Building an Orchard......Insight

PrairieShadow

5 year old buck +
I've got 20 some apple trees of all different drop times showing up in the spring. I plan on putting these into an existing alfalfa plot. My plan is to just let the alfalfa be as its well established and I have almost zero weed problems in it. Is there any reason to change from alfalfa to something else as my "grass" for the orchard? I like the fact that its a nitrogen fixing plant.
 
I've got 20 some apple trees of all different drop times showing up in the spring. I plan on putting these into an existing alfalfa plot. My plan is to just let the alfalfa be as its well established and I have almost zero weed problems in it. Is there any reason to change from alfalfa to something else as my "grass" for the orchard? I like the fact that its a nitrogen fixing plant.
Will you be spraying the apple trees with insecticide/fungicide?
 
I did the very thing that you are suggesting last November, planting 17 apple/crabs into a double row at the top side of an existing clover/brassica/WR plot. The hardest part was weed-whacking a spot for each of the trees that was actually in the plot. All of those trees survived and thrived this year and I think the N-fixing clover helped a bit. Not a great pic, but you can see the cages, trees and weedmats. I put 6 trees rights along the upper edge of the field with 4 trees offset out into the plot. I think your alfalfa would be fine, though the trees might get in the way if you are going to try and bale it, but would be ok if you are just going to mow it.
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Will you be spraying the apple trees with insecticide/fungicide?
I never have and hope not to but certainly wouldn't rule it out if necessary.
 
Any high forage lends itself to moles, mice, etc. without detection from predators.

I would plant clover for it's nitrogen producing ability.
 
I did the very thing that you are suggesting last November, planting 17 apple/crabs into a double row at the top side of an existing clover/brassica/WR plot. The hardest part was weed-whacking a spot for each of the trees that was actually in the plot. All of those trees survived and thrived this year and I think the N-fixing clover helped a bit. Not a great pic, but you can see the cages, trees and weedmats. I put 6 trees rights along the upper edge of the field with 4 trees offset out into the plot. I think your alfalfa would be fine, though the trees might get in the way if you are going to try and bale it, but would be ok if you are just going to mow it.
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Good info.

I have 4 in the alfalfa right now and they did amazing this year.

I don't bale the alfalfa as its strictly for wildlife. I mow it a couple times a summer. Even do it with the zero turn now and then if it hasn't gotten to tall.
 
For wildlife trees I would spray insecticide to minimize the leaf damage for the first 5 years. Insect damage to leaves can really slow the growth of the tree when young. Give them fertilizer to get them to grow fast the first 5 years. Crown lift them to get he lowest permanent branches 4-5 feet above ground. Deer will destroy lower and hanging limbs once outside of a protected fence.
 
If you're going to spray I wouldn't plant anything that has blossoms. Alfalfa is also known for having lots of leafhoppers. Leafhoppers can be a problem with apple trees.
 
I planted my fruit trees in the middle of my big plot,my only issue is seeing between them from my box blind if I hunt it.I move a couple and trimmed back some limbs.But I would plant around edge or at ends if theres nothing you want to see past them.I didn't plant any new ones this year but I will this spring.My alfalfa seed was supposed to be in today but hopefully tomorrow
 
Alfalfa for me at least isn’t terribly long lived I’d plant it in Durana white clover.
 
Besides the usual 4ft diameter or so cages,use some hardware fabric right around the trunk. 1/4" square mesh is what I use.

I have a clover plot with plantain. Tons of voles everywhere on my property. Cats have a field day in the clover plots.......

It is not advised to spray apple trees with incesticide while they're blossoming. If overspray is excessive, you can harms bees if it gets on flowering plots. Maybe mow the flowers off the plot, then spray. I have tons of both native and african bees most beekeepers use.

I worked at a powerplant nearby a pepsi bottling plant. A backyard beekeeper had purple honey from the bees getting into the plant.
 
Besides the usual 4ft diameter or so cages,use some hardware fabric right around the trunk. 1/4" square mesh is what I use.

I have a clover plot with plantain. Tons of voles everywhere on my property. Cats have a field day in the clover plots.......

It is not advised to spray apple trees with incesticide while they're blossoming. If overspray is excessive, you can harms bees if it gets on flowering plots. Maybe mow the flowers off the plot, then spray. I have tons of both native and african bees most beekeepers use.

I worked at a powerplant nearby a pepsi bottling plant. A backyard beekeeper had purple honey from the bees getting into the plant.
My goodness, what were the bees eating?!?
 
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