Setting Up Your Orchard!

[Jordan Selsor]

Mo-- buddy has big farm in Decatur Co Iowa... he likes Arkansas Black for apples. That's his #1 he says.

He has 30 acre orchard.

I'm a fan as well
Of the handful of Mo apples I have planted Arkansas black is going the best!

 

[MoBuckChaser]

How resistant are the Arkansas Black's to CAR?

 

[TreeDaddy]

Lotta great advice here

still laughing at the "apple dumbass" tag

I often feel like a plum,pear,persimmon,etc,etc,fill in blank dumbass compared to you fellas

bill

 

[MoBuckChaser]

Lotta great advice here

still laughing at the "apple dumbass" tag

I often feel like a plum,pear,persimmon,etc,etc,fill in blank dumbass compared to you fellas

bill

We all can't be an expert on everything, well, one guy try's on here. LOL! But since I am on double secret probation right now, I won't mention any names......

 

[sandbur]

John- I have a variety of neglected apple trees that you are welcome to look at. We probably need Stu to tell us how it should have been done.
I don't know about Missouri weather, but I like some trees on a gentle north slope and some on a gentle south slope.

North slope trees break dormancy later, and bloom slightly later. That might protect them from a late frost.
In Minnesota, I just mix the crabs in with the apples. Hell they are all apples anyway and the deer don't care if they are bigger than 2 inches or not. Actually, I think they prefer smaller apples that are bite sized.

I have been trying to keep an eye on CAR, but you should have far more choices of varieties in your climate than me.

 

[Gator]

If you plan to plant or need to mow between trees, I would stick to 30 foot spacing if not more. Mine are at 20 and it's a f'n nightmare to mow (I just mowed it this weekend).

 

[MoBuckChaser]

John- I have a variety of neglected apple trees that you are welcome to look at. We probably need Stu to tell us how it should have been done.
I don't know about Missouri weather, but I like some trees on a gentle north slope and some on a gentle south slope.

North slope trees break dormancy later, and bloom slightly later. That might protect them from a late frost.
In Minnesota, I just mix the crabs in with the apples. Hell they are all apples anyway and the deer don't care if they are bigger than 2 inches or not. Actually, I think they prefer smaller apples that are bite sized.

I have been trying to keep an eye on CAR, but you should have far more choices of varieties in your climate than me.

It looks like my choices are somewhat limited with having all the cedars we do. But the cedars are one reason we have so many deer. So its a catch 22 situation.

 

[MoBuckChaser]

If you plan to plant or need to mow between trees, I would stick to 30 foot spacing if not more. Mine are at 20 and it's a f'n nightmare to mow (I just mowed it this weekend).

I have a brush mower on a skid loader and my 25' spacing should be fine.....I hope!

 

[Gator]

I have a brush mower on a skid loader and my 25' spacing should be fine.....I hope!

I'm sure the skid steer is much more maneuverable than my tractor. Mine would be much easier if I would take the loader off the tractor, but I'm lazy and always short on time. The issue is more the distance between cages not the distance between the tree trunks.

 

[MoBuckChaser]

I'm sure the skid steer is much more maneuverable than my tractor. Mine would be much easier if I would take the loader off the tractor, but I'm lazy and always short on time. The issue is more the distance between cages not the distance between the tree trunks.

72" wide is all it is. You can go back and forth so easy!

 

[Turkey Creek]

How resistant are the Arkansas Black's to CAR?

Resistant

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Like Bur said at post #28 - I have some on gentle north slopes and gentle south slopes. I planted ours following advice on here and it works, some earlier and some later blooming times.

 

[MoBuckChaser]

My orchard will slope gently from north to south, hope that will work.

 

[Turkey Creek]

My orchard will slope gently from north to south, hope that will work.

That would be ideal for sun exposure as would running your rows north and south as well (which looks like you plan to on your original diagram).

 

[MoBuckChaser]

What is the elevation change from N to S?

Guessing 6-8' in 200'?

 

[MoBuckChaser]

Does the land continue to slope away from the trees? You don't want trees at a low point to avoid the "frost pocket effect"

Yes drops another 30' in 500' then drops off down to the creek. I think I am safe I hope.

 

[emetzger]

Mo,
A few things that have helped my orchard:
1. Planting the rows in a clover so when I spray my trees I can spray clethodiuim and not worry about drift.
2. Put in Bees
3. Sweeten your orchard with Muscadines.

I have some early dropping varieties that I added last year and my main orchard is Yates and Arkansas black, with a few Honey Crisp. Yates are an incredible deer apple, often holding into Nov-Dec.

 

[MoBuckChaser]

Sweet Orchard!

 

[MoBuckChaser]

Mo,

You thinking about raising bees too?

i have enough irons in the fire right now. But the Barracuda wants too, so you never know!

 

[buckdeer1]

Looks great,my bucks wouldn't treat those bare trunks very nice