Based on a thread here and the good

[Red Good]

things said about Grandpa's Orchard I ordered some trees a couple weeks ago. They showed up the other day and we got them all planted and wired off from the deer and rabbits . A Granny Smith , a Honey crisp , a couple of Stella's sweet cherries and a couple of Husaina (sp) pears and a couple of peach trees . Hope to keep the deer out of them and can't wait till they are flowering .
Always had apple trees when growing up and missed them a bunch . Hope to plant a lot more over the next couple of years . Anyone else have fruit trees .

Red

[Magicman]

Your post made me smile this morning.  I well remember all of the fruit trees that we had when I was growing up.  Peach, plum, pear, apple, & fig trees, and then we would go to the woods and get muscadine grapes.  Black berries and Dew berries were also a must.

I admire you for starting your very own orchard.  The Spring blooms will bring joy.   

[thecfarm]

My Father had alot of trees. Apples,pears,cherries,plums,seem like he tried a few nut trees. He worked on them trees alot. He really enjoyed them. Always be something that would happen to the fruit. Be it a late frost,too much rain. He had one real pretty pear tree. It was shaped like a Y. Something got up into the crotch of the tree after the pears and split that thing down. That was so sad. Killed the tree. He tried to save it,but kinda knew it was in vain. There was only a few pears and he saw no reason to prop that one up.
Have fun with your orchard. I miss my Father talking about the trees. Make a map up of the kind of trees and when and where you planted them. Keep a journal too. My Father never kept a journal of the trees. I wished he would have. I would enjoy reading through it.

[Magicman]

 

 
This is the Pear tree at the Cabin that my Mom set out in 1937. 

[Larro Darro]

Don't have much here at our new place. But at the old house {where I was raised, a mile down the road} we have grapes, figs, apple persimmons, two kinds of blueberry, two kinds of pears, two kinds of kumquat, satsumas, and even some apple trees. The apple trees are a hybrid from Israel, designed for warmer weather, but they still don't bear that often. It is hard to remember what is ripe without seeing it everyday. The deer eat more of it these days than we do.

Larro

[giant splinter]

Apple and cherry trees are what I have and the wildlife always seem to know just when they are ready, I have a couple small fields of alfalfa and areas of forage grasses with clover mixed in that is a very popular area for deer,moose,elk,turkeys and many other birds and animals. It's always nice to see them out in the fields and they leave behind the seeds of wildflowers and other plants that show up in the spring through summer months.

Support Wildlife ....... Throw A Party!

[Den Socling]

When I was a kid my parent's property was adjacent to my Grandfather's. When my Grandfather was young, he planted a lot of fruit trees. When I was old enough to climb the trees were fully grown. I would sit in those cherry trees for hours. 

[Red Good]

Thanks guys , it's kinda neat to hear of others experiences with fruit trees . I started with raspberries and blueberries and grapes about 3 years ago . Had no idea I had any interest till I came home from Lowe's with a bunch of stuff . Deer and others got the blueberries and raspberries before they had a chance to get going . But the grapes have been very successful . About 10-12 plants and using the yard fence as the growing rail . This year ate grapes by the handful and all I wanted . Need to prune and shape them some more .

Also about the same time thought about a privacy fence but we are so rural would rather something green so planted about  65 giant arbor vitae / colum cedars . What a battle that has been with 2 drought years and consistant temps over 90 degrees .Have run irrigation to all of them and have still lost a bunch . Started filling in the gaps with hollies , hoping they do a little better with the heat . Really just looking for year round coverage as the neighbor has a personal wrecking yard and don't want to see it after all the leaves come off . I will gety some pics soon  .

Red

[ND rancher]

Great job on the orchard,generations from now will thank you.The Honey Crisp does not produce well or not at all for years so might want to add another one to your planting.

[Red Good]

Thanks ND , I did not realize that . The way this feels I will probably be ordering more trees fairly soon anyway . Find myself down there 2 or 3 times a day just checking it all out again . lol

[5quarter]

Good for you Red! one cannot plant too many fruit trees.  ;)  A bit of advice...If you are planting a legacy orchard, buy only standard stock; no dwarf or semi dwarf trees. While they often fruit sooner and are easier to manage, their lifespan is short; perhaps 25-35 years. Many standard size trees, while harder to manage, have much longer lifespans (75+ years). I have an apple tree on my property in NY that is just over 120 years old and still bearing a strong annual crop. I have about 20 fruit trees now and will be adding another 15 or so next year

[kderby]

I have been planting apple trees for three years now.  Last year I added some Chestnut!  Mostly for wildlife, I am planting full size trees.  There were four large/old trees across the road from the house but the neighbor wiped them out last year.  I enjoyed watching the deer come to see what the could find under the trees.  My response to the lost trees is to get another generation started.

I have lost some, failing to water the new plantings and rodent (vole) damage.  I am learning as I go.  I do know to keep the porcupine, deer and elk away from them!

The Antonovka is a full size hardy root stock with a larger apple.  From a Washington nursery, they are cheap (10/$25.00).  See raintreenursery.com/Antonovka_Apple_Rootstock for reference.  I have the intention of planting more.  The deer don't care about the variety.

I hope to share this habit with others as my trees begin to grow and show some production.  Lots of old homesteads have old trees that are failing due to the march of time.  We had better get busy creating the future we want to see!  Apple trees in springtime bloom, buzzing with honey bees and apple seeking deer in the fall, that is a future I can believe in!

Kderby   

[coxy]

I have been planting apple trees for three years now.  Last year I added some Chestnut!  Mostly for wildlife, I am planting full size trees.  There were four large/old trees across the road from the house but the neighbor wiped them out last year.  I enjoyed watching the deer come to see what the could find under the trees.  My response to the lost trees is to get another generation started.

I have lost some, failing to water the new plantings and rodent (vole) damage.  I am learning as I go.  I do know to keep the porcupine, deer and elk away from them!

The Antonovka is a full size hardy root stock with a larger apple.  From a Washington nursery, they are cheap (10/$25.00).  See raintreenursery.com/Antonovka_Apple_Rootstock for reference.  I have the intention of planting more.  The deer don't care about the variety.

I hope to share this habit with others as my trees begin to grow and show some production.  Lots of old homesteads have old trees that are failing due to the march of time.  We had better get busy creating the future we want to see!  Apple trees in springtime bloom, buzzing with honey bees and apple seeking deer in the fall, that is a future I can believe in!

Kderby   

awesome job my 17 year old daughter wants to start growing fruit trees to  do you have to have two pear trees to get fruit or can I have just one

[Ernie]

5 different apples, 2 pears, 2 plums, 3 persimmon, 1 ugli fruit, 1 grapefruit, 3 lemons, 1 lime, 1 orange (isn't producing well at all), 6 grapes, 2 passion fruit, 1 tamarillo, 5 feijoas, 1 avocado, 1 olive (gives me nothing), 2 tangelos, heaps of cape gooseberries, 2 kiwi fruit.  All the cherries, peaches, nectarines and other stone fruit didn't do at all well and died at the hands of my chainsaw, blueberries were no good and we have only wild blackberries.  The grandchildren love harvesting and we can get something virtually year round.  No deer problems only rabbits and possums(the bushy tailed Aussie ones) and they succumb to lead poisoning quite easily. We don't eat the possums although I hear they are good but a nice rabbit casserole is a joy to the palate.