apple tree's

[066blaster]

Here's a ultra red Jonathan tree. These grow more vigorously than honeycrisp. Also the apples are more spread out . No thinning needed. These will be huge apples also. 4 year old tree. Have them for a pollinator for the honeycrisp. The apples aren't worth a whole lot. Good for pies, sauce, cider. Hand eating. Just not real popular.

 

[boxygen]

What do you use to mulch with? My wife recently took an orcharding class and they said that the chips from hardwood branches 3 inches and smaller are whats best. Something about the microbes that occur in that size branch. I dont remember exactly, but it was very specific. We put in a small "orchard" which is like a dozen trees.

 

[066blaster]

I get some from are city dump that is any brush or trees and wood furniture. They have a huge tube grinder. Also been getting some from a tree service I just use it to keep the soil moist and weeds down alittle. I use fertilizer for nutrients.

 

[066blaster]

One thing to watch is your graft union. If the soil gets to high around the tree the scion can root and you will loose your dwarfing characteristics.

 

[066blaster]

That graft union will get lower as the diameter increases. Plus mulch layers. I'm gonna pull some dirt and mulch away from my lower trunks next year. Here's a new tree and a 4.5 year old tree. With a couple mulch layers. At planting plant them as high as possible.

 

[066blaster]

What do you use to mulch with? My wife recently took an orcharding class and they said that the chips from hardwood branches 3 inches and smaller are whats best. Something about the microbes that occur in that size branch. I dont remember exactly, but it was very specific. We put in a small "orchard" which is like a dozen trees.

I wouldn't worry too much or at all about what mulch you use. Be more worried about the sprays you use. You will need Lyme sulfer, rally, imidan, captan, malathion. The last 4 can be mixed together For a great fruit tree spray. The Lyme sulfer sanitizes the dormant tree in spring. Stay away from carboral or sevin it will chemically thin your apples and can also leave burn marks on the apples. Also add a sticker/spreader To the last 4 for good coverage as the leaves and apples tend to repel water. Do some research or ask me a question. If you want. Most times by the time you identify the problem it's too late. But hey there's always next year.

 

[066blaster]

Honeycrisp are just about ready. They are really red this year. Hopefully I get a little more size in the next week.

 

[kyle1!]

Yum...honeycrisp are my favorite.

 

[hedge hog]

what kind or insecticide do you use for your apple trees?
I used Brigade for the first time this year on my pecan trees and going to try on my apples next year.

 

[066blaster]

what kind or insecticide do you use for your apple trees?
I used Brigade for the first time this year on my pecan trees and going to try on my apples next year.

Imadan, malathion, pyrethrin, I have used sevin at times but probably won't use again. It can leave marks on the apples.

 

[hedge hog]

yes I didn't like what seven does ether so I was looking for something else and ran across brigade that we were spraying it on 600 acres of cotton.
its has the biggest spectrum I have seen

 

[c5rulz]

Great job 066 Blaster.

What root stock are you using to grow that size?

In order to not hijack, I will start another apple thread.

 

[c5rulz]

Do you have to spray apples??

If you want high quality apples, you must spray them. Surprisingly enough, insects are fairly easy to control, the fungus related issues are much more serious to growing good apples.

 

[c5rulz]

Here's a couple 4 year old honeycrisp trees. Definitely not the best ones I have but the one has about 75 apples on it. Also they are a little crooked. I didn't get the conduit in till year 3. Needs to be done first year or at planting. These have more growing to do , those apples will be big. Some will get knocked off as they get bigger. I should have hand thinned a little more.View attachment 365040View attachment 365040 View attachment 365041

That seems like a fairly large # of apples for that small a tree. I have a gauge to determine how many they should have.

Last year I started with chemical thinners, (Fruitlome & Sevin) on all of my trees, amazing stuff but there is an art to it as all react differntly.

 

[c5rulz]

This picture is a mistake, I can't get it out because I am ignorant.

Here are my 2.5 year old trees. These are on #9 & #111 rootstock. These are Linda Macs.
Pretty impressive since these were 1/2 - 5/8ths stock.

The new trees.

 

[066blaster]

That seems like a fairly large # of apples for that small a tree. I have a gauge to determine how many they should have.

Last year I started with chemical thinners, (Fruitlome & Sevin) on all of my trees, amazing stuff but there is an art to it as all react differntly.

They are on bud 9 rootstock. I will be hand thinning them from now on. 1 apple per cluster, every other cluster, is a good rule to follow. Leaves good fruiting buds for the next year and you should get nice sized apples. I know with a standard size tree hand thinning is not possible. I had some fire blight issues this year and lost 5 new trees and had to do some major pruning on a couple of mature trees. I hope next spring isn't as raining as this year was!!

 

[066blaster]

Are they on M 111 rootstock. Semi standard size? M 9 would be full dwarf. That seems like a really big spacing between the trees. Does that delay fruiting?. On my trees I get some fruit the first year and year 2 is really decent.

 

[c5rulz]

I didn't do any pruning this summer on the young trees as I also heard fire blight was around and didn't want to take a chance.

With standards, hand thinning isn't an option.

 

[c5rulz]

Are they on M 111 rootstock. Semi standard size? M 9 would be full dwarf. That seems like a really big spacing between the trees. Does that delay fruiting?. On my trees I get some fruit the first year and year 2 is really decent.

I misspoke, the majority are on #7 and a few are on #111.

 

[066blaster]

I only cut out the infected branches. I dint do any regular pruning. I didn't even cut the suckers off, I didn't want any open wounds . If fire blight gets in a sucker your tree is gone.