Planning ahead - dirt

[NY_Terrence]

Last year, my "nursery" was at camp. Picture is dated 8/22/15. It was 4'x8' and I had about 25 grafts. This year I'm going to build one 8'x16' for 50 grafted trees. So, 4x larger for twice the trees. More space. Most importantly, it will be at home so I can keep a better eye on the trees. Water, weed, etc.

I think I read that some use mushroom compost. If yes, straight up or mixed with something else?

Any other tips?

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I use mushroom compost - but not in a nursery. I don't have a nursery. I plant my trees in their final spot and mix the mush. compost with the native soil when I backfill the holes. I've gone as much as 3/4 mush. soil to 1/4 native soil and it worked fine. Straight mush. compost ( the aged kind ) is too crumbly to hold water for long, IMO. Native soil is finer ( at my location anyway ) and binds together better to preserve moisture. The aged mush. compost is black / very dark brown, crumbly and has a "fluffy " feel to it. Great stuff !!

 

[aerospacefarmer]

Last year, my "nursery" was at camp. Picture is dated 8/22/15. It was 4'x8' and I had about 25 grafts. This year I'm going to build one 8'x16' for 50 grafted trees. So, 4x larger for twice the trees. More space. Most importantly, it will be at home so I can keep a better eye on the trees. Water, weed, etc.

I think I read that some use mushroom compost. If yes, straight up or mixed with something else?

Any other tips?

Nice looking enclosure. How much will it cost to build? I see you have root trapper bag. If you invest in those and plant with in a year after grafting you wont need to have a nursery. If you will wait 2 years then it might be pushing it with the 3 gallon bags but they would work in year one for sure. Not sure what those bags are going for these days but its probably more than an enclosure but they do work great for me

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I should have pointed out that the trees I plant at camp are grafted nursery trees from the likes of Cummins, SLN, & ACN. Any trees I graft are planted in pots and babied at home for 1 year first. ( post #2 above ) ^^^

 

[leexrayshady]

Per Mr. Ed

50% topsoil, 50% mushroom compost.

 

[greyphase]

I also use the 50% topsoil- 50% mushroom mulch mix. Be sure your mushroom mulch is "aged". I used some fresh mushroom mulch last year in pots and killed the rootstock.

 

[buckvelvet]

Why do you 'nursery' trees from actual nurseries they are plenty ready to go to their final spots already....?

 

[CrazyEd]

Per Mr. Ed

50% topsoil, 50% mushroom compost.

This stuff is gold compared to the sand at my farm.

 

[buckvelvet]

I have a mushroom factory 3 miles from my house I can get all the compost i want for free. Yee haw!

 

[NY_Terrence]

Thanks for the input. Basically, I tried to follow the CrazyEd model. The enclosure was designed for my grafts, not trees purchased from a nursery. Last year, I used 100% topsoil.

In addition to 25 or so young grafts in the photo, I have about 7 7-gallon root trappers with young grafts. I have them buried in a mulch pile this winter, but I worry that the trees are more susceptible to damage from cold that way than the ones simply planted in the enclosure? Thoughts?

If it is a tie, then the root trappers are a better option because of the root pruning benefits and the ease of transferring the trees.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

BV - If you were asking me about putting nursery grown trees in my own nursery ......... you read it wrong. I plant those directly in their final spot. Trees that I graft to rootstocks - those I plant in pots for 1 year. I'm not sure who you were asking though.

Good to have a mush. compost source so close, BV !! Nice & handy.

 

[buckvelvet]

BV - If you were asking me about putting nursery grown trees in my own nursery ......... you read it wrong. I plant those directly in their final spot. Trees that I graft to rootstocks - those I plant in pots for 1 year. I'm not sure who you were asking though.

Good to have a mush. compost source so close, BV !! Nice & handy.

Oh yes I'm pretty excited about my close quarters mushroom compost. :)

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Ed - yeah - that's the stuff. ( post #8 pic ). I get it by the truck-load for planting our apples and spruces, hawthorns, dogwoods, etc. Great stuff !! All organic goodies, bacteria, micronutrients, etc. I swear that's what kicks our trees into GO mode.

 

[woodduck]

Do any of you guys ever top dress mush compost around already existing apple trees ?

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Yes - but I spread it outside my cages around the perimeter of the cages. I don't put it on top of my crushed limestone that I surround the trees with. By putting it around the perimeter of the cages, I'm putting the compost around the drip line of the trees and I can work it into the soil with a 4-pronged gardening hook. No need to get inside the cages.

 

[woodduck]

Would you incorporate granular fertilizer in with the compost ?

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Woodduck - I haven't to this point. We have fairly good soil & I think the compost is enough. ( at least so far ! ) We seem to get good amount of growth each year and I don't want to stimulate excessive vegetative growth on the trees. That may change if one of the long-term apple guys suggests putting granular fertilizer down as well. I'm only 4 years into this apple tree planting program - I go by what the experienced guys suggest and also the university profs. and nursery owners. So far-so good ........ at least at our camp location.

 

[woodduck]

Thanks Bowsnbucks, I'm only about 6 or so years into my wildlife orchard....and only going into the 2nd having any real knowledge. My 1st attempts were ''to dig a hole, put an apple tree variety that sounded good with no idea what rootstock meant in the hole, toss in a fertilizer packet and walk away'' Much has been learned since with a lot more to absorb. 90% of the information I've learned has been from reading information the guys on this forum have posted. This is the first I've seen anything about mushroom compost and find it interesting and hopefully helpful to my old wild trees, young neglected trees and my soon to be planted trees.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Woodduck - If you want to use any mushroom compost - if you can find a source - make sure it's AGED mushroom compost. New, fresh compost is hot and may very well burn your trees. The aged stuff is usually a year or 2 old and has been sitting outside to decompose and cool off. Same reason farmers don't put fresh-cut, green hay in a barn - it'll set the barn on fire !! The aged stuff is 5-star organic gold for a soil amendment.

We did the same thing at our camp some years ago. Guys bought apple trees wherever they were cheap and who knows what we had for rootstocks and varieties. They never panned out and the trees just fizzled and died. After much research by me, we started to get a handle on varieties and rootstocks, planting methods, pruning, protection from deer, rodents, etc. Now our camp has a newer orchard and " out-lying " apples and crabs in hunting spots that are thriving. It's been fun to learn all these things and see success finally. I just try to pass on what I've learned & try to help others doing the same orchard thing. I'm still learning and will keep at it. Good luck with the trees !!

 

[woodduck]

Thanks Bowsnbucks, I do not have a mushroom compost source. I see online that the Home Depot has bagged mush compost....does not say it's aged, I'm just assuming it is at this point. I'll have to actually check it out. Does anybody use bagged mushroom compost or know if the bagged compost is aged?