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Post by desertwoman on Jan 9, 2018 20:01:39 GMT -5
It will soon be time to do some fruit tree care!
We've never really had a fruit tree section and I would love to learn about how everyone cares for theirs.
What varieties do you grow and why?
What are the first things you will be doing for your fruit trees? And when?
I'd also be interested in how you feed your soil for them, if/what you spray while staying organic, maximizing fruit production, when to prune and how you do it, and any thing else that would open me to new ideas and ways of caring for these special trees.
I have 7 fruit trees * a very old (45+years) pear that we do absolutely nothing to-no pruning, no feeding, no nothing and it is loaded every year * an old asian plum same as the pear
* two sweet cherries- a bing and a black tartarian about 6 years old - last year we had our first cherries * elberta peach- about 6 years old- first harvest was two years ago * pink lady apple- about 6 years old first fruit last year *wild (sour) cherry- many years old
We will start pruning in early February. Have never used dormant oil spray on our fruit trees; though not adverse to it- just haven't.
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Post by tom π on Jan 11, 2018 9:00:56 GMT -5
What varieties do you grow and why? I grow Celeste figs. I like figs, especially chilled and sliced. Many have had bad fig experiences and will not eat another fig. If a fig is eaten before it is fully ripe, it can make the lips raw. I tease these persons with my fig routine: Adam and Eve ate figs; Jesus ate figs; Muhammad wrote a surah to the fig; Buddha had his insight under a fig tree; Edgar Cayce said that figs were good for one's spiritual development -- each clause delivered with a profound tone of voice Figs are easy to grow organically. They do not need to be sprayed for any pest -- at least, mine don't -- and they can make do with little compost. Over fertilize, and they drop their figs. The disadvantage to figs is that they are highly sensitive to adverse weather. Wind storms, hail, and excessive rain will make the figs mildew and rot. This year's record low may have killed my figs back to the ground, but if so, I expect them to regrow and make figs this year.
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Post by ecsoehng on Jan 11, 2018 12:19:02 GMT -5
Fruit tree care is a whole different ball game in the East. You won't get a good crop of stone fruit or apples (or any crop) without constant attention. I used to love my Celeste Figs, Tom. At my old house I would get huge crops every year. At this house in 5 years I have not gotten a single fig from the Celeste or the Green Fig I have. I do not know why. You would expect to get at least the second crop if it dies back.
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Post by James on Jan 11, 2018 12:46:07 GMT -5
It is good to prune a bit in the springtime. Thin them out a bit and take out limbs that go straight upwards. Be careful to not over do it or you will get hundreds of little limbs going straight up.
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Post by binnylou on Jan 11, 2018 12:50:59 GMT -5
I plan to use neem oil for a dormant spray. A few years ago, that was the only spray that I got done, and I had a beautiful crop of peaches. I do have chives planted at the base of our peach tree. I've read that chives helps to repel borers.
I do have a hefty supply of Surround that I plan to use this year. A fruit tree spray program is difficult for me. It's all about timing, and don't be bothering the bees.
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Post by tom π on Jan 11, 2018 13:41:16 GMT -5
At this house in 5 years I have not gotten a single fig from the Celeste or the Green Fig I have. Yes, figs are finicky. My notion is that for figs to bear fruit, they need to carry a food supply through the winter. My trees put out figs before leaves, and such work requires energy. Once the fig tree is primed, it will bear each year. I have heard others say that their plants never make figs. My mother bought two plants, and in twenty years they never made figs. A neighbor gave me geese, and I penned them in the area and gave them a child's sandbox to bathe in. With the daily change of water and endless supply of geese poop, the figs began to bear and have done so ever since. I rarely water figs trees, but do so when the leaves begin to cup.
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Post by davidjp on Jan 11, 2018 18:32:02 GMT -5
I have quite a few fruit trees many of them fairly recently planted in the last few years. At the moment here its the middle of citrus harvest season so thats always nice Heres a list of what i have at the moment Citrus Lemons, Eureka, Lisbon which are both true lemons and meyer lemons which are a cross with oranges or mandarins 20180111_102346 by , on Flickr Citrons Not that useful and i only have one the Bhuddhas hand. I did actually use it this year for making candied peel which it excelled at as its basically all peel. I just think its kind of cool and amazing aroma when picked you can smell the fruits about 15 ft away Bhuddhas hand citron 20180111_142516 by , on Flickr Oranges Blood orange - Tarocco which is the italian blood orange, less blood red than the ones typical around here but really much more flavourful Seville oranges - A sour orange, i grafted this onto an existing rootstock and now is the first year of harvest. Impossible to eat off the tree but makes the best marmalade in the world and is also good for making sour orange marinades Seville oranges nearly ripe IMG-20180106-WA0017 by on Flickr Pomellos- a couple of different types, of what are basically really large grapefruitv type fruits with less pronounced taste. Valentine and the standard Chandler which is what is usually available in the stores. None of these have fruited as yet but they should next year and i'm really looking forward to that Limes- standard persian and key limes as well as kaffir limes for the leaves for thai cooking and the rind for curry pastes Kumquats- limequat which is a cross with a key lime and standard kumquat.Very prolific and great to grab for putting in a glass of water Tangelos - A Minneola tangelo which is the standard available commercially Mandarins Tango mandarin- a seedless mandarin and probably one of the ones they are selling right now as a california mandarin all over the country Kishu mandarin, a really small seedless mandarin from japan Page Mandarin i find this really tasty but not seedless. It has some grapefruit ancestry which is always good in citrus i find Apples-- Not that successful so far but have had some Fuji and have planted a Jonaluska as well Figs - Panoche, Bordeaux Stone fruits Peaches May pride, August pride and Evas pride gives me about a 3 month succession Apricots Goldkist Plums Santa Rosa and Burgundy Nectarines Arctic delight, snow queen Pluots- a cross between a plum and an apricot, very nice and prolific, seems to love it here. Spicezee is the variety Guava's a couple of varieties Pomegranites - Parfianka which is supposedly the best tasting but i'm a few years away from finding out Avocados Sir Prize but not really had any fruits yet. I'm finding them fairly difficult to grow but will try some more varieties this year Pruning I'm trying to keep everything fairly manageable and basically with a broad shape where i can reach everything without resorting to a ladder. Then of course thats different with my lemon tunnel trees Fertilising I'm just using a standard available locally organic fruit tree fertiliser and one specifically for citrus. I havent had the need to spray anything and im hoping i never will. That might change with the rise of Huanlongbjng which is a devastating citrus disease thats spreading
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Post by desertwoman on Jan 11, 2018 18:42:57 GMT -5
oh my davidjp, I love that pic of the lemon tunnel. I felt like I was in Mexico! Lucky you.
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Post by restless on Jan 11, 2018 19:32:24 GMT -5
davidjp, I am green with envy. Beautiful lemon tunnel. And all of those fruit!
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Post by binnylou on Jan 11, 2018 19:48:55 GMT -5
davidjp, oh my, lemon pie. Beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
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Post by desertwoman on Jan 12, 2018 11:51:24 GMT -5
I do have chives planted at the base of our peach tree. I've read that chives helps to repel borers I, too, plant garlic and regular chives around the fruit trees. They help to repel apple scab around apple trees, and can help repel aphids, mites and nematodes. I also plant garlic around fruit trees for the same controls.
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Post by ahntjudy on Jan 12, 2018 15:03:17 GMT -5
Wow...I am in awe davidjp ... That's a beyond impressive orchard content... The lemon tunnel looks magical...
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Post by binnylou on Jan 25, 2018 17:28:03 GMT -5
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Post by James on Jan 25, 2018 20:46:21 GMT -5
Oh, goof up....
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Post by James on Jan 25, 2018 20:47:28 GMT -5
I am a beekeeper and have about 25 colonies out back this winter. I also have an orchard with several kinds of trees. Apples, peaches, plums, apricots. I don't like to spray the trees because of the bees. Every year though some idiot in the area will spray their trees while in bloom. Well I go out to the hives and there is the whole work force dead on the ground in front of the hives.
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