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Sportsman94

A good 3 year old buck
I have been planting mast producing trees for about 4-5 years now in zone 8a (central Georgia). I have mostly thrown them in the ground in some good and some bad places and said good luck. This year I have planted some that I want to actually take care of. I planted a Dixie delight, ms. Laneen, and warren pear, Whitney, dolgo, callaway, and dozier crabapples, 3 dunstan chestnuts, 2 Chinese chestnuts, 7 dwarf chinkapin oaks, 7 Allegheny chinquapins, and 3 sawtooth oaks. So far I have cut up pieces of old rugs/carpet to use as weed mats and put cages/tubes on most of the trees. My plan is to make sure they get water at least once a week. What else can I do to ensure these trees are producing in the shortest amount of time possible?


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Make sure the cage is at least 5ft. If you got time, spraying them would help too. Also, make sure the PH of the soil where you planted them is good. Did you check the PH? Also, pruning them would help too. I pay a guy who runs an orchard to prune mine every year in March. Good luck.
 
What pH are you looking for?
 
I took a soil test this time last year. Think the ph was 5.6 then. We had four tons of lime spread on 2.8 acres about 3 months ago so that should hopefully get me right around where I need to be ph wise for the pears and chestnuts. Will need to lime the opening where the other trees are but it was too secluded to get the lime spreader to


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Sprinkle about a half cup of triple 15 or similar around the drip line of the fruit trees in early spring when they start to break bud.
As far south as you are I would plant more pears too! Get some late ones like your Ms Laneene, maybe ad Gilmer Christmas/Gate/Becton if you have room.
 
Make sure you only plant resistant varieties, from fire blight and cedar apple rust.And yes pears are alot easier than apples.Watch that you don't get trunk damage from critters living under the carpet.
 
Atomapple: 6.5 is ideal
 
H20fwler said:
Sprinkle about a half cup of triple 15 or similar around the drip line of the fruit trees in early spring when they start to break bud.
As far south as you are I would plant more pears too! Get some late ones like your Ms Laneene, maybe ad Gilmer Christmas/Gate/Becton if you have room.
Click to expand...

There’s a couple wild Bradford pears on the property. I’m hoping to get ahold of some scions and graft these better varieties onto them. Will be my first time grafting if I can find some so hopefully I can get them to take. If not, killing the Bradfords will be a win in my book!


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buckdeer1 said:
Make sure you only plant resistant varieties, from fire blight and cedar apple rust.And yes pears are alot easier than apples.Watch that you don't get trunk damage from critters living under the carpet.
Click to expand...

The disease resistance was my main requirement for the trees I bought. All came from the wildlife group and were advertised as resistant to those that you mentioned. Hoping that is true because I know we have a few cedars on the property


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Sportsman94 said:
There’s a couple wild Bradford pears on the property. I’m hoping to get ahold of some scions and graft these better varieties onto them. Will be my first time grafting if I can find some so hopefully I can get them to take. If not, killing the Bradfords will be a win in my book!


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Click to expand...
Burnt ridge sells scion wood, if you don’t find what you are looking for. They had several varieties of Asian and euro pears
 
I bought a 4' roll of weed barrier fabric and cut it in 4' squares, then added 4' weld wire fence so the trees were in a 4' square. Make sure the fabric or whatever you use is cut back from the tree trunk and matted down so rodents can't build a nest at the base and girdle your trees. I use metal window screen stapled together for rodent protection with pea stone to keep them from burrowing inder the fabric. Rodents girdling my trees has been my main killer so the window screen is a must for me.

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I've also been trying different lengths of fence and less stakes, cost savings.

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Looks really good Scott !! You should reap the rewards in a few years. Nice job.
 
Sportsman94 said:
I took a soil test this time last year. Think the ph was 5.6 then. We had four tons of lime spread on 2.8 acres about 3 months ago so that should hopefully get me right around where I need to be ph wise for the pears and chestnuts. Will need to lime the opening where the other trees are but it was too secluded to get the lime spreader to


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Click to expand...
Your chestnuts I think will prefer pH under six maybe they can tolerate it higher but 5 6 is pretty good.
 
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