Planting apples?

[virgil]

My land is mostly sloped and somewhat soggy. But, there are a few wide trails that cut across the land that are drier. I'd love to plant a few apple trees as a 'food plot' in the spring. But, I honestly know very little about planting and don't have know if this is a good idea. Before I spend the cash and hump a bunch of trees up the mountain, I was wondering if anyone could share some insight. Are apple trees expensive? Does this idea sound ridiculous?

[burmjohn]

From what I was reading apple tree's need a good amount of sunslight, so be prepared to clear out some surrounding tree's to let the light in on where you want to plant. Also its a long process depending upon the age / size of the tree's you plan to buy. That is also going to determine the cost of the tree's.

Check out : http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/factsheets/ecogardening/hgapples.html

[burmjohn]

I'd also love to hear from some people with experience in apple planting, as I'd love to do the same. It would be great to have my own little area with at least 10 tree's going. I have a 4 month old daughter, figure if I do it this year by the time she is 5 or 6 there would be some apples producing depending upon the age of the tree I buy. It would be great for the wildlife as well as fun for the family.

[WNYBuckHunter]

I dont have experience with planting apple trees, but I did plant some crab apple trees a few years ago near one of my stands.They are coming up pretty good and within a few more years, should be producing. The deer love them and they tend to hang on a bit longer than regular apples. I have also seen them grow in just about any soil condition. If you cant do regular apples, they might be something to think about.

[cityhunter346]

I have about 30 apples trees on my property....they are very old and have been producing for a long time. I decided I wanted to add a few pear trees to the mix. I planted 3 ayers pear trees in the spring of 2005. When I bought them they were 6 ft tall. This year was the first year they produced...and only about 10 pears per tree. I have them planted in full sun. I would suspect that apples would likely take the same amount of time to produce...but I'm not certain.

[hunter]

I think I'm gonna go the crabapple route too. I have seen some advertised that will bear fruit the first year, I guess because they are alredy somewhat mature but they said that some will hold fruit till January. I just have to find out the best time to plant.

[G-Man]

Try to get the largest you can afford 5-8in is a lot cheaper than 3-4in. plant to the same depth as rootball, and you'll want to fence them. I use 2x4 welded wire 5 or 6' high in at least a 2 ' diameter circle with a wooden stake to hold in place. if you dont use welded wire the deer will simple push in on chicken wire to eat the tender buds, or worse yet rub their horn on them. I also recomend removing the tall grass inside the fences before fall as mice/voles love to nest and girdel the young trees. no place to hide in grass n chew =no damage! A time release fertalizer pack or tree spikes can be used but it takes 1-3 years for a whip to become established to much fet when stressed can kill them. There are lots of varieties. you want to look at when they drop their fruit. example macentosh drop early before bow season late sept. yellow delisious usually mid oct. greenings late nov. Most apples require cross polination so a variety is a good thing for a food plot.. you don't want all the apples dropping at the same time!!! Then you run into sizes (tree sizes not apple) dwarf,semi-dwarf,standard... each grows to a different hight. i would recommend semi dwarf or standard as snow depth is a factor to keep the deer from eating the the tops. A 3-4 " diameter whip will produce in 3-5 years and produce heavy in 6-10years with proper pruning. The national arbor association is a good reference site for tree and pruning info. But i would try to buy your trees localy as they are hardened to the climate where you will be planting them! i'll post a pic of a small orchard i started 5 years ago... when i get a chance..

[virgil]

thanks guys for all the great feedback. the crab apple route sounds good. i live on long island- i don't recall ever seeing them for sale locally. i'd imagine they can be special ordered.

[G-Man]

Just watch if you go with crabapples as many varieties are now fruitless flowering ornimental trees... they'll look nice in the woods but not what u want to hunt over

[WNYBuckHunter]

Just watch if you go with crabapples as many varieties are now fruitless flowering ornimental trees... they'll look nice in the woods but not what u want to hunt over

Yep. I grew mine from seed, just waited until the fruit was beginning to rot and buried them. I buried handfulls of them, hoping a couple would grow here and there. Alot of them grew.

[WNYBuckHunter]

BTW, Virgil, if youd like to try growing some crab apples from seed, let me know, Id gladly pick some and ship them to you.

[virgil]

Thanks WNY. But, I'm not that patient. I'm hoping for a quicker result. I'll look into buying a couple that might start to produce within a few years.

[Dave]

I have about 30 apples trees on my property....they are very old and have been producing for a long time. I decided I wanted to add a few pear trees to the mix. I planted 3 ayers pear trees in the spring of 2005. When I bought them they were 6 ft tall. This year was the first year they produced...and only about 10 pears per tree. I have them planted in full sun. I would suspect that apples would likely take the same amount of time to produce...but I'm not certain.

Same with the apple trees I planted take about 5 or 6 years to get fruit. Out of the 9 trees I planted three have started to produce apples. Some more than others.

[outdoorstom]

I've planted around a dozen over the last 5 years. Some didn't do too well because the area was too wet. Others are producing now and it's just going to get better. As advised, definitely fence them. Also, in addition to keeping the area cleared of grasses and weeds, I protect the trunks with stapled window screen around them. Make sure you put it up high enough to protect even when there is snow on the ground.

Here's a link to a local nursery that ships.

http://www.sln.potsdam.ny.us/

[Cabin Fever]

Do a search here and some reading here. http://www.qdma.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=16 These guys are a wealth of info about planting trees, habitat improvement, etc...

I have crabapple trees on my property. They are magnets! I've seen deer come out of the thicket/bedding area early and "trot" to the crabapple trees to get first dibs on apples that have fallen during the day! Last week, I watched a doe stand under the tree, staring up in it at the hanging apples, either taking inventory of remaining hanging apples or "subliminaly" trying to make some drop!

[bigpaul]

Check with your county. Here in Delaware county the Soil and Water Conservation District has an annual tree and shrub sale. Two years ago I bought 50 Wild Apple seedlings for about $30. They were about a foot tall when I got them. I put them in Plantra growing tubes in full sunlight and now some are already over 5 Foot. This year I bought 50 crabapple trees and most grew 2 to 3 feet in the tubes. Also try the Saratoga nursery for trees and shrubs.

[sampotter]

There are also dwarf and semi-dwarf varieties that are advertised as producing apples within a couple years. I am sure these need to be fenced. This year I have been collecting apples from trees that still have fruit hanging in mid-late october and popping the seeds out. I found somewhere on the internet how to start them in the fridge. We'll see how it goes. Good to know about the crabapples too, I may buy some of them.

[virgil]

thanks again for all the advice. i'm looking forward to making it a project for the spring.

[burmjohn]

Great info guys! One Q, how do you know an area is "to wet"?

[WNYBuckHunter]

Thanks WNY. But, I'm not that patient. I'm hoping for a quicker result. I'll look into buying a couple that might start to produce within a few years.

HAHA, I hear ya. Im not the most patient person either, but Im too much of a cheap bast@ to pay for wild crab apple trees that I can grow for free.

[outdoorstom]

Great info guys! One Q, how do you know an area is "to wet"?

My first clue should have been when the hole partly filled up with water when I dug it! Duh!!

[burmjohn]

My first clue should have been when the hole partly filled up with water when I dug it! Duh!!

LOL, Ok that one I would notice.

[Fantail]

I planted 3 dwarf apple trees this year. Chest high I'm guessing they are 3 years. I don't expect any production from them for a while, that's ok. I followed the planting instructions and kept the rooting dirt-area moist best I could for a while. Today, they still have leaves and some new growth has shown.

They were like magnets for damn japanese beetles. I used a 7 product and kept the damn tent catipilars off them as well.

[SilverSalmon586]

New to the site, but we have 40 apple trees that I purchased from Waflers over the past few years (i've bought 10 every year for the past 4 years). They raise some trees especially for wild plantings. They're all disease resistant (no scab, mildew, etc.) bugs are another issue. They have them on special rootstock (Russian?) that grows fast (past browse height) but also produce fruit quick too - had some on my 2nd year trees last year and many more this year. Some of the types I got were Liberty, GoldRush, Sundance, Enterprise, Freedom, HoneyGold, Pristine (really early, but brings them in). They really have this thought out, i believe they charge $150 for 10 trees (all disease resistant includes their royalty fees for new varieties- the non-disease resistant trees are less). Adams County charges $27 per tree (shipping included) out of PA. Millers is about $24 per tree but they're on M7 rootstock so they're not as productive as Wafler's. I think their # is 8773970874 their nursery manager (who hunts big time) is named Bill. They grow about a half a million trees for commercial growers, make sure you ask for the deer packs. Good luck. Make sure you remember tree guards, had a couple of mine girdled by voles the first year...

[HUNT6246]

Have your soil PH checked and go with recommendations for lime and/ or fertilizer as well. If you want your apples for hunting season choose varieties that will remain on the tree through season. Pears are a very good thing to try as well - deer really like them. Deer (like people) will go after the sweetest apples first. As others have said, get as much sunlight to them as possible and go with the largest trees possible. We have an Amish nursery nearby that sells wildlife fruit tree packs. They're trees that may not be the most suitable for farming but are cheaper and just as hardy.