aerospacefarmer
5 year old buck +
Thanks Sandbar but at my house I don't have a spot big enough to do that. I should have mentioned that in my last post
All Things Cider
- Thread starter 2ndHand
- Start date
sandbur
5 year old buck +
You are probably dealing with more trees than I am. I usually only winter 3-10 trees.
could you make a temporary location on your hunting /orchard land?
THunter
5 year old buck +
Just a note, with concrete mesh you better build your cages with a large diameter. Anything under 3' they will stick their heads through and clean you out. Don't ask me how I know. :D
Turkey Creek
5 year old buck +
Dont ask me how I know he knows! :)
Found 2 of my young apples had been browsed pretty hard just this past weekend.
2ndHand
5 year old buck +
Hey, Thanks for the feedback...;) Planning on 15 ft. lengths (10 cages per roll), which I believe will be a little less that 5 ft diameter. Going to add window screen - plus I am thinking of painting the trunks white. Haven't used paint before, but sounds like it will produce positive results with little added work..
aerospacefarmer
5 year old buck +
I don't think the rodents can get in my garage. I like the styrofoam idea and I am in zone 5 Pennsylvania so that will work Sandbar. I will over winter about 20 trees. The cold blasts when the door opens are the worst but mostly it's at one near freezing in the garage between January and March. Thanks for the idea
greyphase
5 year old buck +
I'm hoping to get a lot of my grafted trees planted this fall but know that I won't get them all in. I lost 4 last winter due to the cold temps and am unsure as to how I'll handle the trees that I don't get in the ground this fall. One idea I have is to pack them tightly together (I have a mix of 5 gal. plastic pots & 5 gal. Root Pouch grow bags) stack hay bales tightly around them, put window screening on them, and scatter hay between the trees. What I don't want to make is a " mouse hotel". :eek: If we would have a "normal" winter here is southcentral Pa. I don't think I'd have any trouble leaving them just as they are but who knows what mood Mother Nature will be in this winter.
chummer
5 year old buck +
I am going to try painting my trees this year. Last year I had all my trunks split open. When is it ok do paint them and what is the mix %? Thanks
wklman
5 year old buck +
Paint in the fall. 50% interior white latex paint 50% water.
2ndHand
5 year old buck +
Hey Wklman, Thanks for the helpful info! Do you stop painting once the tree gets to a certain age? I was also wondering what type of root stock(s) are you using in your orchard?
Thank You!
wklman
5 year old buck +
I have 3 different rootstocks in my orchard 2ndhand. They're b118, m7 and m111. If I had my way I would of gone with just b118 but when I ordered my trees those were the rootstocks they had. Its actually good since some of the other rootstocks do better then the b118 on my soils. I've only had my trees for about 3 years and have painted them the last 2. I'm not sure how long to paint them for but I've seen 10 year old trees in an orchard painted here in central mn.
2ndHand
5 year old buck +
Thanks for the reply Wklman - I am hoping to develop a orchard similar to what you are doing. Looking to build something for retirement in about 8-9 years. I am starting out with B.118. Hoping to take a Beginner's Apple Orchard Management class at the UW Madison in the spring - 3 day course (if they offer it). Thanks!
2ndHand
5 year old buck +
Sounds great! - I am sure I will have some more questions for you in the future...;)
chummer
5 year old buck +
Thanks for the reply. Is Labor Day to early? I will be up that whole week and wood like to get it done them. That would also let things quiet down before our late September opener.
wklman
5 year old buck +
I don't think it would hurt to do it then. I believe the trees have mostly finished growing by then and if you're not eating the apples then you won't have to worry about paint on them. I do it after rifle season in mn when I'm up which is in nov. Just so long as its before winter you'll be fine.
2ndHand
5 year old buck +
Posting the following link as a FYI - it's a presentation on cider making in Wisconsin presented at the Wisconsin Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Conference during January 2014:
http://www.cornmazesamerica.com/wi_conference/pdfs/s22_pp_1up.pdf
http://www.cornmazesamerica.com/wi_conference/pdfs/s22_pp_1up.pdf
2ndHand
5 year old buck +
Made a revision to my spring 2015 order - Here's what I am ordering from Cummins (B.118):
6 - Liberty
8 - Cortland
10 - Honey Crisp
5 - Golden Russet
4 - Virginia (Hewes) Crabs
2 - Ashmeads Kernel
1 - Chestnut Crab
25 - Rootstock (to be used for: Empire, Cortland, Yarlington Mill, and Belle De Boskoop)
This fall I am planting the following grafts (from spring 2014):
2 - chestnut crabs
2 - Yarlington Mill
2 - Ashmead's Kernel
1 - Golden Russet
2 - Belle de Boskoop
1 - Whitney crab
1 - Black Oxford
6 - Liberty
8 - Cortland
10 - Honey Crisp
5 - Golden Russet
4 - Virginia (Hewes) Crabs
2 - Ashmeads Kernel
1 - Chestnut Crab
25 - Rootstock (to be used for: Empire, Cortland, Yarlington Mill, and Belle De Boskoop)
This fall I am planting the following grafts (from spring 2014):
2 - chestnut crabs
2 - Yarlington Mill
2 - Ashmead's Kernel
1 - Golden Russet
2 - Belle de Boskoop
1 - Whitney crab
1 - Black Oxford
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