changes by root stock. The trees closest to the woods were the first planted and they are on standard rootstock. As the rows move across the field the root stocks change progressively from standards to semi-standards, semi-dwarfs, and dwarfs. Spacing is anywhere from 17’ in-row and 21’ isles, to 10’ in-row and 17’ isles, plus 6’ for the planting row (the width of my tiller). Rootstocks currently in the orchard include: P.18; B.118; M.111; M.106; G.890, M.7, G.210, G.222, G214, B.9, OHxF97, OHxF87, OHxF333 and Quince. I used a calculator from Univ of Mass to figure spacing (do a google search, I used the one for Michigan, similar climate. Somewhere in this forum there’s a link to that calculator). For laying out the fence-lines and rows I used 1000’ lengths of mason’s line and that had to be secured every 100’ or so when the slightest breeze was blowing. I used Studded T-Posts and used line of sight to get them in-line from end to end and measured off the original fence-line for consistent distances. I bought 2 cheap 100’ measuring tapes at Lowe’s. Once the line was marked out, I used the 100’ tapes to measure out in-row spacing and marked each planting distance with one of those wire line flags (Tractor Supply and Lowes).
Before tilling the row, I ran a sub-soiler down the middle of the row from end to end. After a period of time I then came through with the PTO rototiller on the New Holland. That’s a 35HP tractor, it was used to chip about 1000 pine trees removed from this site, and that was the source of much of my wood chips. I got lucky and the county had a significant road project widening our road, and they were happy to dump wood chips from that project on our property. The New Holland was being tasked with projects well above its class, and while we still have it, it’s just one of 5 tractors we have. We have 2 Kubota’s (L2501 and MX6000) and 2 old Fords that both need work. The New Holland is the Rodney Dangerfield of our tractors, it gets used often but gets no respect.
We didn’t start the YouTube channel until after we had the orchard site cleared, that’s why the early orchard videos are just photo montages.
Where in NY are you located? We’re about 20 miles north of Utica.
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@svr68 Here’s the link for the tree spacing calculator:
Fruit: Apple Scion/Rootstock Selection and Planning | Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment at UMass Amherst
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Thank you very much for the link and the detailed answers to my questions. Oh wow that is quite the operation, I thought the tractor looked a little small compared to the plot of land but I was naive enough to think maybe it could do the job.
Well your method is clearly quite good and the trees look great. Most of my trees are 12’ apart in between both rows and aisles, which according to the calculator is a bit tight but If I play around with the variables in the calculator and choose the appropriate pruning system I think it will be ok.
I dont have a tractor or tiller but maybe a push rototiller in the spring. Otherwise none of the trees have been planted on plowed ground which is probably less than ideal. I’ve been using string and flagging tape to try to space and line up my newest rows, the other rows are ok but I have to move two tiny trees about 1.5ft south for it to look nice.
Do you have a plan for the enormous piles of woodchips or are they just for mulch? I assume they would eventually turn to compost too maybe thats the point. Just curious did you call up the highway dept/county to ask them for the woodchips or just ask the road crew? I live on the county line and maintenance always starts or ends there but I never catch the guys working and chipping so I have to shovel the chips into garbage bags and haul them back 200-300ft to my property lol.
Im about 30 miles east of Albany right by Mass. Definitely not the best soil! Some of these trees are quite small and will need to be hit with fertilizer next spring. There should be another 50-60 4-5ft whips out in the field come spring.
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My trees are spaced for the planting row but not set up to align diagonally. With different root stocks and planting widths I couldn’t accomplish that.
The woodchips are almost gone. I’m mulching new trees and have begun reapplying mulch to the original rows. I don’t anticipate we’ll be able to keep enough on hand to keep the trees mulched. The use of them when the trees were first set out in the orchard was intended to help with moisture retention and act as a weed block. They feed the soil as they break down as well. We just spoke to the highway crew as they were working and let them know they were welcome to dump as much wood chips as they wanted. Every once in a while, I catch them around and they’ll dump another load, but it’s never enough to keep me stocked.
Soil here isn’t great either, a thin layer of top soil with sand below it. I’m fertilizing by hand at this point, but eventually may have someone come in and do a commercial application.
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I’ve been working on documenting what I have in the orchard:
2024 Cultivar Count
Apples
- 39th Parallel (Starking Delicious?) B.118; M.111 (4)
- Adam’s Pearmain M.106 (3)
- Andy’s Wild Seedling B.9 (4)
- Airlies Redflesh B.118; M.111 (6)
- Almata M.111 (3)
- Apricot G.222 (4)
- Arkansas Black M.111 (3)
- Ashmead’s Kernel M.111 (3)
- Baldwin P.18 (3)
- Belle de Boskoop G.222 (4)
- Benoni M.111 (3)
- Black Oxford B.118 (3)
- Black Twig M.111 (3)
- Blue Pearmain B.118 (4)
- Bramley’s Seedling M.106; G.210 (4)
- Breaky G.222 (3)
- Brown’s Apple B.118 (4)
- Burgundy M.7 (4)
- Calville Blanc d’Hiver M.111 (3)
- Campfield M.111; P.18 (3)
- Canadian Strawberry M.111 (3)
- Carrie’s Mystery M.106; G.222 (5)
- Centennial Crab B.118; M.111; M.106 (3)
- Chenango Strawberry G.222 (3)
- Cherry Cox G.222 ` (3)
- Chestnut Crab B.118; M.106 (5)
- Chisel Jersey M.106 (3)
- Cinnamon Spice M.106; G.222 (6)
- Clark’s Crab M.7 (3)
- Connell Red M.106; G.222 (4)
- Cortland B.118 (5)
- Court Pendu Plat M.106; G.890 (4)
- Cox Orange Pippin B.118 (3)
- Crimson Beauty M.7 (3)
- Crimson Gold M.7 (4)
- Dabinett M.111 (3)
- Delcon B.118; P.18 (5)
- Dolgo Crab B.118; M.106 (4)
- Doux Normandie M.111 (3)
- Dudley Winter / Northstar B.118; G.210 (5)
- Early Joe B.118; P.18 (6)
- Egremont Russet M.111 (4)
- Ellis Bitter B.118 (3)
- Elstar M.106; G.890 (3)
- Empire P.18; G.210 (3)
- Enterprise B.118; M.111 (5)
- Esopus Spitzenburg M.111 (3)
- Fameuse / Snow M.111; G.210 (5)
- Farmers Spy M.7. B.9 (5)
- Fauxwhelp B.118 (4)
- Fireside G.890; G.210 (3)
- Freyburg G.222 (3)
- Frostbite G.214 (1)
- Geneva Crab M.7 (5)
- Giant Crab G.890 (2)
- Ginger Gold G.210 (3)
- Glockenapfel M.111 (4)
- Gloria Mundi M.111 (2)
- Golden Delicious M.111 (1)
- Golden Delicious – Mullins M.111 (2)
- Golden Delicious – Spur Tupe M.106 (3)
- Golden Nugget M.111; P.18 (4)
- Golden Russet B.118 (4)
- Golden Winesap P.18 (3)
- Granite Beauty G.890 (3)
- Graniwinkle B.118 (1)
- Gravenstein G.214 (2)
- Grimes Golden P.18 (4)
- Haralson / MN 90 B.118 (3)
- Harrison B.118; M.111 (8)
- Harry Masters Jersey P.18 (3)
- Hawaii B.9 (2)
- Hawkeye G.210 (2)
- Herefordshire Redstreak P.18 (3)
- Hewe’s / Virginia Crab M.111 (3)
- Holstein M.111; M.106 (4)
- Honey Gold G.890 (3)
- Hubbardston Nonesuch M.7 (3)
- Hyslop Crab B.118 (3)
- Idared M.111 (3)
- Jefferies G.222 (3)
- Jonagold B.9 (3)
- Jonamac G.214 (2)
- Jonathan B.9 (3)
- Kandil Sinap G.890 (3)
- Keepsake G.222 (3)
- Kidd’s Orange Red G.210 (3)
- King David M.111 (4)
- King of Tompkins County G.222 (3)
- Kingston Black P.18 (4)
- Kinsei M.106 (3)
- Lady Sweet M.106; M.7 (4)
- Le Bret P.18 (2)
- Liberty M.111 (3)
- Lobo G.890 (3)
- Lodi G.222 (3)
- Lubsk Queen M.111; G.210 (4)
- Macoun P.18 (3)
- Manitoba Spy P.18 (2)
- McIntosh B.118 (2)
- Medaille d’Or B.118 (4)
- Melon B.9 (1)
- Mollie’s Delicious M.111 (3)
- Mother M.111 (3)
- Mott’s Pink M.111 (3)
- Muscat (which one?) M.111 (3)
- Mutsu / Crispin G.210; G.222 (4)
- Nehou M.111 (3)
- Newtown Pippin M.106 (2)
- Newtown Spitzenberg M.7 (3)
- Niedzwetzkyana B.118; M.106 (2)
- Nittany G.890; B.9 (4)
- Northern Spy B.9 (2)
- Nova Easygro G.222 (4)
- Nova Spy M.111, M.106 (4)
- November Peach M.111, P.18 (4)
- Oliver M.7 (2)
- Opalescent M.111 (2)
- Oriole / MN 714 G.890 (3)
- Orleans Reinette G.222 (3)
- Ozark Gold G.222 (3)
- Paula Red G.210 (3)
- Peck Pleasant G.222 (3)
- Pomme Gris P.18 (3)
- Porter’s Perfection M.106 (4)
- Prairie Spy / MN 1007 M.7 (4)
- Pristine B.9 (3)
- Pumpkin Russet Seedling (1)
- Rambo Red Summer G.210; G.222 (5)
- Rambour d’Hiver G.210 (3)
- Red Astrachan B.118 (5)
- Red Baron G.890 (3)
- Red Cinnamon G.890 (3)
- Redfield M.111; P.18 (4)
- Redfree M.7 (3)
- Red Stayman P.18 (4)
- Red Vein Crab B.118 (3)
- Regent G.890 (3)
- Reinette Clochard M.106 (4)
- Reinette des Carmes B.118 (4)
- Ribston Pippin B.9 (3)
- Richelieu G.890 (3)
- Roberts Crab M.106 (4)
- Rome Beauty G.890 (3)
- Roxbury Russet M.111 (2)
- Rubinette M.111 (3)
- Saint Edmunds Pippin B.118 (3)
- Schoharie Spy G.222 (3)
- Sheepnose / Black Gilliflower M.106 (3)
- Smokehouse B.118 (3)
- Snowsweet G.890; G.214 (4)
- Somerset Redstreak P.18 (3)
- Spartan G.222 (3)
- Spigold M.7; G.210 (5)
- Starkey G.214 (2)
- Suncrisp / NJ 55 ` M.111 (3)
- Swayzie G.210 (3)
- Sweet 16 M.111 (3)
- Tolman Sweet M.111 (3)
- Vixen G.210 (1)
- Wagener B.118 (3)
- Wealthy P.18 (4)
- Red Westfield Seek No Further B.118 (4)
- White Winter Pearmain G.222 (3)
- Whitney Crab B.118; M.106 (7)
- Wickson B.118; M.106 (6)
- Winekist B.118 (3)
- Winesap B.9 (3)
- Winter Banana B.118, P.18 (6)
- Wolf River G.210; B.9 (5)
- Yellow Bellflower B.118 (3)
- Yellow Newtown Pippin G.890 (2)
- York Imperial P.18; B.118 (4)
- Zabergau Reinette G.222; G.214 (4)
- Zestar! G.210; G.214 (4)
Pears
- Ayers OHxF333 (5)
- Bartlett OHXF333 (3)
- Beurre Bosc OHxF97; 333 (2)
- Burford OHxF87 (2)
- Clapps Favorite OHxF97; 333; Quince (3)
- Flemish Beauty OHxF87 (2)
- German A OHxF97; 87; 333 (3)
- Japanese Golden Russet OHxF97; 87; 333 (3)
- Kieffer OHxF333 (3)
- Luscious OHxF87, Quince (4)
- Magness OHxF333 (3)
- Maxine OHxF87 (2)
- Moonglow OHxF97; 87; 333; Quince (6)
- Nova OHxF333 (4)
- Patten OHxF97; 87; 333; Quince (4)
- Spartlett OHxF97; 87; Quince (3)
- Summer Blood OHxF97; 87; Quince (3)
- Summer Crisp OHxF97; 97 (2)
- 20th Century / Nijiseiki OHxF97; Quince (2)
- Winter Nellis Quince (1)
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These are 4’ tall welded wire hoops protecting some small trees at the house. Never had them drift like this before.
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Wow