First apple trees of the year are in

[Ben.MN/WI]

I planted my first 4 apple trees of the year tonight. These were the free replacements for the 4 Menards trees I bought last year that died. It was really interesting to see how much the upper level of the soil improved in one year. Since my soil is pretty sandy in some spots, I spent the summer hauling ATV trailer loads of grass clippings, leaves and small sticks from my yard and put them in and around my apple tree cages. In one year the soil went from sandy to having a solid 6" of dark black soil.

 

[Rally1148]

We got a half inch last night near Detroit. Although our ground is thawed! I was able to cut off some suckers (with some roots) off of a sargent crab in our backyard. I was able to get the shovel down about 14 inches.

 

[CrazyEd]

Well done!

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

I used the pick-axe technique 2 years ago, so I was really happy to see that the ground was thawed a week ago when I pre-dug the holes. Planting apple trees a pretty quick operation if you have the holes dug ahead of time and have the cages up and ready to go.

 

[Rally1148]

I used the pick-axe technique 2 years ago, so I was really happy to see that the ground was thawed a week ago when I pre-dug the holes. Planting apple trees a pretty quick operation if you have the holes dug ahead of time and have the cages up and ready to go.

The cages are what kick my butt. Digging the hole is just kind of a brute force type deal with minimal thinking, getting the fence up and cutting it requires a lot more! I've gotten more than a few cuts from not thinking about the roll springing back at me!

 

[Natty Bumppo]

We still have 6-12" of snow. 3" more last night.

Yep…I'm still at a solid 2 feet. In fact, I'm about to head out for a quick snowshoe out in the back 40. I had to call every nursery I ordered tress from this spring and request the last possible shipping date for my trees. Crazy.

 

[Rally1148]

Yup. After pulling about an inch of a cut end out of my calf a few years ago...I'm a little more careful when working with cement wire.

I've never gotten it that bad, but I had a close call with it springing up on my cheek. An inch closer and it'd been my eye.

 

[Rally1148]

Rally,

I take a heavy rock or chunk of wood. Put it on the end. Roll out the wire. Measure the length. Tap a stake in on the other side of the cut or put another stone on the side. Then cut away. Being very careful when I get to the last two wires to cut. Then cut and step off the wire and let it roll up. The segments near the end of the roll are tough though.

I got that figured it out last year, my real struggle is when I'm trying to get the cage up around the tree or moving it around. If it's in one spot I'm all good, but for some reason when I move it, it pops up and gets me.

 

[Rally1148]

Always "walk down" the wire. Lay it on a flat, solid surface and walk down the kinks as much as you can. It helps to have another person assist, but it can be done alone (I do it every year). By doing that, it takes some of the memory out of the wire and its less likely to bite you

I'm still a young'n! I'll figure it out eventually :)

 

[aerospacefarmer]

NH got it right. To me the cages are easy just hard on the hands cutting all that wire every 4 inches x12 lol

 

[Natty Bumppo]

Natty,

We're sounding like the Minnesota guys from last winter. Lol
Spring will come sometime. Maybe. :)

LOL! Funny how things can change in a year!

 

[sandbur]

Natty,

We're sounding like the Minnesota guys from last winter. Lol
Spring will come sometime. Maybe. :)

Yup, we set a high standard. MDDI by next year?

 

[Bowsnbucks]

For cutting concrete mesh cages, I do like N.H. Mtns. does. I pound a stake in at an angle that won't let the wire pop up behind me, and as I make the last cut on the mesh ( opposite end from the stake ), I'm standing on the mesh so it can't roll back to the stake. Then I grab hold of the cut end - w/ gloves - and slowly walk it back to the staked end. The wire mesh goes back into a circle pattern so it forms a good circle and I just tie it shut. I lift it up over the planted tree and stake it down. I fab-up a cage for every tree ahead of time, pre-cut screens and landscape cloth too. Easier on planting day !!

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

My order from SLN arrived yesterday, so we planted another 8 apple trees last night behind my house. I've had good luck using mulch to prevent weeds around the trunks instead of plastic sheets and last weekend I was lucky enough to find a couple dozen old square bales that worked perfectly for my weed barriers. My soil is pretty sandy, so the natural mulches also help build the soil. It's raining here today and there's more rain in the forecast, so my trees are getting a great start. This year my order from SLN included a bunch of late dropping crabapples of different varieties. These should be a good addition to the apple varieties I planted 2 years ago.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

The apple & crabs I ordered from SLN are due to be shipped the week of the 20th. 10 trees coming. The trees we planted the last 2 years are looking real good. They came thru the winter in great shape - no rodent damage and only minimal deer nipping where the limb tips stuck out thru the cages. Can't wait to see the growth this year !!

 

[CrazyEd]

Where are all the pics of your newly planted trees? =)

 

[Ogemaone]

I'm planting tomorrow. Picking up 12 trees from Woodstock in the morning and my 8 late hanging crabs arrived yesterday from SLN. Got the holes dug today along with topsoil, gravel, tposts, and cages by each hole. Should go smooth, I hope

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Bur and Ed - I have some pix from last summer and some from this past weekend. I have to get off my butt and go knock on my neighbor's door and ask him to show me how to get them off the digital camera and put them up here. I'm not very nerdy when it comes to the digital / computerized stuff. :( My family thinks it's a miracle I can even communicate on here at all !!! My career didn't involve pc's and laptops, so I'm the dinosaur that's the butt of my sons' jokes and jabs. :oops: The youngest son is away at college, or I'd hook him into doing it !!

I AM anxious to get them up here. I need some commentary on my pruning and the overall shape of the trees. They aren't fictional - I really DO have trees planted !!! :):D

 

[sandbur]

Bur and Ed - I have some pix from last summer and some from this past weekend. I have to get off my butt and go knock on my neighbor's door and ask him to show me how to get them off the digital camera and put them up here. I'm not very nerdy when it comes to the digital / computerized stuff. :( My family thinks it's a miracle I can even communicate on here at all !!! My career didn't involve pc's and laptops, so I'm the dinosaur that's the butt of my sons' jokes and jabs. :oops: The youngest son is away at college, or I'd hook him into doing it !!

I AM anxious to get them up here. I need some commentary on my pruning and the overall shape of the trees. They aren't fictional - I really DO have trees planted !!! :):D

The only 'puter course I ever had was when 'puters were the size of a kitchen and you programmed with punch cards.

Plug your camera or phone into the lap top and watch for an icon to import pictures. follow instructions. I have to reduce the size of some pictures for this forum and use Paint to do so.

I know nothing about pruning. Ask maya or Stuart. I just whittle and carve on my trees!

 

[Ogemaone]

Finished, long day. Got all 20 Apple trees, 20 3ft Norway spruce, and 15 raspberries in. Even had the wife out helping.