My little slice of Heaven

[Troubles Trees]

Took a walk around my property today to take some pictures to document it here for future reference.

First time getting pears :)


Strawberries are producing aweso


MG is emerging better than I expected for my crappy soil. Most are only 6” and tough to see but 90% have emerged. These are more like 12-18”, the 2nd picture is the tallest at 3 feet tall which is odd because


Having a banner plumb year!


The 2nd leaf out after caterpillars demolished the first on my Dunstan Chestnuts and I see this :/ we have had plenty of rain and I only lightly fertilized (because I’m always scared I’m going to burn them) so I’m not sure what is going on here but 3 out of 4 of the Dunstans have new shoots 12-16” long coming out of the base of the trunk.

 

[Troubles Trees]

I found this last week and finally had time between yesterday and today to look through everything. I know people plant cover crops like Buckwheat and Winter Wheat or Cereal Rye but never saw an explanation of the bigger picture. This is pretty detailed info about each type and the pros and cons of them. I scanned for an appropriate thread to put the link in the comments but didn't find an exact match so I'll post it here for now.

When you open the page there is a tab on the right that leads you to other related plantings.

Nonlegume Cover Crops - SARE

OVERVIEW OF NONLEGUME COVER CROPS Commonly used nonlegume cover crops include: Annual cereals (rye, wheat, barley, oats) Annual or perennial forage grasses such as ryegrass Warm-season grasses like sorghum-sudangrass Brassicas and mustards Nonlegume cover crops are most useful for: Scavenging...

www.sare.org

 

[H20fwler]

Dunstans are very touchy with fertilizer and soil types. Chinese chestnuts are way more forgiving.
I’ve had very mediocre success with Dunstans, they don’t like wet feet even a little and don’t seem to like clay either. My buddy has a good sized vein of sandy sloped soil on his river bottom and they grow great for him.

 

[Troubles Trees]

I do have 5 Chinese Chestnut that have survived the gauntlet so far, 3 out of 4 Dunstans have new shoots out of the bases so I am keeping my expectations low to not be so disappointed if they don't make it. I have babied my Chestnuts and Persimmons more than anything I have planted and they still feel like a long shot. I did order 2 Full Draw and 2 Deer Luscious Persimmon from Blue Hill this year that Ryan said would be cold hardy for my area so I am holding on to hope.

 

[Troubles Trees]

This poor Peach tree had a bad injury from mice and I never thought it would live let alone produce peaches, these are the first ones.


My Lowe’s Red Oak on its 3rd summer, it had a single acorn last year and has about 10 acorns this year. I bought 2 that summer, the other one has doubled in size but no acorns yet. My Bur Oaks look like they are forming acorns but they are so far up the tree I couldn’t get a clear picture.


My Allegheny Chinquapin has catkins!! It’s only 1 out of 70 but I was more than excited to see this!


Caterpillars have done a lot of damage this year so I was happy to have some good news and see some progression. I forgot to take a picture but a dozen or so of my Ninebark have flowers for the first time.
I got about 80-90% germination (and so far still alive) from all my acorns (140’ish total, I forgot the number without looking it up) I put in the ground this spring!

 

[H20fwler]

I do have 5 Chinese Chestnut that have survived the gauntlet so far, 3 out of 4 Dunstans have new shoots out of the bases so I am keeping my expectations low to not be so disappointed if they don't make it. I have babied my Chestnuts and Persimmons more than anything I have planted and they still feel like a long shot. I did order 2 Full Draw and 2 Deer Luscious Persimmon from Blue Hill this year that Ryan said would be cold hardy for my area so I am holding on to hope.

I ordered those same persimmons from Ryan along with a few other northern varieties, going to protect and baby them hopefully they will grow well here.

 

[Troubles Trees]

Me too!
I planted so many things the first few years when I didn't have (knowledge of what I was doing lol) cages, weedmats or tree tubes let alone any equipment to carry water I couldn't keep up with everything and it showed. I embrace these days when I am starting to get the literal fruits of the labor and have so little room left I can start planting 10-20 quality trees each spring and really pay attention to them. Very excited to finally be planting Blue Hill trees this fall!

I did notice my Persimmons that were defoliated by caterpillars and died have new shoots coming from the bases that appear to have a much wider leaf. They were grafted but I have no idea what the rootstock was, I would have to look through the reciepts as I don't even remember where I bought them. I am hoping I will be able to graft Ryan's Persimmons to what is growing there next spring.

 

[williams111]

Where did you get your Allegheny Chinquapins? How old are they and how have they done for you? We're in the same zone and I am wanting to try a few of them. Thanks!

 

[Troubles Trees]

Where did you get your Allegheny Chinquapins? How old are they and how have they done for you? We're in the same zone and I am wanting to try a few of them. Thanks!

I am listed on the Hardiness zone map as being in zone 5A but the temps they list are higher than reality and I am more like 4B. I would have to dig up the receipt to see where I bought those, and I will when I get home from work tonight bud. Our DEC offers them in there seedling sale about every 3rd year or so.
I planted these 4 years ago so this is their 4th summer in the ground now. I did try a few different strains and I can safely say that, despite what the nurseries claim, Allegheny are the only ones that will survive our winters. I did baby these the last 2 years during the dry spell and hand carried water on the hill as well as fertilize them after their first summer in the ground. Most things I just plant and fertilize once per year but watering is a lot of labor so most things get skipped.
Mine took a beating this year with the caterpillars and I lost at least 2 due to that. Overall I started with 100 and today have roughly 70, this was my first catkins and it was only on 1 so next year I am hoping for more to start producing.

 

[williams111]

I am listed on the Hardiness zone map as being in zone 5A but the temps they list are higher than reality and I am more like 4B. I would have to dig up the receipt to see where I bought those, and I will when I get home from work tonight bud. Our DEC offers them in there seedling sale about every 3rd year or so.
I planted these 4 years ago so this is their 4th summer in the ground now. I did try a few different strains and I can safely say that, despite what the nurseries claim, Allegheny are the only ones that will survive our winters. I did baby these the last 2 years during the dry spell and hand carried water on the hill as well as fertilize them after their first summer in the ground. Most things I just plant and fertilize once per year but watering is a lot of labor so most things get skipped.
Mine took a beating this year with the caterpillars and I lost at least 2 due to that. Overall I started with 100 and today have roughly 70, this was my first catkins and it was only on 1 so next year I am hoping for more to start producing.

I appreciate that, I would like to have a few to plant next year. I had a lead on some nuts this year, but it fell through. So hopefully 5 years and maybe a few nuts, I'd be happy with that and 70% survival.

 

[Troubles Trees]

I put far too many things in the ground all at once the first few years I owned the property without any proper means to buy cages or use weed mat let alone hauling water. I blew my habitat savings on the trees with not even a 4 wheeler to haul stuff with, the hard way for sure.
So considering everything I have been through I would be happy with 70% survival rates on everything

 

[Troubles Trees]

It’s been a lot of work getting here that’s for sure. Everything is still young and will take awhile to fill in more but things feel like they are starting to come together.
My Ninebark has flowers this year.


After I planted a couple patches of Ninebark and got more familiar with identifying it, I think this is native Ninebark, if it is I have a bunch of it.


I didn’t have any Milkweed when I moved here so I hand spread it around and it’s spreading well. It’s all obver the



I’m not sure what these are but they cover the same acre in the woods that my Leeks/Ramps grow. It would be nice to know if anyone can identify it.

I believe this is Crown Vetch, I sprayed and raked out a spot just off the lawn and spread a variety of “wildflower” seed packets and this is the only thing that grew. It spread across my wheeler path where I accidentally transplanted Knotweed with my mower. It is a vine that potentially grows 8-10’, I’m hoping it shades out and takes over the Knotweed… because nothing kills Knotweed I’m trying to stay optimistic lol


I planted 3 Hazelnut last year is now 3’ tall and got really bushy this year.

My daughter’s favorite flower, Tiger Lilly :)

 

[rocksnstumps]

Your unknown flower where you also see ramps in the spring is probably just that. The flowers of ramps grow like a month after the leaves start to wither away. Otherwise it looks like some kind of wild onion which really is in the same family as ramps anyway.

 

[Troubles Trees]

Your unknown flower where you also see ramps in the spring is probably just that. The flowers of ramps grow like a month after the leaves start to wither away. Otherwise it looks like some kind of wild onion which really is in the same family as ramps anyway.

I kind of assumed that given the location, but was hoping for confirmation and was too tired to look it up last night bud. You are correct though, I am at work now and plenty of time to look (lol) and I found this.

How to Grow Ramps and Ramsons – Black Gold

 

[williams111]

Im wondering if what you think is native ninebark is actually gooseberry? Below is a pic of gooseberry

 

[Troubles Trees]

Question, if you could only buy 1 impliment for 1 small plot, what would you buy? I am going to guess most will say cultipacker since many had negative effects from tillers and discs.

I finally have a 4-wheeler that is big enough to feasably pull small implements. I am going to plant a brand new (mostly) T&M food plot this August, it is roughly 1 acre without much room to expand beyond an acre because I have painted myself into a corner with everything I have planted. I can't afford a tractor and really couldn't justify the price vs what little I could use if for. I have a friend that I am currently bartering for his 54" Swisher pull behind mower to mow my paths and the plot.

The food plot won't be anything fancy at least until I get the soil better conditioned through plantings, I plan on a burndown with herbacide then Winter Rye and clover the first year and see how many weeds I have to contend with in the seedbank. I may have to retreat and go with buckwheat for a spring smother crop planting next year if it gets too weedy, the end game is to eventually plant WR or buckwheat late spring for weed control and Brassicas for a fall hunting plot.

 

[Troubles Trees]

Im wondering if what you think is native ninebark is actually gooseberry? Below is a pic of gooseberry
View attachment 35601

That looks exactly like mine but I think Gooseberry has thorns? I will have to pay attention to see what kind of berries it produces bud. The Ninebark I planted came from our NYSDEC (our version of your DNR) and if memory serves it said Ninebark is native to NY so I "guessed" the stuff I find growing wild is also the same.

 

[Troubles Trees]

Where did you get your Allegheny Chinquapins? How old are they and how have they done for you? We're in the same zone and I am wanting to try a few of them. Thanks!

Sorry but there is no nursery name on the receipt for the Chinquapin’s bud
Compared to the other 2 nurseries I bought from, these were much cheaper, our DEC sale is even cheaper but not offered every year.

 

[Troubles Trees]

Ok so it took a bit of looking through my old phone but I copy/pasted the link in my old trees folder and found it.
I bought the Allegheny Chinquapin at West Virginia Division of Forestry.

 

[williams111]

Ok so it took a bit of looking through my old phone but I copy/pasted the link in my old trees folder and found it.
I bought the Allegheny Chinquapin at West Virginia Division of Forestry.

Perfect! Thanks for looking! I’ll look into getting some from WVDF