Need fruit tree advice

[wasabi]

We're about to plant 24 fruit trees on a south facing slope that has recently been cleared of second growth. Question is, is it wrth the minor trouble to terrace between the rows (five rows) to make a sort of level roadway for spraying, etc, or just go with the slope of the land which I estimate it to be about 20 degrees...(don't get me started with that grade vs. degree stuff you guys!) Any insights would be appreciated.

 

[mbsil]

I would think that terracing would help prevent erosion of your soil as well as provide a path for the tractor/sprayer/fertilizer.

 

[Dozernut]

Good luck! I think your going to find the deer Are going to create havoc on your fruit trees. We planted several apple, cherry, domestic persimmon, Hiccan, heartnut, pecan, white ash, you name it and we have planted it. The deer have decimated all but a few trees. We have tried hair, soaps, sprays, witch doctors /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gifand other methods. A dog works the best. Not trying to dampen your hopes, just giving you a heads up on what to expect. Deer hunting is a fun sport!/w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

 

[Buster57]

I have 150 Asian pear trees on 3 acres. They are on a very steep slope. I did not terrace them.
We are organically certified so we have not sprayed since I planted the trees in 1988.
As for the deer, nothing will really keep them out unless you have your property fenced in and you have a couple dogs.
I don't mind loosing some pears to the deer-what gets my goat is when they eat my expensive bamboo!
I only hunt the mighty gopher so I would never use my 300 mag or my M-14 on the deer, but I get plenty mad anyway!

 

[Carl_NH]

Wasabi,

If you have deep topsoil and can space the trees apart enough, terracing would make life easier. However most don't have the luxury of 2' of topsoil, and I doubt on a sloping hillside you will find this either.

Also, grading this much will likely cause washouts and root exposure to some trees especially if you have tight spacing between the rows.

Maybe consider planting them evenly spaced so you have an option to mow/drive between the rows up/down or across the sloping hill side at an angle.

Carl

 

[JeffRey30747]

The thing that I have found that will protect fruit trees from deer is a 4' square fence of 5' to 6' chicken wire immediately around the tree. They can't get through the wire because of the fine mesh and they can't jump it because there isn't an open area for them to land in on the other side. It does grow up rather quickly on the inside, but mulch helps prevent that.

 

[mbsil]

I saw an old gardener's remedy for deer once on TV.

Mix 1 dozen eggs in a bucket with 5 gals. water. Mix thoroughly. Pour in to pump sprayer and spray onto the plants to be protected.

The deer will avoid the area due to the smell of the eggs which they apparently hate. You must reapply after it rains.

 

[Chuck52]

I was wondering if there's not some kind of ground cover you might plant that would not require frequent mowing. I've put in a few pecan trees and plan to plant more. In my reading, I found that some commercial pecan growers plant clover between rows of trees, which supplies nitrogen to the trees and, maybe for some clover types, doesn't require as much mowing. I am planting my fruit trees, all semi-dwarf, in mulched rows, so that I only have to mow between the rows. At some point, I may try getting clover established between the rows. BTW, to make the mulched rows easily, I would now use my 60" tiller to till under the sod first. I did that for a road screen of hazelnuts. Then I had my son slowly drive the pickup loaded with mulch straddling the strip while I raked mulch off. We did a 200' strip that way very quickly and easily. Then we put in the trees. Beat the heck out of mulching afterwards.

Chuck

 

[Henry]

Here's a really great guide for small-scale fruit production produced by the Penn State Ag Department.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://ssfruit.cas.psu.edu/>http://ssfruit.cas.psu.edu/</A>

I've found it to be a pretty good read.

Henry

 

[wasabi]

Thanks to all for the tips.

Dozer, the deer are a background concern, but the area has been heavily hunted for years and sometimes reminds us of "silent spring". We see turkey and grouse, but not much sign of deer. Actually, we see as much bear sign as we do deer sign! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif They are not a concern until the trees get bigger....I've heard stories of bears decimating small orchards and vineyards. We're hoping to keep the deer away long enough to allow the trees to grow beyond sapling status. Also hope to eventually glean some venison from our land, but initially may have to hunt elsewhere.

Got dog!....Ridgeback/yellow lab mix.....picture to follow.

Chuck, I really like your mulching idea. Would like to adopt it, with full credit to you as originator, of course./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif I too have been thinking about the nitro-fixing clovers...have heard of orchard grass....I think a mixture is basically in order here.

Carl NH, We've been clearing the area and in the process dug a six foot trench to burn the tops, limbs and roots. The good looking soil is nearly five feet deep, with very few rocks. Go figure! Rows will be fifteen feet apart, trees same spacing.

Buster, I'm rethinking terracing idea, leaning toward Carl's suggestion of keeping both across and up/down options open.

MBSIL, Good idea on the eggs...thanks...coming up with a workable concoction is a good excuse to brush up the old alchemy skills. /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

JeffRey, hope not to have to fence off trees, but if and when....your idea sounds logical...will use it!

Henry, the Penn State link is great stuff. Thanks!

 

[BB_TX]

If adequate rainfall and/or ground water is a problem, then terracing should be a consideration. Terracing will hold rain and let it soak in rather than run off.

 

[wasabi]

Have not really thought much about that part yet BB TX....At the moment, all is fairly soggy. Last summer was a bit dry, but not dangerously so. Eventually, my plan is to put in a nice irrigation system. We have two decent flow year-round springs that are conveniently located near the top (elevation wise) of our land, so, with the right piping/storage tank/valve system, I think we'll have all the high pressure (gravity feed) clean water we'll need.

 

[BB_TX]

Fertilizing is also a consideration. The more the water soaks in rather than runs off, the more your fertilizer will soak in rather than run off.

 

[wasabi]

another good point! Philosophically, we would like to use manure and stay organic. We'll see what the bug population has to teach us.

 

[wasabi]

By the way, Dozer, I neglected to fully respond to your kind heads up on the deer issues. You're absolutely right! They can be worse than bad!

For the last 17 years, I've lived on an island on the coast of SC...where deer are thicker than black flies in the north. Here, not too long ago, one of our venerable old gated communities, (long ago state sanctioned as a nature preserve), made national news by serving up prolonged struggles, lawsuits, counts and re-counts (no chads tho) and absolutely daft divisiveness over whether or not the herds should be thinned. Gardeners and homeowners were up in arms over the loss of shrubbery. Tree huggers were aghast at the thought of dead bambis in the forest preserve. A big thing was also made of driver safety. Eventually, following a multi-year battle, the court allowed the sharpshooters to do their deed and the herd quickly dropped by 250. Other such "plantation" style communities around here just shoot the suckers and distribute the meat through charities.

For years a small herd of about a dozen traipsed through our backyard nightly, nibbling azaleas, bamboo, hostas and virtually anything they could get to. They just laugh at our Pug named Bonsai. For weeks last spring, a doe was bedded down in the backyard by the trampoline near the marsh!

The list of what not to plant here, 'cause the deer like 'em, is ten times as long as what you can plant. They have been known to be bold enough to come up on our back deck to eat the roses. /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

Since we got Buddy, a three year old Rhodesian ridgeback/yellow lab mix, the deer don't come by as often.....he can almost catch 'em! /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

Your advice re: dog is right on...he's the best deer deterrent yet!

You bet hunting is fun...and I like venison!