Its simply time to jump in

What do you mean when you say sick?
In ealry fall They looked wilted and dying like they were starved for water. I watered them just like the other trees planted close by. Its not just 1 honeycrisp its 2.
 
Is it possible you over watered them?
 
Is it possible you over watered them?
No I dont think so Jim. I only watered 1 time a wk an skipped if I had good rains. They may bounce back this spring but I doubt it. I may move one just to see if it was a bad planting site
 
Too much fertilizer will do that too.
 
What were the roots like when you planted them? Most trees I get have a good root system, but a few don't and it takes them a year to get going. Yes, post some pics. I wouldn't suggest pruning or not without seeing them.
 
One more thing. HC's have a carbohydrate build up and causes a photosynthesis problem. It manifests itself in the leaves when they are not fruiting well, or in young trees that are not fruiting yet. You can see this in the leaf to the left in this pic. It's strange how it yellows just between a couple veins in the leaves like this and not the whole leaf as it starts out. They look real ugly, but it's nothing to worry about. DSCN2122.JPG
 
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I've done it. I have 10 trees on the way this Spring. I also have spoken for 10 the next year. Time to start accumulating planting and protecting supplies. I have plenty of time to get everything ready to make sure planting day is a breeze. Ya know, I always thought I needed a post hole digger for the old Ford ... turns out I was right! *wink*

Now to decide where to plant them. Hmmmm ... perhaps I can get help with that here? I've only got 40 acres, so it shouldn't be too hard. I'll work on posting an aerial photo.
 
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Here's what it looks like. Note the 450 elevation contour and the creek bottoms that pretty much define my south and east lines. Blue is water, yellow are food plots, and red are potential fruit tree sites. I look forward to discussing with you guys!
 
What's the rest of the non-wooded land?
 
Nice lookin place TML! Make sure you at least have good southern exposure for the trees. I break up the trees in 2-3 orchards with that property. I really like them between bedding and destination plots/fields. Once the orchards are mature deer feel real safe going in them early, so your daylight sightings will go way up. If you go with a few orchards now, you can always add to them later giving you more hunting spots earlier.

Can't say it enough, plant disease resistant varieties!
 
Yank 'em?!?!?!? I have earned every single one of those gray hairs!!

Just wait......some day when you renew your drivers license.....you will need to put "gray" down for your hair color instead of brown. THEN.....you know you are aging. ;)
 
Remember the more sun the better, as in hrs per day, though it looks as though that shouldnt be a problem. Do you know where deer bed at primarily now?
 
The non-wooded area was farmed until 1999 when it was put in CRP. It was mowed once per year in early fall until 2004. I've let nature take its course over the past 10 years. Its mostly 4-5 ft tall weeds/grasses. There are many small trees. I'm taking out sycamore, locust, and cedar. There are a few very nice white oaks I've been paying special attention to. I also find quite a few new persimmon trees every year.

The wooded creek bottom on my east line is very thick across the property line. The neighbor logged it 5 or 6 years ago. I've dropped lots of big sycamores and done some hinging on my side to open up the canopy and thicken it up. The field to my north is an old farm field that has been left wild for 15 years. Full of autumn olive ... thick, thick, thick. On the west side there is thick, nasty stuff back there following the creek. Up on the north end of the property to the west is a 7 acre farmed field. Beans/corn alternating. That's the only ag within about a mile. The creek bottom to my southeast, after the creeks meet, is really thick too.

The 2 creek bottoms are just funnels connecting it all together.
 
How are the deer using the CRP?

I just wonder about putting an orchard out in the middle of a bunch of grasses. Sure, it would act like a funnel eventually once the trees got big enough, but it might only get night time use if it's too much like going into "no mans land" to get out there.

I'm also curious why you're taking out cedars? If there's no covenant on the land now (didn't sound like you're still doing the CRP), why not let it get woodier?
 
Yates is a good one. It will be affected by both CAR and FB a little, but tough enough to go ahead and produce good crops. I have one Rockingham Red but it has not fruited yet. I'm hoping for next year on it. It should have already fruited by now, but I set it when it was small and didn't get it protected quickly enough. The top got ate out of it and that set it back some. Good luck.
 
I've learned from some of the men on this forum and 2 others that a gentle sloping southern exposure is a good place to plant fruit trees. Keep them up higher on the slope so they don't sit in a low frost pocket. Up higher, you get more breeze, less frost AND disease probs.

My camp is in northern Pa. and we've planted Enterprise, Liberty, Goldrush, Wolf River, Prairie Spy, N.Y. 35 Bonkers apples, as well as Dolgo, Chestnut, Whitney, Centennial, Hyslop, Trailman, All - Winter - Hangover, Centurion, Nova Scotia grafted crabs. We also have a few un-named crabs. All are doing well and have not shown any real disease probs. so far. Other than spraying for insects, they have been pretty easy to care for. The rootstocks we use for the grafted ones are B-118, MM-111, and Antonovka. Our best trees so far ( growth-wise ) are Enterprise on B-118 & MM-111, Liberty & Wolf River on Antonovka, N.Y. 35 on B-118. Dolgo, All-Winter-Hangover, Trailman crabs on Antonovka.

MNFISH, in post #22 above, mentioned planting lots of crabapples. We have had GREAT luck with crabs. I don't think you can go wrong with them - and - they are good pollinators for apple trees.
 
How are the deer using the CRP?

I just wonder about putting an orchard out in the middle of a bunch of grasses. Sure, it would act like a funnel eventually once the trees got big enough, but it might only get night time use if it's too much like going into "no mans land" to get out there.

I'm also curious why you're taking out cedars? If there's no covenant on the land now (didn't sound like you're still doing the CRP), why not let it get woodier?

Jim - Thank you for asking the questions that got me thinking along the right track.

First, the deer are all over the property. I guess I should have mentioned that no one lives there. As a matter of fact, the only house close is the one down the lane to my southwest and its a little under 1/2 mile away. There is a crazy stupid trail leading from the clover plot in the middle of the property to the big pond to the northwest.

No, I'm not in CRP. I let it expire and didn't re-apply. I like doing whatever the heck I want! Besides the income from the enrolled 20 acres wasn't that much anyway. Cedars? Actually I have taken out very few cedars so far. Just a couple that were close to a nice young persimmon or white oak. I thought about getting rid of them because of the plan to grow apples and cedar apple rust. Perhaps I should leave them in? Just plant CAR immune varieties?
 
Nice lookin place TML! Make sure you at least have good southern exposure for the trees. I break up the trees in 2-3 orchards with that property. I really like them between bedding and destination plots/fields. Once the orchards are mature deer feel real safe going in them early, so your daylight sightings will go way up. If you go with a few orchards now, you can always add to them later giving you more hunting spots earlier.

Can't say it enough, plant disease resistant varieties!

Thank you Maya. Most of the property is one big south-facing slope! I like the idea of just a couple small orchards. I think I'll start with that in mind. In the future I could always spread out a bit.
 
You're very welcome.

I learn a lot from hearing people's answers to those questions. :)
 
Now that I'm through Christmas, I need to seriously start accumulating planting supplies. Spring planting will sneak up on me if I let this slide.

Lets see, I need:
Wire mesh for cages
Weed mat of some kind
pea gravel
Window screen
Conduit stake

What am I forgetting? Haha!
 
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