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Garden Gate:  Orchard Info please!!!  |
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shmeg
True Blue Farmgirl
222 Posts
Megan
Granville
Ohio
USA
222 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 10 2008 : 11:47:29 AM
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| HI Ladies! It has been too long since I've been on the boards. We moved to our 3 acres of heaven in the spring but have been so busy working on the house that everything else has been put on hold. However, we'd like to plant a variety of fruit trees and I was thinking fall may be the best time. So, does anyone have any tips for planting, when, books I should read, online resources, good places to buy fruit tree saplings, etc? I'd appreciate all the advice I can get! Thanks! |
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Bellepepper
True Blue Farmgirl
1207 Posts
Belle
Coffeyville
KS
USA
1207 Posts |
Posted - Sep 10 2008 : 3:42:49 PM
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| Stark Bros would be the best place to get fruit trees. Especially this time of year. Most garden centers only have fruit trees in the spring. I just recived my fall 2008 catalog from them so I'm sure they sell trees in the fall. They would sure be the ones to ask about the best time to plant. www.starkbros.com |
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LisaLu
True Blue Farmgirl
126 Posts
Lisa
Wildomar
Ca
USA
126 Posts |
Posted - Sep 10 2008 : 8:44:43 PM
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We moved on our property (2.5 acres) 3 years ago...it was raw land, so we had to drill a well and bring in power, then the house....it's a lot of work, but we love it.
We first put in a row of 10 grapevines, we laugh and call it "the vineyard", in the lower corner we planted "the orchard"...20 different fruit trees. I did a lot of reading, took all my books to our local nursery (Armstrongs) and the staff there already knew everything I had researched. Chill factor is the most important thing to watch out for. And also certain types of trees need certain types to cross pollenate. Also, ask for the return policy...Home Depo offers 1 year, and they will replace it free, but Armstrongs offered a lifetime warranty. We lost 2 of our pear trees, but we're too busy to dig them out. Armstrongs said as long as we have the receipt, it's no problem. We put them on a drip system, and they are all doing great. Next year should give us a small tease....but the year after that should be awesome!
Good luck, we'll be trading canning recipes in a few years!
Oh yeah...check with your local extension office, they have master gardeners that are very helpful.
Happiness is homemade... |
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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl
4737 Posts
Dawn
Naperville
Illinois
USA
4737 Posts |
Posted - Sep 11 2008 : 09:45:47 AM
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Could anyone give me advice on what is the safest way to spray apple trees? I always get a beautiful crop of apples, but the darn bugs go town with them by the time they are ripe. Very frustrating to see happen every fall. Is there something we can spray them with & still be able to safely eat the apples. Any advice or website would be much appreciated.
Dawn in IL |
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chickabella
True Blue Farmgirl
177 Posts
D. A.
Austin... ish,
Texas
177 Posts |
Posted - Sep 24 2008 : 03:40:07 AM
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I highly recommend "The Backyard Orchardist: A Complete Guide to Growing Fruit Trees in the Home Garden" by Stella Otto. I thought I knew a decent amount about fruit and nut trees, having grown up in an orchard/farming region, but this small book was packed with info I didn't know. Very easy to read as well.
Farm blog: http://farmnatters.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/dasparky
Heart of Texas Farmgirls Chapter; Farmgirl Sisterhood Member #275
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rhondacate
True Blue Farmgirl
234 Posts
Rhonda
Janesville
CA
USA
234 Posts |
Posted - Sep 24 2008 : 07:32:13 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by ddmashayekhi
Could anyone give me advice on what is the safest way to spray apple trees? I always get a beautiful crop of apples, but the darn bugs go town with them by the time they are ripe. Very frustrating to see happen every fall. Is there something we can spray them with & still be able to safely eat the apples. Any advice or website would be much appreciated.
Dawn in IL
Use a dormant spray in the dormant season. There are many different ones on the market that are Organically certified. A lot of them are copper based, such as Liqui-Cop. Saf-t-Side is a funcigide and insecticide in one.
If there are worms inside your apples, then you may have coddling moths which lay their larvae inside the apples. For these, you need to put traps in the trees early in the season before there is even sign of fruit. This will trap the moths before they have a chance to infect the apples.
In many climates, fall is a great time to plant trees. The ground is still warm, so the tree can use its energy to establish the roots and then in the spring it can focus on new growth rather than using its energy to get the roots established.
Check with your local nursery or garden center. They will definitely know what is best in your area. And sometimes in the fall, you can get great deals. At the garden center where I work, we just had a 50% off sale on fruit trees.
~Rhonda |
Edited by - rhondacate on Sep 24 2008 07:35:06 AM |
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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl
4737 Posts
Dawn
Naperville
Illinois
USA
4737 Posts |
Posted - Sep 24 2008 : 08:11:04 AM
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Thanks for the great information Rhonda. It is a huge help. My apples are so beautiful, except for the insects. I don't think there's any worms in them though, but I'll still put the trap out just in case.
Thank you for the book referral Chickabella. I will add it to my reading list for the winter. I like having books to use as a guide.
Here's hoping for a great apple crop next year!
Dawn in IL |
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shmeg
True Blue Farmgirl
222 Posts
Megan
Granville
Ohio
USA
222 Posts |
Posted - Sep 24 2008 : 09:39:44 AM
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| Thanks for all the great advice. I'm going to order the book from overstock and check my garden center tonight! |
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Contrary Wife
True Blue Farmgirl
2164 Posts
Teresa Sue
Tekoa
WA
USA
2164 Posts |
Posted - Sep 24 2008 : 11:37:29 AM
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I really like St Lawrence Nurseries, www.sln.potsdam.ny.us
Teresa Sue
Farmgirl Sister #316
"Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly." The Dalai Lama |
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Homespun Livin
True Blue Farmgirl
409 Posts
Brenda
Louisiana
USA
409 Posts |
Posted - Sep 25 2008 : 08:10:31 AM
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Dawn,
Also try www.gardensalive.com for a catalog of organically safe sprays and such to use. Mike McGrath from the Organic Gardening magazine has a helpful section on the site. Hope this helps.
"Love one another." |
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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl
4737 Posts
Dawn
Naperville
Illinois
USA
4737 Posts |
Posted - Sep 25 2008 : 11:20:14 AM
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Brenda, Thanks for the website. It is loaded with tons of information for all types of gardening! I've added it to my bookmarks so I can refer back to it. I plan to do my homework this year to get a edible crop next autumn!
Dawn in IL |
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Garden Gate: Orchard Info please!!! |
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Orchard Info please!!!
