Fruit tree mistakes you made ?

[bigboreblr]

I looked over the mistakes, only 2 mentioned improper or lack of pruning. Very common mistake I see of hunters putting fruit trees in.

Little surprised nobody mentioned not spraying for trees. Japanese beetles can be vicious where I live. I also live about a mile from a commercial fruit orchard, so Im sure i'll b getting tougher to kill critters.

Apple Borers. Not sure if the winter oil treatment might fight off a few of these guys. It can be expensive, but there is a tree treatment you pour in the ground, the poison get absorbed into the tree and fights alot of insects that way. Found a site that talk about the borers

Borers

Overview Several species of borers attack apple trees in New England, especially young trees. Dogwood borers are probably most damaging, but roundheaded apple tree borers, apple bark borers, flat-headed apple tree borers, and leopard moths can also be found. Black stem borers, a tiny bark...

netreefruit.org

Managing the Flatheaded Appletree Borer

extensionentomology.tamu.edu

The tamu.edu said the pour in the ground insecticide works.

Fruit Tree & Vegetable Systemic Soil Drench - Monterey Lawn & Garden

Corrects calcium deficiency

www.montereylawngarden.com

Imidacloprid General Fact Sheet

Now I wish I knew about these insects. I could of investigated the old trees I cut down, never seen a hollow water whip on them. The old trees have rotten spots and crevices under the bark all over the place.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

You guys have way better filing systems than me! I do make copies in case I loose the originals.

Hey H20 ........ are those grease stains from one of those home-made meals you post pics of on your notes??? Juice dripping from a nice piece of venison maybe??

I had to make detailed lists & locations because of the #&*%$# bears. We're liable to find a whole apple tree - cage & all - on the cabin patio. Notes are our only way to know what we have ......... or not.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I looked over the mistakes, only 2 mentioned improper or lack of pruning. Very common mistake I see of hunters putting fruit trees in.

Pruning and training of young apple trees makes a big difference later, when fruit loads can snap limbs if the crotch angles aren't strong. It's easier to train young limbs by placing clothes pins directly above and CLOSE to emerging limb sprouts. The pins force the limb sprouts to grow more outward - instead of upward. The weakest crotch angles are the narrow, upward growing ones.

As young limbs grow longer, out past the clothes pins, they'll want to grow upward again. Using limb spreaders will keep the limbs from going completely vertical. Best to use limb spreaders when limbs are thin and flexible, so they can be directed.

The pruning & shaping of apple trees for home gardeners and wildlife use - are MOSTLY - advised to be like a Christmas tree ..... narrow at the top and wider at the bottom. This is to get the most light into the tree for making blossoms. Longer limbs further up the tree just shade the limbs below. Air flow and sunlight into the tree are best for tree health and production.

I get my apple tree info from Penn State, Cornell U., Rutgers, Purdue, U. Mass. and other universities. I just pass along the info I've learned and used to good results.

 

[H20fwler]

Hey H20 ........ are those grease stains from one of those home-made meals you post pics of on your notes??? Juice dripping from a nice piece of venison maybe??

I had to make detailed lists & locations because of the #&*%$# bears. We're liable to find a whole apple tree - cage & all - on the cabin patio. Notes are our only way to know what we have ......... or not.

I do love to cook!

No, it’s from going in and out of my pocket a bunch of times every spring for nine years! There are trees written on the backs too.

Now I keep a set of the master copy in my truck to, makes it easier as I’m trying to figure out what tree I’m looking at. Going to have to put metal tags on cages one of these days.
Was much easier years ago, now with over two hundred fruit trees in three orchards the papers come in pretty handy.
This website has sure fed my addiction.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

This website has sure fed my addiction.

You're not alone!

 

[bigboreblr]

bowsnbucks,

Bears. Whitetail crabs claims crossbow grows up to be more bear resistant. I have a good bit of scion material of crossbow to graft this spring. Going on dolgo and antonovka.

 

[blueKYstream]

I use Caltopo, a free online mapping software, to label my trees, mark where I got them, and whether a graft failed (mostly in the case of persimmons I haven't been able to remove sprouts), etc. It's generally worked well for me unless I graft 2 or more varieties onto a tree. I also use it at times to mark trail camera locations, plan habitat work and mark trap locations back when I had time to do that.

 

[sandbur]

I do love to cook!

No, it’s from going in and out of my pocket a bunch of times every spring for nine years! There are trees written on the backs too.

Now I keep a set of the master copy in my truck to, makes it easier as I’m trying to figure out what tree I’m looking at. Going to have to put metal tags on cages one of these days.
Was much easier years ago, now with over two hundred fruit trees in three orchards the papers come in pretty handy.
This website has sure fed my addiction.

I think I am getting over the addiction. It took twenty years. I realize I have more trees than I can take care of and am probably too old to plant any (many?) more.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I think I am getting over the addiction. It took twenty years. I realize I have more trees than I can take care of and am probably too old to plant any (many?) more.

You've got lots of good fruit trees planted there, Bur. Enjoy the benefits of your labors. Sauce and cider for you and Mrs. Sandbur!! You've built some great looking habitat, as shown in the pics you've posted over several years. Your spruce plantings give deer and other critters a place to hide out & survive those cold winds & snow you get - and they're in easy reach of your fruit trees for extra food. NICE WORK!!

 

[westonwhitetail]

Too hot of fertilizer ... 19-19-19

Not put mouse screens on base of tree before winter

Mouse screens! I think I effed that one up this year, got them on too late and some damage was done. Hopefully they make it

 

[BobinCt]

I hope someone new to habitat improvement and planting fruit trees looks at this thread before they decide to plant. It can save them money, aggravation and of course trees. Fruit trees are more than just planting and forgetting . They need protection and some care.

 

[Catscratch]

I didn't make this mistake but feel it would be a huge mistake if someone didn't do it; research the diseases in your area and pick tree varieties that are not susceptible to them. Number one thing that I feel I did right. I went to the point of calling or emailing nurseries, telling them my location, and requesting advice on the most trouble free varieties possible. Newbies should do this!

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I hope someone new to habitat improvement and planting fruit trees looks at this thread before they decide to plant. It can save them money, aggravation and of course trees. Fruit trees are more than just planting and forgetting . They need protection and some care.

I know someone said this earlier, but plant only what you can protect and care for right away. My first trees I planted one weekend, and planned on screening, and fencing in 2 weeks. Not sure how many days it took for the deer to kill all the freshly planted trees, but it was less then the 2 weeks.

 

[silver_yummies]

I know someone said this earlier, but plant only what you can protect and care for right away. My first trees I planted one weekend, and planned on screening, and fencing in 2 weeks. Not sure how many days it took for the deer to kill all the freshly planted trees, but it was less then the 2 weeks.

Less than 24 hours is my guess:)

 

[TreeDaddy]

I hope someone new to habitat improvement and planting fruit trees looks at this thread before they decide to plant. It can save them money, aggravation and of course trees. Fruit trees are more than just planting and forgetting . They need protection and some care.

As do most all baby trees ....... possible exceptions being chickasaw plum in numbers or any others that rapidly sucker into thickets

bill

 

[Ruffdude]

Here's my working map. This is the Club where I live and do most of my habitat work as a volunteer.
The pins represent "sites" not individual trees. Trees are labeled on their respective fencing cages. About 145 pieces in all.
It's about 8400 acres of forest land, myself and a couple others do most of the fruit tree work.
Planting, fencing, protecting, annual mulching. I spray them all twice a year, that's a chore, but if you don't the gypsy moth caterpillars and Jap beetles would eat them all.
I prune them to a point, we are just feeding critters so once they get a few years of training they are left alone so far. Maybe in another 5 years I'll go back in and clean them up.
I have spearheaded grant applications to pay for most of this habitat improvement.
* the orange circles are Whitetail Crabs planted in Spring of 2022.

 

[bigboreblr]

Ruffdude,

Thats a club there.......... Thought my 680ish acres was huge.....

 

[homerj]

8400 acres, wow

 

[Ruffdude]

8400 acres, wow

It's a big place, it sits in an area of NE lower Michigan in what most call "club country". A lot of large privately held land holdings up in this corner of the state.
It's just under 10,000 acres in total but after you remove the subdivision, golf course, lakes, roads, trails, etc... it's about 8400 acres of forest land.