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Help me with some orchard questions please....

Dannmann801

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Springboro
So we have a 5 acre spot in Adams county that has a pole barn on a couple of mowed acres, and the rest is growing CRP and hardwoods.
I'm going to park Kevin's camper there under a canopy (to keep the weather off of it) and put in a fire ring, and have a place to camp and bring the grandkids and have fun.
One of the things I want to do is plant some fruit trees (apple, peach, cherry) and I'm going to put some steel posts with wire between them to plant blackberries under.
Here's a picture and diagram of what I'm planning to do:


So here are my questions:
'1) My understanding is that fall is the best time to plant fruit trees. Is that correct?
2) Where is a good place to buy trees? I don't mind driving to save money or deal with a place that sells top quality and would help me.
3) I'm thinking apples/peaches/cherry. Are there others I should consider? my long term goal is to have something that the kids/grandkids could visit and harvest in the future.
4) I have water there, and could run hose on a timer for a while after I plant to help success. But it's been really, really dry.....should I wait till next year to plant?
5) I plan to surround individual trees with wire to protect from deer. Do I need to do the same with the blackberry bushes?
6) @xbowguy Rick told me a specific brand of blackberry to plant, but I forgot it, Rick could you remind me? And if anyone else has input I'm listening. I picked blackberries as a kid, and now I wanna afford my grandkids the opportunity.
7) Is there another type of berry that I should plant?
8) What else am I not thinking about?
Frog Hollow layout.webp
 
I don't understand what that means, please elaborate...
I’m thinking he’s pruning trees in December and January when trees are mostly dormant. Lots of great info on YouTube I’ve found Dan. Cross Pollination of compatible varieties is crucial and pruning correctly is too.
Not sure what Ben meant by drop tree in PA though.? Maybe he planted 20 trees and one died so far?🤷🏻‍♂️
 
I’m thinking he’s pruning trees in December and January when trees are mostly dormant. Lots of great info on YouTube I’ve found Dan. Cross Pollination of compatible varieties is crucial and pruning correctly is too.
Not sure what Ben meant by drop tree in PA though.? Maybe he planted 20 trees and one died so far?🤷🏻‍♂️
If I recollect correctly, he was taking parts of a tree and transplanting it.
 
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Do a soil test now, get the fertility, especially pH where it needs to be now. Plant in the spring. If there’s varying elevation on the property avoid the low spots because of frost. Apples and cherries require cross pollination so you need at least 2 varieties of those. For a small orchard I’d look at Stark bros nursery, they also have videos on youtube on pruning. Don’t get trees from a big box store. Go to your extension office for tree fruit spray guides.
 
I would recommend anyone that’s going to do this to look up air layering trees.

Save ya a lot of money fairly simple to do.

I would add in some mulberry trees as well.

Right now a lot of places are selling fruit trees at 50 percent off.

If they have fruits on them cut them off. Personally I would cut any fruits off first five years to just let the tree grow.

If you decide not to plant this year and had access to some compost manure I would dig the holes and put compost in now.

Last but not least if you go the way of air layering be aware that you still need two different trees to pollinate each other so if ya do 5 cuttings off same tree and planted they would not pollinate each other.

Best of luck!👍
 
Doyle Thornless Blackberries.
And if you can find them: Persimmon Trees! Our Bartlet Pear tree is only 5 yrs old... but the deer are on it regular. Yellow apples are better than red for a deer attractant also...
 
You can buy rootstock for about $5 each. Learn to graft then start grafting your own. The advantage is you will know the characteristics of the root. Big box stores are grafted to mystery rootstock.

I’ve been using M111 roots for my new orchard.

I’d also add elderberry to your list. These are easily grown from cuttings.