How long to let a young tree grow fruit-less?
greyongray
11 years ago
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budbackeast
11 years agonoss
11 years agoRelated Discussions
How hard is it to grow fruit trees organically?
Comments (6)'m not sure where on GW to post this... so I'll start here since my hope to is to do my yard 100% organic. Then do it. I have read your posts here and on the container forum so I get where you are coming from. I can't say I completely agree with you in terms of your priorities, but that really doesn't matter. Your priorities are yours and mine are mine and there is no sense in quarrelling over them. Anyway, after some preliminary searches here, there's so much talk about footies and bugs and critters and molds and funguses and so on... I'm not sure i'm up for it all yet. LOL The problems get a lot of attention. Those who have success stories don't. You mentioned that you used to have a plum tree that did well with no interference from you. If you search the forums you will find posts by others growing plums that have experienced every kind of problem known to human kind. Problems get more attention and can skew your understanding of what it takes to do well with a plant if you place too much attention on those problems. I am not saying to ignore sound horticultural knowledge, just that on the net there are too many postings, many of them painting dire pictures of all sorts of problems to take seriously. Pears are one of the easiest fruit trees for me to grow without chemicals, but that is largely because they have only a few really serious problems that would make a life or death difference in my area. You kind of have to get to know your area to know what will work and what will not given the limitations you are imposing upon yourself. If fire blight is a real problem then you have one set of considerations and if it isn't then you don't have to worry about them. There are a number of serious pests/diseases regardless of where you are. Living in Wisconsin I can't do much to help you grow stuff in your area. All I can do is tell you to not worry about any of it until you see it....See Morehow to grow healthy fruit trees organically?
Comments (24)If you have a good number of cedar trees within a mile of your trees, it will be difficult to deal with Cedar Apple Rust (CAR) on apple trees. Speaking only from my experience in a cesspool of cedars, the young trees will be attacked yearly, causing severe damage to the leaves each year, not good for a young tree with no reserves to draw from year after year. I watched my 2 supposedly CAR resistant trees (Freedom and Jonafree) get ravaged for their first 3 years causing very mature leaf fall each year before trying to spray for control. The praying has worked and the trees have been growing nicely since. Liberty is supposed to handle CAR pretty well as are some others whose names escape me at the moment. Keep in mind that my location experiences extreme CAR disease pressure every year, if your area only has light pressure, you may be able to get by with no controls. As to peach, it is highly likely your trees will be susceptible to Peach Leaf Curl, it can be very hard on trees especially over years as it too will defoliate the trees. One remedy under mild to low pressure is a single application of copper in the fall to all of the trunk and branches. If in subsequent years that doesn't get the job done, a fall application followed by an early Spring application just before bud break should do the trick. Fruit trees are tough, start while you are young.... wish I did :)...See MoreHow long for a Mango tree (from seedling) to set fruit?
Comments (23)There are tall growing varieties and there are not so tall growing ones. Probably your best course of action is to let it grow as tall as possible to get a thickened trunk then cut it very low. That way you should get a number of side shoots/branches. If you cut it early with a thin trunk you're likely to get fewer branches. Having it up against a fence reduces the area branches have to spread out and is what promotes a taller tree. If you had a grafted tree those don't grow as tall as the ungrafted ones....See MoreCan I let my young apricot tree to bear fruit?
Comments (7)In my opinion, for the 2nd year tree, I would either remove flower buds now or let them flowers (if you want to see how beautiful it looks) and remove all flowering clusters after that. Such a young tree should waste energy to produce fruit in its 2nd year. Let the tree uses its energy to grow and establish. You'll get better a return of your investment in the long run. Also, young trees often abort their fruitlets when they are not ready. I'd rather help the tree now before it goes that far....See MoreUser
11 years agotimmy2green
11 years agobudbackeast
11 years agojenniferarino83
11 years agobudbackeast
11 years agoUser
11 years agobudbackeast
11 years agobudbackeast
11 years agonoss
11 years agoFMD_
11 years agoUser
11 years agofoolishpleasure
11 years ago
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