I want to start a small apple orchard in a small field on my place. I figured about 8-10 trees total and have already picked out the varieties I'm interested in that will pollinate well. I'm mostly interested in just the scenic improvement and I like gardening. The land drains well, gets plenty of sun, soil is good, etc. The issue is there are several big cedars really close. I've been reading about cedar apple rust and have not found good information on how to prevent or mitigate it. Everything is very generic, "there are sprays available", "spray in the spring", etc. I'm looking for very specific information and have not found it, at least something easy to understand. So I called a local orchard for advice, and that was a mistake to say the least... Does anyone know the proper sprays to use on Apple trees and spray schedules for other apple specific care? I have a couple boxelder and a decent size mulberry I'll need to cut down but I want to keep the cedars to provide shade to the other side of the creek where I want to put a little sitting area. I'll try to get pics soon Thanks for any information.
Calling Firewood Bandit Check out his orchard project here.. Orchard expansion project Also search for phase 2, phase 3 and phase 4... Good info..
Moparguy I am curious what the local orchards said, I feel I may say pretty much the same thing. First off you need to decide what rootstock you are going to use. Here are the most common: https://www.goodfruit.com/which-apple-rootstock-should-you-grow-with/ Second you need to assess how much effort you want to put into this. What I and the commercial orchards are doing is fighting Mother Nature. It is possible but not easy or cheap. Without knowing your desires I would suggest "scab resistant" varieties that will have the genetic make up to fight most of the common pests and blights naturally. Far and away the most difficult thing you will battle is fungus, not bugs as they are easy to deal with. Here are examples: A review of apple scab-resistant varieties for commercial growers The Nursery I deal with is excellent but they kind of frown on small orders. They will take it but if you look at the price structure it is not practical until you order at least 25 trees, the price break comes at 100 and orders are 1-2 years in the future. If you are truly serious and want to be bored ad nauseum, PM me and I will give you my phone # and will be glad to talk to you as it is way to complicated to into in this venue.
Thanks for all the help. Those links help and I saw the info was through the MI extension in one of them. That turned on a bulb in my head to check if our ag extension has info available. I didn't know we had info on it through our ag extension, so that was a big help. I sincerely appreciate the advice and links to everything, including your amazing orchard. The orchard I called basically thought I was trying to become a serious competitor... I prefaced the conversation with the usual "I don't want to bother you if you're busy" and he proceeded to be a condescending azz. You know the type...he pretended he didnt want to talk but wanted to keep me on the phone and flaunt when I said "ok, well thanks anyway" trying to hang up. The last thing he said was "why not just rent mine from me and make money that way?" He didn't get that, as unbelievable as it sounds, some people just like gardening and land inprovement.
For a small orchard such as what you're planning there are several decent mail order nursery's that have a great selection of fruit trees. While you're not going to get bulk pricing, you also don't want all the same kind of trees. I have 15 mostly apple trees with a few pear, plum, and cherry trees mixed in. I even have a peach tree that produced 100+ peaches last summer. Never thought I could grow peaches in Northern Wi., they are so good to eat ripened on the tree. All these trees were purchased 2-4 at a time through mail order. Lots of info on tree varieties out there, do your research and then source the trees you want. Firewood Bandit is a great source for info as he has shown. I won't post nursery names here but if you pm me I will give you info on who I have had good luck with.
I go to the annual WAGA, Wisconsin Apple grower's summer conference every year and have gotten to know several of the area growers. When they ask I say I am a "serious hobbyist". I know probably enough to be dangerous. The growers are pretty open and will share knowledge if you ask. What I learned last year is the diminishing return of applying more spray and even encountered what is called phytotoxicity that is injury from application of a fungicide in hot weather and sunshine. The product was applied at the rate considered optimum by the experts but alas it was to much. This generated a conversation of application via gun vs air blast sprayers. I contend there is a difference but the pros said no. Well anyway, it crisped up the leaves a bunch. What I am now working on is spraying what and when products are needed rather than just the calendar. This is based on the NEWA weather stations and degree days for the various conditions. Interesting stuff. click on (pest forecasts) NEWA - Home Page
What kind of peach do you have? I'm in zone 3 North Dakota and have always wished I could have peaches. How do you prep them for winter?
Currently have one called Reliance and it's been very hardy and is 7 years old. With that said though I have had some die over really cold winters with extended below zero days. I have not done anything special for winter prep. We do get alot of snow which insulates the ground somewhat. I would think where you are maybe some straw around the base and some sort of wind protection would help get them through the winter. Just be prepared to lose one once in a while. Should add that we are considered Zone 4A here.
