Is it just me OR ----

[aerospacefarmer]

You know everyone talks. About liberty and enterprise being good deer. Trees, But they have sucked air for me. I have probably planted a dozen over the years and I don't have one good tree for some reason. I probably have 70 varieties of fruit trees and those two are the worse by far when it comes to growing and surviving. THe only exception would be the ones that I lost to Fireblight last year.

I would agree about Liberty as I have had many issues with mine but Enterprise has been providing huge good tasting apples for years now. I have 5 and all are awesome producers. They make good cider also. Guess geography and environment are significant factors in apple tree growth for sure as evidenced by the varied success and failures that I have read about on this forum

 

[aerospacefarmer]

I have one Enterprise tree and the thing was loaded last fall. I haven't done anything to it and it's a mess. I really need to learn how to do some grafting. I want a few more Redfree trees.

It's easy just try it. Order some rootstocks and look at some videos online and I would suggest cleft grafts and I am sure you will have some success. Just ensure cambium (green ring) of rootstock is lined up with cambium of scion on one side If you achieve that and seal the graft correctly to prevent moisture and air to get in you will have success. If impatient me who never reads directions can do it ANYONE can!!!!

 

[sandbur]

Thanks for reminding me Ed, Pristine would make a good deer apple, but.........it is very biennial, you have to thin a lot in early years and it will drop by October here in Vermont. I like having some early ones like Pristine, zestar!, Initial and Yellow Transparent, it gets some deer coming early.

I haven't done it, but if you created an orchard of these trees you would set up a great early kill zone to take out some does. This would leave other areas quiet for the rut.

They eat bigger apples just fine here Art. They pass up any wild ones for Honey gold here.

View attachment 8395

Honey gold tastes somewhat like a pear to me. I can see why the deer like it.
I think my population of deer is mostly young deer. Smaller mouths might like smaller apples. I wish a few more adult does would survive our season in my immediate neighborhood.

 

[Maya]

I think you are spot on... I have some that are suppose to be tough to grow that do extremely well with minimal effort and others like Liberty and Enterpize that are suppose to be idiot proof that have never produced and apple and nearly always died!

Where the heck do you live? The next time I'm out there, I'll try and make it a point to stop by for a visit. There has to be some reason they didn't do well, it's no the varieties. I've grown and sold hundreds, if not thousands, and other than them not being fenced or grown in a poor location, anyone can grow them. Soil, sun, moisture, location...something!

I think I've told the story here before but one friend said almost a whole orchard of Liberty died, but another orchard of them did fine. He said it must be the soil or some deer jumped the fence. I went up to check it out and I spotted it from a hundred yards away...he didn't put window screens on that orchard. The orchard I helped him with was fine, because we put the screens on them. I showed him on the one orchard but he forgot them! SMH

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Great point Maya. Those little wimpy screens can save LOTS of heartache !! Our first try at apples at camp some years back we put the black corrugated drain pipe around the trees. HUGE MISTAKE !! The mice / voles built nests inside the pipes and girdled the bark all the way to the top of the tubes. Every tree died. The last 3 years we used the window screens on ALL trees and ........ NO PROBLEMS !!! I listened to you guys on here with experience and it paid off big-time. Lesson learned ........ I now screen every tree at planting.

Our Liberty and Enterprise are growing really well for us. No fruit yet, but they will be 4th leaf this spring. Maybe this year ?? Trees look good & healthy.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

I lost 16 rpthird leaf trees one year due to the fact I didn't have screen. Then I screened but still lost a few that went subterranean and ate the roots. I now keep my orchards very clear and mowed and my red tail hawk friends help me now along with some pellets that are not good for those little rodents but I agree if you don't use screening it's like not using a condom lol

 

[sandbur]

My Enterprise seems to be doing better than the Liberty. Nova Easy gro is outgrowing the Liberty. All are within 60 feet of each other.

 

[Maya]

Enterprise outgrow Liberty wood wise, but I get apples on my Liberty a year or two earlier, so I chalk it up to a little fruit. Initial grow real good for me too. Galarina take off for the sky fast and spit out a few apples on 3rd leaf B118's, but they take some work training. Lot's of branches. How old are your Nova's Art?

Just got in from a long day pruning, I'm toast! I see the rabbits had some good eats in my tall spindle but they just nibble some low stuff and root suckers that are coming out anyways. I got about 180 -200 trees done. Man it sucks getting old, I am aching! Not as old as Paul but I'm getting there! ;) I had to switch from using my Ranger to a tarp for hauling branches. It's too warm and I was tearing up the orchard with the Ranger.

I got a call from a client on a pruning job, got to get that done this week sometime.

 

[sandbur]

Nova is probably 3 rd leaf. I need to check it.

I did my pi$$ poor pruning job on about 10-12 trees and quit, George. I am afraid I won't be able to work tomorrow if I over do it.

My pruning is improving a tiny bit! Watersprouts and cross branches go.

 

[Maya]

Nova is probably 3 rd leaf. I need to check it.

I did my pi$$ poor pruning job on about 10-12 trees and quit, George. I am afraid I won't be able to work tomorrow if I over do it.

My pruning is improving a tiny bit! Watersprouts and cross branches go.

That's (12 trees) about all I do with bigger central leader trees too Art. I'm sure you're doing fine pruning!

 

[sandbur]

That's (12 trees) about all I do with bigger central leader trees too Art. I'm sure you're doing fine pruning!

My older trees do not have a central leader. They are a mess, but they still produce crab apples. I see lots of fruit spurs, even though it was a great crop last year.

 

[Buckly]

I lost 16 rpthird leaf trees one year due to the fact I didn't have screen. Then I screened but still lost a few that went subterranean and ate the roots. I now keep my orchards very clear and mowed and my red tail hawk friends help me now along with some pellets that are not good for those little rodents but I agree if you don't use screening it's like not using a condom lol

How deep should you bury the window screen?

 

[WTNUT]

Where the heck do you live? The next time I'm out there, I'll try and make it a point to stop by for a visit. There has to be some reason they didn't do well, it's no the varieties. I've grown and sold hundreds, if not thousands, and other than them not being fenced or grown in a poor location, anyone can grow them. Soil, sun, moisture, location...something!

I think I've told the story here before but one friend said almost a whole orchard of Liberty died, but another orchard of them did fine. He said it must be the soil or some deer jumped the fence. I went up to check it out and I spotted it from a hundred yards away...he didn't put window screens on that orchard. The orchard I helped him with was fine, because we put the screens on them. I showed him on the one orchard but he forgot them! SMH

I am in southern Ohio. I don't know what it is. I have six orchards and they have not done well in any orchard. All trees taken care of planted same, screened, fenced, fertilized the same.

 

[rocksnstumps]

Great point Maya. Those little wimpy screens can save LOTS of heartache !! Our first try at apples at camp some years back we put the black corrugated drain pipe around the trees. HUGE MISTAKE !! The mice / voles built nests inside the pipes and girdled the bark all the way to the top of the tubes. Every tree died. The last 3 years we used the window screens on ALL trees and ........ NO PROBLEMS !!! I listened to you guys on here with experience and it paid off big-time. Lesson learned ........ I now screen every tree at planting.

In recent years I've been doing both window screen and 6" drain pipe. When I first started using just window screens after cutting tree tubes off, everything was good for several years than one fall some ornery upstart rubbed the screens off 3 trees and was basically starting over on some 5 years old trees.

 

[CrazyEd]

I pruned all of my trees today. Oh it was great to get back out in my orchard after too long of a break. That extension hand pruner is the bomb, thanks greyphase for the tip!

The goldrush tree i posted pictures of on the previous page was still holding 4 apples, and there were 3 on the ground inside the cage. They were mush but that's what i'm looking to see, super late hangers. Believe it or not one of my Kerr's was still holding strong too. We had some crazy strong winds a few days ago too. I'll post a picture tomorrow.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

I pruned all of my trees today. Oh it was great to get back out in my orchard after too long of a break. That extension hand pruner is the bomb, thanks greyphase for the tip!

The goldrush tree i posted pictures of on the previous page was still holding 4 apples, and there were 3 on the ground inside the cage. They were mush but that's what i'm looking to see, super late hangers. Believe it or not one of my Kerr's was still holding strong too. We had some crazy strong winds a few days ago too. I'll post a picture tomorrow.

How are your hands today from squeezing that extension pruner? Mine were sore for days lol

 

[CrazyEd]

How are your hands today from squeezing that extension pruner? Mine were sore for days lol

Not too bad. I don't have near the number of trees you do, not yet.

 

[CrazyEd]

Goldrush, going into 7th leaf, mm111. Still holding some mushy fruit as of 2/21.

And here is a Kerr. Still clinging on. Going into it's 5th leaf, b118.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I bury my window screen about 4" deep - in crushed limestone !! When I plant the tree, I lay down landscape cloth ( about a 40" x 40" piece ), put the window screen on the trunk and staple it shut, then pile 4" of crushed limestone ALL OVER the 40" landscape cloth. This effectively buries the bottom of the screen under 4" of jagged crushed limestone. I've not had any mice/voles try to tunnel or dig in the stone. Plus it keeps the area surrounding the trees wide open for hawks & owls to patrol, and weeds kept at bay. Spraying gly for weeds is EASY around the perimeter of the cages.

 

[NY_Terrence]

Great point Maya. Those little wimpy screens can save LOTS of heartache !! Our first try at apples at camp some years back we put the black corrugated drain pipe around the trees. HUGE MISTAKE !! The mice / voles built nests inside the pipes and girdled the bark all the way to the top of the tubes. Every tree died. The last 3 years we used the window screens on ALL trees and ........ NO PROBLEMS !!! I listened to you guys on here with experience and it paid off big-time. Lesson learned ........ I now screen every tree at planting.

Our Liberty and Enterprise are growing really well for us. No fruit yet, but they will be 4th leaf this spring. Maybe this year ?? Trees look good & healthy.

Oh boy... Went with a friend today to help prune the 20 trees he planted two years ago. After a two hour drive, we walked up on them. I said OH NO you have black tubes around them!?!?!?! It was his first try at apples at camp and... 11 out of 20 ruined.