Misc. Pics from The Back40

[greyphase]

I'm lucky to be retired and have all my trees planted here on the land I live on. I take a walk most mornings to check on my trees and usually carry a can of Sevin with me for bug control on my smaller trees. I like dusting tent caterpillars as their about to munch down on a tender leaf :D.

This is a Florina apple tree grown from a scion from Paul (Aerospacefarmer) grafted last spring on B118, planted last fall, and producing apples this spring. :(Sadly I pinched off these little beauties so as not to stunt the tree. Most of the leaf damage you see are from several hail storms we've had this spring.

I've read about bagging apples on the tree to get blemish free apples. I thought I'd try it on this Ashmead Kernel tree that I'm anxious to taste. I used ziplock sandwich bags with the corners cut off for ventilation. If it works I'll show the results this fall.

Some off topic pics.
I have birdboxes scattered about on the Back40 and have Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, and Chickadees nesting in some.
A Chickadee on her little ones.

Another box of Chickadees about ready to fledge.

A Tree Swallow on her nest. I didn't realize she was nesting and had knocked a couple of wasps off their nest on the inside of the roof down on to her nest.

A box of Bluebirds ready to fledge.

I'm lucky enough to have a vernal pond on my land. I enjoy sitting by it and watching the wildlife it attracts.

Yesterday I noticed a large number of tadpoles sunning themselves. They're probably Wood Frogs cause I had a ton of them breeding there earlier this spring, although I also saw some Spotted Salamander eggs in the pond.

Thanks for taking the walk with me.

Rick

 

[buckvelvet]

Do 2nd leaf B118 trees usually even flower let alone throw fruit? Thats pretty crazy!

 

[Freeborn]

Very Nice place you have. I'm fairly new to the area my farm is located and my neighbors would really shake their heads if they saw me bagging apples on an apple tree. I get it but it would look funny.

I grafted two Ashmead Kernel trees this year and I hope the grafts make it. Do you make your own bird houses? I Made several blue bird houses several years ago the swallows are enjoying.

 

[Turkey Creek]

I wouldnt let them produce though. Fruiting takes a lot of energy that is better spent on vegetative growth at their age. I recently read that it takes 20 leaves to provide enough energy to bring a apple to full size. Interesting to see the different choices of nest building materials by the birds.

 

[jwill1776]

Great pictures.

Let us know on you bagging results, been thinking of trying a few on my own trees.

 

[greyphase]

Freeborn
I'm no carpenter but I can build a birdbox :).

Chris
I limb grafted a keifer pear last year onto a 7 year old seedling pear. The keifer limb has produced several pears this spring. Can I let these grow???
Also I have a Chestnut crab grafted last spring on B118 & planted last fall that has a few crabapples on it. Should they be plucked ???
Also a 2nd leaf All Winter Hangover crab from SLN on Ant. rootstock has produced some crabapples should they be plucked ???

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Grey - Great pix of the property !! Nice shots of the birds in the boxes, too. Pond looks perfect - like the cover of a magazine.

We have bluebirds & tree swallows at my camp too. Great bug eaters. Thanks for sharing !!

 

[deepsleep]

Freeborn
I'm no carpenter but I can build a birdbox :).

Chris
I limb grafted a keifer pear last year onto a 7 year old seedling pear. The keifer limb has produced several pears this spring. Can I let these grow???
Also I have a Chestnut crab grafted last spring on B118 & planted last fall that has a few crabapples on it. Should they be plucked ???
Also a 2nd leaf All Winter Hangover crab from SLN on Ant. rootstock has produced some crabapples should they be plucked ???

I love all of your pictures as usual. The bird pics are fantastic. I am also no expert, but I have gotten over the urge to let trees fruit too early. I have a Querina on M7 and a Goldrush on M111 that we let fruit on 2,3 and 4th leaf. Neither put out much fruit during that time. Both are way behind their peers which are putting on large amounts of fruit this year. They are far enough behind that I won't let them bear this year and hope they catch up. I think it is reasonable to let a 3rd leaf have a couple if it's a new variety or if you have never grown apples, but I wouldn't let them get too heavy til 4th leaf or so. This is all just my opinion of course.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Chris
I limb grafted a keifer pear last year onto a 7 year old seedling pear. The keifer limb has produced several pears this spring. Can I let these grow???
Also I have a Chestnut crab grafted last spring on B118 & planted last fall that has a few crabapples on it. Should they be plucked ???
Also a 2nd leaf All Winter Hangover crab from SLN on Ant. rootstock has produced some crabapples should they be plucked ???

I think you could let a couple pears grow on that Kieffer, but I would be cautious of letting alot of weight hang on that reatively young graft. You might break that limb at the graft joint. As Deepsleep indicated I think I would remove most if not all of the fruit dependng on the size of the tree. Its rewarding to see the fruits :) Of our labors but no sense in setting back a tree that will be providing lots of apples given another couple of years.

 

[CrazyEd]

Good stuff. Thanks for sharing.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

Awesome pics Grey. I am retired too and take walks a lot too but mostly have something to do now every day I am at the farm with about 400 trees and I plant sweet corn and brassicas and water trees and have 10 trail cams with trophy rock and deer minerals. Yea I need to be retired to do it but I loveeeee every minute. Oh yea u have a wife too who needs some attention once in a while.... Like every weekend lol

 

[Natty Bumppo]

Great pics. Enjoyed the tour.

 

[Native Hunter]

I really enjoyed all of those pictures, and that pond is something special to have.