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Tips on starting fruit trees along with discussion of longevity factors, vascular flow, and more.
Re: Zone 6 in The South: To be, or not to be - 1 year ago
Hi Rob, I do not have any first-hand experience of Organic Growing in NC, but I am glad you are talking with some of the local/regional certifying agents and their respective agencies. That will be some valuable perspective. I would recommend that you ask them for some names of other organic fruit growers in their area that they have worked with and see if you can set up a visit with those grby Paul Weir - Hardiness Considerations
Re: Peach disease - 1 year ago
Hi David, Sounds like Cytospora Canker Three sites to learn more . . . . . . and a video to show you some careful pruning approaches to this problem in peaches Good luck!by Paul Weir - Just Talk
Re: Timing regarding spraying for scab - 1 year ago
Hi Molly, A HON welcome and cheers to your first post! Congratulations on your new orchard purchase Question for you and your partner. . . What do you plan to do with the apples? Is this a business for you two? Are you going to be selling them or using them more for yourselves Many growers, both conventional and organic, will spray on a schedule to be highly certain they are coveredby Paul Weir - Fungal Pathogens
Re: EQIP mulching a good idea? - 1 year ago
Hi Ethan, EQIP is going to make you meet their governement spec precisely. Unfortuantely, I doubt mulching any less than what they are asking for will get you the payback at the end of the project. But, you can always go back and adjust the mulch around those trees thereafter. Echoing --> no mulch around the tree trunks and crowns. Keep it at least 1ft back, use pea gravel mulch (it just wby Paul Weir - Ecosystem Connections
Re: Sorbus - Service Tree - 1 year ago
Hi Claude, I'll bet you had a time and a half at that Cider Fair! I occationally see Sorbus domestica listed for sale from specialty nurseries. One source that comes to mind is One Green World in Oregon. They offer two versions of the tree with larger fruit. They call them the "apple form" and the "pear form" -- as a means of describing the resulting fruits look only.by Paul Weir - Other Fruits
Re: Which Silky pruning saw? - 1 year ago
I currently have two Silky Folding Straight Blade saws Gomboy 240mm with a medium tooth blade at 8.5tpi PocketBoy 170mm with large tooth blade at 7tpi I use the Gomboy more than the PocketBoy. I previously had a . . . TakeruBoy 270mm with Extra Fine tooth blades on two sides at 11tpi on the top and 18.6tpi on the bottom Claudes point on the longer saw length for reaching tby Paul Weir - Sensible Equipment
Re: EM's and copper - 1 year ago
After spraying with copper (I use Cueva - Copper Octanoate) I wait until 2 inches of rain (copper labeling often says 1 inch but I like to error on the side of caution when I can) has fallen and I can no longer visibly see signs of the blue copper residue on the trees before I spray EM. . . Otherwise, I feel like it is merely a death sentence for those effective microbes. Exception being into newby Paul Weir - Spray Nuance
Re: Source of Comfrey? - 1 year ago
I know of a company called Marsh Creek Farmstead that supplies the Permaculture communities via mail order. They are quite savvy on Russian Comfrey and can ship you what you need. . . . small or large quantities. Good luck!by Paul Weir - Ecosystem Connections
Re: Neem Oil and Honeybee - 1 year ago
Hi Chad, I have a Top Bar Beehive and it is adjacent to my orchard and not actually in it. I have no awareness that the Neem is causing any direct harm to my colony (which splits & swarms most years). I have been spraying neem, as part of my holistic sprays, for almost 7 years now. I am very cautious about spraying directly, or even overspraying, into any open blossoms . . . No neem in yoby Paul Weir - Just Talk
Re: Wood ashes - 1 year ago
I would put wood ash on sparingly and I have found that top dressing with pure wood ash makes for a tough environment in that top layer, pH issues, hard for seeds to germinate in cover crops and poor drainage/aeration overall. Mixing the ash into the soil would be the best option, perhaps in pockets or in a banding method vs total coverage. Wood ash has its place, but a little is helpful and tooby Paul Weir - Tree Fruit Nutrition
Re: Resource for used/new orchard ladder - 1 year ago
Hi Jason, I own both the Stokes and Tallman brand Aluminum Orchard Ladders. I am slightly partial to my Stokes ladders, but I would buy either. May merely be because I grab for the 8ft Stokes most often . . . the less climbing into the treee you have to do the better. Stokes offerings can be found here . . . Tallman can be found here There is a new offering getting some buzz inby Paul Weir - Sensible Equipment
Re: Transplanting from nursery to orchard - 1 year ago
Hi Jeff, Pats advice is right on I think I might also consider a U-Haul (or similar) to do the move in . . . we often dont think much of the 50-60 mph winds those trees will be up against during that drive if they are in the open air moving from point A to point B. . . .the less stress the better. Good luck and let us know how it goesby Paul Weir - Starting an Orchard
Re: Tractor sizing - 1 year ago
Having sufficient horse power is rarely a concern with the 40-70hp class tractors, especially with a 4x4 model. I sharpened my pencil and opted for a Kubota L3430 (29.5hp at the PTO) 4x4 unit when my need arose and it has worked well for me with hills, heavier loads (I have a heavy duity front end loader), flail mowing with my FALC 1600 and more. If you can get a good purchase price on a 40+by Paul Weir - Sensible Equipment
Re: Flail Mower - 1 year ago
Hi Ethan, Just realized that this question never got answered. Hammers are definitely not as fragile as blades. Go hammers if you have any brush and potential rockcrops that might sneak into your mowing areas from time to time Flail mower is absolutely the way to go in brushy & rugged countyby Paul Weir - Sensible Equipment
Re: Black Rot of Apples - 1 year ago
Hi Friends, Wanted to add that for Copper, I have really been feeling good about Cueva for that tool in the box. Less total copper -- metalic copper equivalent of only 1.8% So, if you need to drop the blue piano, there are smaller versions of it that are pretty darn effective vs the entire Steinway! Hi Liz, liking the plug for the biodynamic vibe you are feeling with your black rotby Paul Weir - Fungal Pathogens
Re: What type of PWS (Personal Weather Station) do you use? - 1 year ago
Hi John, No worries, thanks for your thumbs up for working with Scientific Sales. I love the idea of great customer service! I know I am not alone when I say I dig seeing each of our PWS's -- really gives a bearing to where we are each growing Cheers my friend!by Paul Weir - Just Talk
Re: Degree day calculation - 1 year ago
Hi David, It will be counted as a Zero for that day. . . no subtractions, and no gain in the degree day count. :-)by Paul Weir - Just Talk
Re: What type of PWS (Personal Weather Station) do you use? - 1 year ago
Hi Brian, My final repair quote came back at $315 so I opted for the repair. I could tell the gentleman I was talking with felt I should go with the complete exchange out for the ~$800 cost. Side note: The company's support crew doesnt feel the same as it did to me when we made out initial purchase and when we have had a couple previous minor repair issues. I feel the rest of my unit should hby Paul Weir - Just Talk
Re: What type of PWS (Personal Weather Station) do you use? - 1 year ago
Hi John & Brian, Thank you both very much for your shared thoughts and feelings. Much appreciated. John: Very cool that you tie it all into your honey bees and hives. Davis is solid hardware a long time leader in weather stations. Brian: Just did a first look into the NEWA Network and it looks fabulous to me. There is some weather work and outreach being done in Eastern Washington,by Paul Weir - Just Talk
Re: Reduced mowing vs. PI and tick concerns? - 1 year ago
Hi Josh, Adding a thought here. Here in the west, ticks are getting worse too, especially with our ridiculously mild winters over the last 4-5 years. Lyme is more common than it was in years past too (not nearly as bad as you folks have it back east though -- I sure feel for you). In my orchards, deer are the primary source of ticks and if you walk along any of their trails, you are bby Paul Weir - Understory Management
Re: Soil Test Questions; Bone Meal vs. Rock Phosphate - 1 year ago
Hi Philip, What was the pH of the soil sample? You might consider posting a link to see your entire soil test for viewing by the members too -- might help get some additional insight Bone Meal is going to be a higher & faster Phosphorus availability than Rock Phosphate will. If you need faster results, the bone meal will be an advantage, but dont forget that the microbes are what unlocby Paul Weir - Tree Fruit Nutrition
Re: Fresh seaweed from Maine - 1 year ago
Hi John, Wondering how this worked out for you in your orchard. The micro nutritient boost would be really nice, but my concern would be with the salts that would come with the seaweed. Curious how this worked out for you. Any before & after photos to share?by Paul Weir - Tree Fruit Nutrition
Re: Black Rot of Apples - 1 year ago
Hi Josh, I just consulted with a new property owner who bought a large parcel of land that had a vineyard and orchard. There was substantial historic SW Injury in the orchard, evidence of past inadequate irrigation and plenty of evidence of Pseudomonas syringae infections in the stone fruit and Black Rot in the Apples. Most of the black rot appeared tied to poor pruning practices and theby Paul Weir - Fungal Pathogens
What type of PWS (Personal Weather Station) do you use? - 1 year ago
Hi Friends, Do you use a PWS at your orchard to help manage and focus your weather related activities? I have owned a Rainwise MKIII-LR Solar Powered Wireless PWS (Personal Weather Station) for the last 5 1/2 years. For 95% of that time it has run beautifully. I have it data linked to Weather Underground and the forecasting has been surprisingly accurate being a part of that networby Paul Weir - Just Talk
Re: Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs - 1 year ago
Hi Rachel I have been monitoring for BMSB by sight only. I have a few native stink bugs that are occational visitors to my orchards, and I have taken samples of those (by catching them with a small net or taking photos) and then keying them out. So far, no BMSB confirmed here at my place in Grass Valley, CA . . . that said, I am highly confident that they will show up soon enough. I apprecby Paul Weir - Bug by Bug
Re: encouraging conversation - 1 year ago
Reading this thread reminded me of the "truck stuck in the tunnel" story . . . pulled from the recollections of A Grandfather's Blog of Lessons Learned by Harry Parkhurst An eighteen-wheeler tank truck was stuck in a tunnel under the river between New Jersey and New York City. As you can imagine traffic backed up for miles in the busy tunnel and a normal half hour trip to the city enby Paul Weir - Making It Better
Re: Application timing of SeaCrop - 1 year ago
Hi Chris, 2nd, 3rd and 4th cover sprays for the SeaCrop (Sea Minerals) addition. It is used in addition to the herbal teas and the core holistic recipe . . . combined and sprayed altogether.by Paul Weir - Spray Nuance
Re: TerraNeem - 1 year ago
Nice investigative reporting indeed . . . pour that man a frosty pint! I am also seeing neem this and neem that, even in our smallest local hardware stores garden sections now too. Interestingly enough, as of last spring 2017, I am also seeing Ahimsa Organics 1 gallon jugs stocked in several local rock/soil material suppliers locally here in Grass Valley too . . . I have been sure to take timeby Paul Weir - Spray Nuance
Re: Hello and a question - 1 year ago
Welcome Graham to our holistic circle of fruit growing friends! Congratulations on both your land purchase and your first 100 trees going in the ground in March. If you find a topic you are interested in, subscribe to it so that you can be notified of updates. Under the "Control Center" tab (top right corner) you can select "Forum Subscriptions" (in the options list on tby Paul Weir - Just Talk
Re: Our friend Mike - 1 year ago
Great share Claude Nice write up indeed!! A cider toast to you Mike and the good holistic fruit outreach you are doingby Paul Weir - Just Talk