I’m starting to plant my new orchard. After getting the area cleared of trees it started raining off and on for several days but recently the soil dried out enough to dig planting holes. The first thing I recognized is that planting one or two trees requires less effort than a whole orchard. I’ve been worried that my early to break bud trees would come out of dormancy before I could plant them. Most of these are planted now. As of now I have put out three plums, four pears, one blueberry, and two muscadines. As all you know planting is easy but digging and preparing the holes is where the work is. I’m almost finished installing two 80’ single wire trellis for the muscadines. I’m finding the work to be hard but enjoyable.
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That tends to be the best kind of work. Looking forward to seeing pictures as it continues to progress.
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which muscadine variety do you want to plant？
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I’m planting Hall, Lane, Black Beauty, Supreme, Oh My, and one wild female vine.
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That’s for sure! Times like this is when an auger comes in handy!
What plums and pears did you plant, Bill? And what size did you choose to put in? I’m curious. The more I am learning - the more I realize the bad decisions I made, before I knew what I know now. Ignorant variety choices. Poor size choices. You have much much more experience than I do - so I’m interested in knowing what you chose, this ‘second time around’.
I am learning about rootstocks - and it’s so tricky trying to pick, from the descriptions, which one is the best bet . . . for my soil type, for my drainage, for anchorage and ‘standing up’ to all the diseases and such. Not to mention - how rootstock can determine height. - It can be a bit overwhelming! And then . . . I decide which rootstock I should look for, when ordering a tree - and it’s not available!
So - I am playing with a little bench grafting this spring. If they take - and survive in my care - I’ll have to figure out where to plant them! Uh oh. I’m running out of space!
I am considering putting some dwarf trees in a little fenced area that I originally created for my dogs ‘to use’. It is right up near my house - and the deer don’t venture that close.
Is your new orchard in a spot that is easily available to our 4-legged antlered friends?
Post some pics!
Karen
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I was hoping that there would not be any deer but unfortunately I have seen tracks for what looks like a young one. I did select more of my preferred varieties but I have several that look promising and unproven. I will get a list later and post. The biggest mistake before was my tree spacing and that should be better this go around. I still plant as close as I think is practical because I have a limited area.
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This morning I will complete plantings of all the muscadines which will be 160’. I’m looking forward to seeing them start growing in a few weeks. The plums and pears have been planted so I can turn my attention to planting the hazelnuts, Goumi, and apples.
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You are going to have your hands full when harvests start coming in, Bill! Good job.
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Thanks and I hope your right Mark about having my hands full. I mostly enjoy growing the fruit and when there is more than our family needs I intend to offer my new neighbors/children free fruit. Every fruit grower needs an outlet and I enjoy sharing especially with the younger ones because this probably will be their only experience with where fruit comes from. Probably have a free u-pick day if all goes well.
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Please take pictures, we love seeing excellent gardeners and orchardists start with a new property! Pleaseeeeeee.
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What spacing did you end up deciding on?
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The rows are 10’ apart and the trees are spaced on what I anticipate that they need. Dwarf apples, hazels are space 5’ apart. The dwarf pears are spaced 10’ apart etc. It is still a guessing game on spacing but will be better than my previous orchard.
Most of my plantings consists of my labor with access to a small tiller, mattock, and a shovel so I have plenty of sore muscles. I haven’t finished planting everything but I recently added 11 hazels and 12 apple trees.
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Bill,
Congrats on your new orchard. With your second orchard, I’m sure you have learned to correct any mistake you made at the first one (or you may not have made any mistake at all 
)
When I started my orchard many years ago, I had a lot of enthusiasm but little planning. Needless to say, it’s haphazard. What I look forward to the most when we move (not sure when) is to have a better plan for my orchard.
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I do think I’ve learned a few things and should make better decisions. Fast forward a few years and I am certain that there will be another list of I should have done. Growing fruit is always a welcome challenge because you never get it perfect.
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