Crabapple trees on reclaimed surface mine

[Thunder]

Holy Crap that's a lot of lime!

Yeah, I tend to go into projects guns blazing. I need to slow down.

 

[RGrizzzz]

Yeah, I tend to go into projects guns blazing. I need to slow down.

Did you incorporate it or leave it on the top? While that seems like a lot, a triaxle holds about 22 tons. So you got two truck loads.

 

[Thunder]

Did you incorporate it or leave it on the top? While that seems like a lot, a triaxle holds about 22 tons. So you got two truck loads.

I got 3- 1/2 triaxles. I also mixed 4 ton pelletized lime in with my manure spreader.
This was done in late August. The only thing I did was drag a spiked chain harrow. The ground was rock solid from lack of rain.
The majority was put on the 5 acres where I'm getting the stone crusher in.
Hindsight I should have waited until this spring.

 

[Feelslikefar.]

How exactly does ordering trees like this work? You pay now and they send them in the spring?

I've never really considered it because of the travel and schedule issues. I'm never really sure when I'll be able to go. Hate to spend a bunch of money on trees only to have them go to waste because I can't go plant them.

 

[RGrizzzz]

How exactly does ordering trees like this work? You pay now and they send them in the spring?

I've never really considered it because of the travel and schedule issues. I'm never really sure when I'll be able to go. Hate to spend a bunch of money on trees only to have them go to waste because I can't go plant them.

Yes, order now and ship/pick up in spring. Some places (Blue Hill) can be flexible when they ship and let you pick up, so you can work around your schedule and weather. My wife loves my tentatively scheduled planting trips.

 

[swampbuck]

Bluehill is nice because they let you schedule the ship date. Only had one experience so far but that worked well for planning

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

Thanks everyone. I owned the property for 1 year.
This is a big investment. The guy at blue hill wildlife nursery picked trees out for me. He mentioned about needing a good root stock.
This area was mined 17 years ago. I think PA law requires back filling with limestone. I could be wrong but this explains why my PH is higher than expected.
I opened up 10 acres with a mulcher and threw 36 ton of lime down because I didn't trust my soil sample.
This summer I'm getting a stone crusher/pulverizer to do 5 acres $$$$.

I know this doesn't mean much for trees.
I'm taking a week off work to tackle the tree project. I messed up by getting 12 ton of screened topsoil vs compost. 8 appreciate everyone's input.

I'm on the fence about adding stone around the trees. I do not notice any voles.

I have around 200+ apple trees planted and caged without adding stone around the trees and I've never had severe vole issues - perhaps under 10 trees have had vole damage with only a couple tree deaths. Using aluminum screen on the trunks is important and I bury the base of the aluminum screen under a couple inches of dirt to make it more difficult for the voles to access the trunks. Some of my soil is very sandy and I build it up by adding organic matter. I use layers of leaves, grass, etc. to smother the weeds for the first few years until the trees are established enough to hold their own.

 

[bigboreblr]

Some tree places say to use woodchips / mulch without a weedmat. It keeps the critters out of the mulch. Sort of gives them a nice tunneling area.

Stone might be not needed. I had about 1/2 of a row of plum trees get girdled by voles when I started out doing this. MY real problem was not taking care of the cages with weed control. After spraying weeds 2 or 3 times a year, I 've had zero problems with what I do.

When I mow my nearby foodplot, litterally hundreds of voles come out of the woodwork. Probably kill like 200+ in the 1/2 acre.. I have my backyard area right next to the foodplot. I mow it every 3 weeks or so. No voles in there.

Mine is worth it's weight in gold for your soil. You correct the pH, often the nutrient ratios come out fairly decent.

Your place sound alot better than the typical reclaimed mine area. As long as your above 5.5, you should be ok. 36 tons over 10 acres, you should be just fine by now.

 

[H20fwler]

I’ve planted a little over 200 fruit trees in the last ten years also, screening and caging is a must. I’ve only lost a few.
Voles are not a big problem here, loamy clay soil, I put a bag of mulch around each tree after planting to help retain moisture.
Rabbits in winter during deeper snow are the biggest problem so I put at least two feet of screening around trunks.
After the first year or two I fertilize with triple 10 or 12 twice in spring around the drip line… I do not fertilize first two years it is very easy to burn roots on a young trees.

 

[Thunder]

How exactly does ordering trees like this work? You pay now and they send them in the spring?

I've never really considered it because of the travel and schedule issues. I'm never really sure when I'll be able to go. Hate to spend a bunch of money on trees only to have them go to waste because I can't go plant them.

This is my first time using blue hill.
I had good experience ordering trees last year from cold stream farm and morse. I ordered some red osier dogwood, norways and chestnut bare roots.
I left really comfortable ordering the fruit trees because I told blue hill my location, objectives and soil conditions. I told him to pick out 48 trees so I'll have food starting in September through winter.
I need to figure out grouping them next.


I live in South Carolina. I bought 80 that wraps around my parents house in central PA. I have all my trees shipped March 23rd and I plan on being at the property for a week to plant them. I don't have time to drive and pickup trees or supplies. Yes it cost more but that's the price.

I picked 48 because they ship 16 in a box and I think that might help with shipping to fill a box up.

 

[Thunder]

I watched tractor supply and picked up 6 rolls of wire for $80/ea. Normally they are $125ish. I'm using 5' metal Tposts. I figure I'll have these for the rest of my life and they'll always be used on 80 acres.

 

[Thunder]

I’ve planted a little over 200 fruit trees in the last ten years also, screening and caging is a must. I’ve only lost a few.
Voles are not a big problem here, loamy clay soil, I put a bag of mulch around each tree after planting to help retain moisture.
Rabbits in winter during deeper snow are the biggest problem so I put at least two feet of screening around trunks.
After the first year or two I fertilize with triple 10 or 12 twice in spring around the drip line… I do not fertilize first two years it is very easy to burn roots on a young trees.

Is there anything special about the mulch or any type to avoid?

 

[Teeder]

The only time I've had vole issues is when I've let grass get too close to the root zone, or when I had fruit trees in tubes. I love tree tubes, but only for oaks.
I don't mulch my trees, but being so close to lake erie, I rarely have the drought issues that others do.
Sounds like a great project! Having it around your parents house makes it extra special.
Welcome, btw!

 

[H20fwler]

Is there anything special about the mulch or any type to avoid?

I just buy the cheapest Walmart has, it's usually under $2 a bag.