I’m trying to figure out where I want to place my orchard next spring now that I have 40+ trees on order. All my open farmland slopes to the north and much of it is subject to high winter winds. I’ve been considering this cove because it is better protected from the NW winds during the winter and I believe it drains fairly well. I wonder if it might be a cold pocket however? Would you pick this space over more open field?
Picture is looking north
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Some wind is good to keep rots and fungal afflictions away. It is the still moist air that gets you.
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What’s the slope? Looks fairly level overall.
Are you in a low elevation relative to your immediate area? As danny said, a little wind isn’t a bad thing. NW flow generally isn’t damaging outside of thunderstorm severe weather.
I’d be more concerned about being in a frost pocket. Try to notice this fall if you’re seeing frost in the field and not in your neighborhood…or vice versa.
This site is a quick and easy way to see the terrain elevation around your area.
I’m on the north side of a hill in a portion will a slight slope as well. I prefer it over being on a south side. A southerly slope heats and dries up more because of more direct solar radiation.
“ADK…zone 4”
Are you in the Dacks?
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If you want to grow stone fruit don’t plant in a frost pocket. With milder early springs we are getting earlier break from dormancy and then cold snaps that decrease that year’s crops. Wind may be protective in some of those cases too
Cold air drainage is definitely worth thinking about. Coves and low spots can collect frost on still clear nights even when the surrounding area is fine. The wind protection is great for bloom time but if it’s genuinely lower ground than the surrounding fields I’d be cautious. Can you see if frost settles there earlier or lingers longer in autumn compared to the open slopes?
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First order of business should be where you are building the fences or 40 tree guards i think. If you have deer etc you will have no orchards without protection.
As to where to plant I would dig test holes in each location in several locations before hand and monitor.
If drainage is poor you can plant on mounds or build berms depending on how serious you get with it..
I am offering this as advice from things ive learned the hard way… and wish the hard way on no one.
No clue where you live or what the deer etc are like.. but here where i live i have to build the prisons before i build the orchard. I am less of an orchardist than a prison warden. YMMV.
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Wow! This is hysterical, sad and seems dead-on.
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I have no idea how i can be so jealous of something so sad and ugly as to mar the beauty of an orchard.. Yet i am.
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How late in the morning and early in the evening will that location get direct sunlight? Looks like you have wooded areas to the east and west. In the ADK you’re definitely going to need effective fencing as Kris suggests. My site is a bit bowl shaped and I’m sure it gets some cool air pooling here, but it hasn’t been a problem. I’m located in the Southern Adirondacks.
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How tall are those fences ?