Why are American Backyard Orchards So Ugly?

@Olpea - mission accomplished here.

Thank you.

Dax

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Tiger,

Those are pretty old and big trees. 100 years old or more?

Tony

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The tombstones are from the late 1800s and I would think the trees were there then.

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Stress reliever…

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Do you not mean graft and multi-graft?

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With trees like that I’d take a cemetery all day long…!!

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I can’t think of any better use for my expired/spent body than fertilizing those big trees. Well… maybe I’d rather have it fertilize fruit trees, but that’s probably not going to happen, so those big beautiful trees are the next best thing.

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My wish when I die is to compost me! :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

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I don’t know much about the history of who lived here previously, but my grandfather moved here about 1915 at the age of 14 and started farming. He would go home on the weekends. The trees are from a previous homestead. We also have 6 old pecan trees. Hurricane Hugo took out another live oak and two white oaks.

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Cemeteries can be very charming. Have you been to Père Lachaise ?

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Ah, looks so peaceful. Makes you want to just lie down there on the grass and look up at the tree branches… even if some others have beat you to it.

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I wouldn’t want plantings under my trees because I want access to check the bark for evidence of pests and disease. Also, plants near the trunks would trap moisture, encouraging disease, and serve as a harbor for rodent pests

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I try to make my yard beautiful despite mostly having fruit trees. I don’t try planting flowers under my trees and vines per say because if I don’t control the growth around them, everything will quickly become a tangle of wisteria vines. There is also the issue of being able to see where you walk on account of snakes. But the garden has a mix or orninmentals and fruit trees, and in the case of the swing muscadine arbor, it’s design has aesthetics more in mind than practicality for fruit production, especially pruning.

https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/12985591_627677577387972_9095348986584351787_n.jpg?oh=34687c7f3719a19f8e09451db7808d07&oe=59427B50

https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13255997_645475295608200_9020734396971644987_n.jpg?oh=a7f40f2015aedb9643ff56ed1c4bef27&oe=59444E56

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Here are more photos from my orchard last year.

https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/12791126_611142539041476_3568861417827484638_n.jpg?oh=430d61958e16e171dbaad390fb6b49c5&oe=59453F2E

https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/12821443_610578579097872_7546075627952305673_n.jpg?oh=98f6f4d9bb359e8b14e5dbdabce375e0&oe=593EBEB7

https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14199648_694711437351252_92149636921232561_n.jpg?oh=ad0626359edc6c259e927bb49d66a44c&oe=5936D9C9

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More orchard photos

https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13307249_648107112011685_7003855451244986261_n.jpg?oh=f15b53020f24cdc6c3d2a29928aee3fb&oe=594BF0D7

I must admit that this past year, most of my photos were focused more on depicting individual flowers or fruit trees / grape vines. This year, I will have to give more attention at depicting the overall landscape and make sure that the flower beds get into the pics better. God bless.

Marcus

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where am at, and perhaps in other regions-- sudden deaths, short lifespans, and pest/disease pressures are main reasons why orchards appear skewed or asymmetric, especially when growing conventional fruits.

Around here, there aren’t many conventional trees which look established enough to impart a sense of permanence

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Let me take a shot at this. Americans work longer hours than most countries and have less vacation time. This leave less time to spend in the orchard.

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Love the front door!! Got one just like it.

People freak out when they see the cemetery, you would be surprised how many are scared of it especially in the dark. I grew up with it and never really thought much of it.

About half of the graves are from children 12 and under, reminds you that the “good ole days” weren’t always so good.

No, just the usual tourist traps, the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. I did see the cemeteries in New Orleans.

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I don’t plant perennials around the base of any of my fruit trees. I have over 1000 peonies and I know from experience, once the weeds or quack grass get into the roots of a perennial plant it is impossible to control them. I don’t want the hassle of having to fight with weeds around my trees. I underplant with grass and last year I tried a spot with micro clover.
My husband, a farmer, finds beauty in well tilled earth. It is just a matter of taste.

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