Help with plants for under apple tree
l pinkmountain
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
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emmaleighmia
3 years agoken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
3 years agoRelated Discussions
Planting my first Apple Tree / Blueberry, please help!
Comments (11)A common mistake is to try to fill a hole for a tree with non-native soil. As pointed out above, this can create a "bowl" where water will collect and drown the roots. It can also cause a problem with the tree not wanting to send roots out into the native soil. Dig the hole wider than deep, mix in a bit of amendments, but primarily use the native soil to fill back in. Re blueberries in pots, I would highly suggest reading another long thread on pot mixes. Container Soils - Water Movement and Retention XIX As I've played around this spring with various mixes in setting up blueberries in pots, the principles in that thread have been very useful in creating a mix that keeps the roots moist, but doesn't drown the roots. As Bradybb suggested, I've settled on a mix that is primarily composted pine bark fines of an appropriate size mix to provide an appropriate balance between moisture retention and adequate drainage. Adjust the amount of peat moss to adjust moisture retention. The bark and peat mix will start you off with the right pH for a healthy plant....See Moreplanting a meadow under apple orchard?
Comments (8)Our home has two mature apple trees that produced a giant crop last year. I didn't have the time or means to deal with it. So I piled all the bushels of windfalls around the trees (a good 1 foot deep) and piled leaves on top to hide it from the city inspectors. This summer it looks like a beautiful compost circle around each tree. Now the trees hardly had fruit this year which might be due to the frozen apple glacier on their roots! Outside of that circle we have a lot of violets. Violets are consider a problem for lawns but I like them. They don't grow real tall. They don't mind being mowed. The flowers are pretty. That orchard Floor Management site had some good photos. The rye grass planting looked pretty impressive for keeping out weeds. Wonder if you could plant rye the first year like that site shows to eliminate weeds, and then introduce some more attractive prairie plants mixed with rye in later years. Just an idea...See MoreWhat do you have/ plant under dwarf-ish (fruit) apple-trees
Comments (4)Thanks for your comments, I like the daffodils, I reckon if you plant rhem deeply, propperly, weeding wont harm them, and they can get really old around here Apart from that I will then stick to mulching and keep few Ladys mantle on the strip between the kiwi plants. it was an odd year, late frost killed all new foliage, they resprouted, and now, after a long dry spell, 2 looked quite bad (hadn't watered their spot properly), the third had dipped into water for near by roses (I guess), and managed to send out a new, really long shoot, yei!...See MoreHelp with One Apple Apple Tree
Comments (9)Honestly, you might be better just pulling it out and planting a known apple. Who knows what rootstock you have, could range from a super dwarf m26 (unlikley) that will never get taller than 7' up to a seedling rootstock (unlikley) that will be 40'+. And the apples are probably some commercial variety that needs a ton of spraying to stay healthy and provide any fruit. Instead get a rootstock that will do well in your climate, with your disease pressure and that will be a size you will be happy with. Then make sure your apples are a disease resistant variety. Make sure that the 2 will flower at close to the same time (less important if you have flowering crabs in your area) because apples need another variety to cross polinate. It is also nice to have 2 different ripening times so you are not overloaded with apples at one time then get nothing for the rest of the season. Early apples such as Pristine, Redfree, Williams pride. Mid season like Crimson Crisp, Liberty, Macfree, ect. Late season like Enterprise, Goldrush, ect. Although you are in zone 8 so warmer climate guys could probably direct you to better apples for you (i'm in zone 4). Since it is just going to be 2 trees and in your backyard read about ''bagging'' apples. Can work well for spray free fruit. Good luck!...See MoreEmbothrium
3 years agoraee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
3 years agolinaria_gw
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agofloral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
3 years agol pinkmountain
2 years ago
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