Hello, everyone! I have been having fun reading many of your posts this week. I have a couple of questions about my fruit and nut trees. I planted them two years ago. They were two years old then. They are into their fourth year this year. :) This is my first try at orcharding. The first year, I followed the instructions in a book, and watered them three times a week, about 4-5 gallons each. The second year, I watered them twice a week, about 20 gallons. They have grown quite a lot. When I got them, they were bare root stock, just twigs no bigger around than my finger. Now the trunks are as big around as my arm. They are 8-10 feet tall. They've never been sick. The apples, peaches, and pears are setting fruit. Maybe the cherries, I can't tell yet. There were a few blossoms. I just read that trees this age only need water once a month. One of my nursery friends says I've spoiled them with too much water. Our summers are very hot and long. How much do you think I should water them? Right now they are getting about 15 gallons every three weeks. They look so good! I am really excited about my little orchard and I love these beautiful little trees. I have apples, cherries, plums, pears, peaches, persimmon, walnut, and chestnuts.

The olives have been in for one year. They are just two years old. I water them far less than the fruit trees. They did very well all year but now I see that three have died. We had the coldest winter in maybe the last 100 years. Temps down to the high teens. For us, 28 degrees is really cold. The three that died are at the bottom of the slope. Wet feet maybe? Can they stand the cold? The deer, after not touching them all year, suddenly decided they liked olive leaf! They pulled on these three trees and didn't pull them out of the ground, but they were leaning quite a bit. There were still lots of leaves left on them. It's also very windy here in the winter. These are all the factors I can think of. I gave them greensand, rock phosphate, and compost in the fall. They get foliar feeding in the spring.

My walnut tree is at the bottom of the fruit orchard, 25 feet from a semi dwarf apple, and 30 feet from another semi dwarf apple. This is a black walnut grafted on Pedro root stock. It's supposed to be about 2/3 the size of regular walnut trees, about 40 feet tall and about 40 feet diameter. I read that walnuts put out a toxin and should not be planted by a vegetable garden or other trees. (After I planted it I read this) Is my walnut tree too close to the other trees? I think it's still small enough to transplant, though I think I would wait until it goes dormant. What do you think?

Also, my Late Santa Rosa Plum, which is advertised as self-fruiting, bloomed last year and this year, but no plums in sight. I checked its chilling hours requirement, and it needs 600 hours. I have other trees that need 700 hours, and they are bearing all right, so I am fairly sure about it getting enough chilling hours. What could it be? I have a healthy mason bee population, and lots of wild honey bees, bumble bees, and bees I don't recognize. The mason bees were definitely out while the plum was blooming. Any ideas? Maybe it's not really a self fruiting Late Santa Rosa plum, it's another kind, and it got the wrong label by mistake?

Thanks, everyone. I enjoy this forum very much. I do read a lot to educate myself. Haven't found many orcharding books for the beginner. I called my local nurseryman but he was rude, didn't want to talk to me. Harumph. Decided to write to you all, you're much friendlier. My husband and I just moved to our 33 acre place in the sun this past January. We love it here! Just about to get the garden planted for the first time. Wanna have chickens and goats. :)I love to write letters and I love getting letters!

-- Christine Baillie (towanda515@yahoo.com), April 18, 2002

Answers

Christine, We have young pecan trees (300 or so) in an orchard, and fruit trees in the yard. I don't know where you are located, but if you are getting rain, don't water so much. Also, don't water lightly. 15 gallons on a tree isn't going very far into the surface.

During the VERY dry months, we turn on the drip system in the orchard all night once every couple of weeks.

Remember that the root system spreads out under ground a bit farther than the drip line of the branches. If you are watering at the trunk, the roots that absorb moisture aren't getting much, as they are farther out.

Since your trees are pretty established by now, they are more forgiving and don't need frequent watering. Walk through your orchard regularly. If it is dry, water it. If not, drink a glass of lemonade and rest!

-- Rose (open_rose@hotmail.com), April 19, 2002.

I would also say it is way too much water. You don't have to water a maturing tree unless you have not had rain in 3 weeks. Then you only have to water until the ground is saturated around them. Trees adapt pretty well to thier environment.

The walnut tree roots do contain toxins; however, other mature trees around them should be okay at 25 ft away. Generally, it is only toxic to things like plants (you don't want a garden around a walnut). As long as you fertilize them, they should be fine. However, the only concern I would have is that the roots from the walnut trees get very big and long and could crowd out the other trees. Walnuts generally like to loners.

Anything under 8 years old is considered a "young" tree. Many trees won't set a good crop of fruit until they are 4 years old. Generally, it is at least 2 years before they fruit at all. You still have some young trees. Just give them some time.

Just be sure to practice good orchard management: pruning while dormant, fertilizing no more than 2 times per year (slow release spikes are perfect!), and using dormant oil spray first thing in the spring just as the buds appear and again just before they open, and water only if no rain in 3 weeks. In between just watch and control insects and be sure and keep high grasses and debris out from under the trees. Also be sure and pick up any fruit that falls to control disease and insects.

Basically, an orchard is very little work and one of best returns for your time and dollar (a million times less work than a garden and dollar return way much more!). I am always surprised more people don't have orchards. I think it is because they don't want to wait so long to see results. You would be surprised how quick those 5 years pass!

-- Karen (mountains_mama2@hotmail.com), April 19, 2002.

I look at the bushes by the roadside. If they wilt I water the young trees. This has worked pretty well since they were a couple of years old.

-- Terri (hooperterri@prodigy.net), April 19, 2002.