Apple Trees

[jostev]

anyone know how to maintain apple trees we got a couple in our backyard, and they are purty big, but there are alot of bugs and stuff eating the apples, also the quantities of apples are going down hill, but i was just wondering ifn there is anything easy that i can do, like maybe cut down other trees near it? we really dont' need the apple tree, but i thought it would be cool to have some of our own apples

thanks for any advice

Johnny

[Little Indy]

Go to the county extension and get a book on pruning. Also ask about spaying schules for your area. Also clean up and place in compost pile any windfalls. They harbor next year pests.

Richard

[Little Indy]

I forgot.

Many but not all apples are sensitive to a fungus from sprice trees. If you are going to cut trees down. They may be a good choice

Richard

[jostev]

ok, thanks, i will keep that in mind, i think around me used to be a huge apple orchard because alot of my neighbors have apple trees, and alot of them are in rows etc... boy would it be nice to know what it used to look like back then...

thanks

Johnny

[freebird]

Pruning and thinning will help. Also look for lichens (moss) on the tops of branches. I have to scrape mine every year.

[Rudi]

Make sure that there are no flowering crab's around... not too many apples if that particular tree is in the neighbourhood....

I got that warning from the owner of our local and largest apple orchard .. and it is a biggie..

We are going to be getting a pruning/grafting and care workshop in April apparently. Oh, and he told me how to take care of the gall on my Damson plums as well...

I am looking forward to April already..

[Jack]

Rudi how did they tell you to get rid of the gall on your plum trees

[beaconlight]

This time of year use dormant oil spray. It kills the pests over wintering in the bark of your tree. Follow the directions on the bottle. Fertelizer with in the drip line of the tree helps too. Most apples and many other fruit set a heavy crop one year and a smaller one the next. If the first is excessively large it may take 3 years to fully recover. Pruning is essential too. Any branches straight up, thoise growing too the center and any straight out are a good place to start. All trees branches fail eventually if the do not have a crotch of less than 90 degrees. Cut near the trunk, near the main branch or just past a bud if a branch. It may take a couple of years to bring the tree back. Visit your local Cooperative Extension and/or contact your states Land Grant College for books and pamphlets.
Don't compost the clippings near the trees. Leaf litter can harbor insect pests too. Keep the grass cut around the trees too.
Again contact Cooperative Extension. Some librarys have good references too.

[Russell F]

My mule prunes mine

My father used to maintain a small orchard at the top of the pasture, after he died we let it go and just mowed the grass, most the trees died except for 4 apple trees. I fenced it all in a few years ago, the apple trees never had much yield prior to then. It started with a horse i had then that found the few apples on one tree. He grabbed the ones he could get and rattled the branches to get the rest. The next year the yield increased, the animals literally walked a ditch around the trees looking for apples that had fell. This last year the yield was so great i had to fence around the big tree for fear of colic. My mule would work his hind end under the tree and shake the whole thing, grab and pull branches and just get violent with them. I even saw him get on his hind legs and strain to get higher apples. The trees just keep coming back stronger and stronger, it may have something to do with the manure they tromp in around them.

One thing i noticed, they always where at the trees at daybreak, i think that is when the most fruit would fall, they also keep the ground clean under the tree, that helps.

So if all else fails, get a mule

[Uncle Mike]

May have to do with the horses getting rid of some of the sod under the trees, as well as adding the fertizer. Apples obtain food from the top few inches of soil, and competition from sod for food and water is great.

A good book is The Apple Grower. I learned TONS from this and even if I don't go totally organic, he has some very interesting ways to cope with insects and disease in apples.

[Trent M]

Get rid of nearby cedar trees as the apples can get cedar-apple rust from them, so I've been told. Fertilizer will make the apples sweeter and some spray will keep the pests off. Should make some nice apples! I just let mine fall for the deer though.

Trent

[KETCHAM]

Nothing like apple fed deer!!!Tastes great!!!Kevin

[Pete1941]

I hear ya, Kevin they also need a little corn to lean up the lean and the apples to fatten up the fat. Makes some good vittles . Pete