If you have enough water and want a very small tree, it could be OK for peaches, but I think Nectarines are a bit less vigourous and I’d avoid them on Citation in the future.
15 feet seems like a lot to me, but I suppose if you have the space it would be good. You’d have plenty of space to work around them then and avoid them growing together. Even at rentals where I wanted to space things out, I only used 10 feet…at most.
I’m not sure of the ideal shape for plums. I’ve been cutting them back to whatever fits in the space, mostly central leader when the tree cooperates. I think if you have enough space, open center would be good.
The So I planted in 2011 has been fruiting well for the last 3+ years. But, 95% of the fruit is on the South side of the tree, which I think demonstrates the need for sun.
If that’s addressed to me, I’d probably stick down as much organic material as I could around the trees in that area—cold manure, compost, wood chips, etc. And I’d keep shoveling it on until I saw a difference.
Then again, I like to live my life dangerously, so…
(In all fairness I’d probably take this approach because there’s no danger, as with a lot of prepared commercial fertilizers, that you’ll burn anything if you overdo it. Plus, if you just apply fertilizer, you’ll have to do it every year, whereas if you stick the organic stuff down, you’re (hopefully) making the soil itself better so that in time that tree should be able to manage ok with zero fertilizer. Of course, I’d go with that method because it’s largely idiot-proof. Idiot-proof is usually the best direction for me to go in. I think the only “bad” thing that could possibly happen is if your soil gets too fertile, but given how bad you say the soil is over there, I would think it unlikely, unless you did this repeatedly over years and years and years.)
Good idea about building up the soil with manure and compost. Aren’t wood chips, tho, a N robber? I have straw mulch around them now, I don’t know if that would affect the fertility much at all.
I also will be throwing down more lime to get the pH up. It was around 5.0, when I tested it a year ago. I didn’t test it last month when I did the other plots.
If I do apply fert, when should it be done? Right before bud-break in March? And what about any more apps after that?
That is prime peach season- Redhaven is around Aug 1st (day 0 on a lot of variety charts) and most of the TangO varieties are in the first week of August (maybe +6). Around July 4th, I get the first peaches (PF1: -30 Redhaven) and Tomcot apricots (much better than the PF1). If you really want early stonefruit, Early Blush apricot is around June 20th, when it doesn’t get frozen out (always a danger with cots…).
There is a pick-your-own not so far from me (Silverman’s Farm) that I used to go to before I had a yard with trees. They would open around August 1st and we would get a few early Ginger Golds and Pristines on the bottom of our bag. Then, fill the top with peaches (mostly donuts, but a few Redhaven for variety).
TY for the update on TOA nursery stock. Every time I see Jujubes listed I think of the candy. They used to have those Jujube boxes of candy at the theaters when I was a kid. My friend loved those things and would get a box every time went were at the movie theater. I just think of Jujubes candy hanging on a tree.
The fruit probably has almost as much sugar as the candy. I’ve had them (the fruit) max out my refractometer at 32 brix.
I just glanced at my reply above and realized that I gave you no details on ToA, other than “nice trees”. Here is a pic of them from a couple years ago. Everything was at least 5/8" caliper, some almost 1".
I put in an order from raintree for rootstock, quince province BA ,four more ohxf 87, krymsk 1 plum rootstock, and a bud 9 apple rootstock( maybe for interstem purposes).
I just cut some scion a couple days ago. Everything is dornant…and I have Rosemary Russet out there. I will see what I can do. How thin of scion do you need, because a goat, that is no longer with us chewed on some of my young trees this year?
They mix so poorly that after having goats, and loving goats, for most of my life, I don’t really ever care to have another.
The sheep give better milk, and on forage, and are head down grazers if there is grass. The meat is tender, even on long yearlings, and has a great flavor. They are just a bit less trouble too.
I’m sure I’ll always admire goats…but I’m gonna let others have the joy (and grief lol ) of owning them.
I think the only “bad” thing that could possibly happen is if your soil gets too fertile, but given how bad you say the soil is over there, I would think it unlikely, unless you did this repeatedly over years and years and years.)
