Just throwin this out there fir anyone who may be interested. Theres a family owned orchard in north Carolina called Century orchard that specializes in apple trees from across the early american south. Theres alot of varieties that time has forgotten,but are still fantastic producers. They offer close to 100 varieties on disease and draught resistant root stock. We tryin support family owned small businesses with great service and support
A couple of folks I follow plant comfrey around their fruit trees. When the comfrey gets tall, they just push it to the ground and let it fertilize the trees while keeping the weeds down.
With your weird weather patterns in Missouri, I would suggest that you allow the mulberry "tree" to first become a massive shrub with thick trunks and limbs until it starts getting into the 8-10 foot mark. Then start thinning out (over time) the smaller and less directly vertical trunks. Eventually, concentrate on a decision of which trunk will become the singular main leader trunk. This way, all of the growing shrubbery supports the greater growth and shade of the growing root and rootlet base of the tree. With a stronger and vastly established root system, you can then concentrate on the main trunk and grow the mulberry from a shrub (elderberry style) into the proverbial mulberry tree. This way, Missouri weather systems or not, the strongly established mulberry tree can overcome all of the weather weirdness, and become a strong and healthy producer of fruits.
I watch the gardening channel with James prigioni. He uses strawberry plants under his fruit trees to shade out grass. Also permapasture farms plants comfrey under his trees and chops and drops it as a mulch. It helps keep the roots cool and keeps weeds at bay. I hope this is helpful for you. Thank you for sharing your farm with us. 😊
@johnr3603 Are you gardening in southern Mo? Just wondering. The acidic soils and rocks being a challenge here. I ended up digging holes with excavator to plant trees pulling rocks a size of a head then back filling with soil and compost mix. Even after doing all that you fighting soil compaction and lack of nutrients.
@@minuteman728 While I’m sure you are right about Missouri’s ability to grow rocks, I think those of us here in Southern Oklahoma could give them a run for their money! 😂
@@cynthiafisher9907 you saturate the cardboard on both sides, water the area around the tree , then place the cardboard and mulch. Then you water the mulch to saturate it. The cardboard stays in tact long enough to block & kill weeds, but the earthworms love the cardboard & break it down pretty fast. Seems the cardboard is pretty porous when wet (I’ve never had a tree or shrub wilt from it blocking water)
The best way we kept weeds and grass from around our trees is to cut a circle all around the tree about 2 feet out from the trunk. The edge you cut has to be straight up and down. Take out the grass inside the circle. The straight edge keeps the grass from expanding. I occasionally have to pull a weed due to a seed blowing in and rooting
I see bee boxes and tree netting in the future of your orchard. I can say up here in the land of Apple's and Cherries aka Central WA, keeping your Cherry trees dry and air moving when it is cold to keep the frost off as much as possible, is a big deal. Proper soil acidity is said to play an important role as well. Between your plum and peach tree you could have jokingly put a nectarine tree...horticulture humor.
Everything is so beautiful at your place. You shared a lot of good information that we all can use, and I’m grateful for that. Many blessings to you both.
I have apricot and plums (most years)... they make great fruit leathers when mixed with apple sauce, also, last year I made in 1 cup containers 'freezer fruit' - cooked it like for jam/butters without any sugars or pectin - they are great when making plumb sauce etc ... just add spices and herbs when ready to eat or, thaw and make fruit leathers. My grands love 'freeze dried fruit'.
I have never seen so many tomatoes! I would love to make some green tomatoed relish with those green ones. The orchard is beautiful! So proud of both of you. You have a homestead to be proud of.
Wow, like so many other's, I can't believe it's been that long since you planted the orchard. We love to look back and see how the homestead has grown. Thank you for taking the time to share your wonderful videos with us. 😊
I looked online and found a version of one of Kevin's T-Shirts "Guess what? with an arrow pointing at a chicken's butt" to wear for this years local brewery festival. I also bought a hallmark card that plays the chicken dance song, gutted the card and made a musical necklace. Whenever someone says "Chicken butt!" I can play the chicken dance song. LOL
The orchard looks great. I started mine 5-6 years ago and now have 60+ trees here in mid-Missouri. I also tossed out the rubber tree mats. Now use cardboard and cover with woodchips. I also tossed out the tree wraps; instead I use 1/2 inch galivanized wire and cut pieces that are 9 inches tall. The third thing is I plant fruiting bushes between the trees to make use of all that space. I now have gooseberry, cranberry, honeyberry, currents, rhubarb, Juliet bush cherry, figs, hazelnuts, elderberry, etc.
I have an orchard with over 100 fruit trees on a half acre lot. Spray a mixture of white vinegar and salt around the grassy area to the perimeter of the tree. Once you have done it a few times the tree shades out that area and it mainly free of grass.
Try planting comfrey around your fruit trees. It gives your fruit trees the nutrients they need and get read of the grass. So no need to fertilizer too. Also you can feed the chickens some of it as medicine and as well as ya'll too. They also plant strawberries around their fruit trees too. Check out perma culture videos they do it for their fruit trees
Just a suggestion that may help your orchard in winter...my father worked for a citrus farmer in Florida when I was a kid, and believe it or not, there were some winters that we dipped to 10°. There were many nights that my dad spent in the orchards building contained fires to keep temperatures high enough to prevent damaging crops. Maybe you could build firepits throughout the orchard, or if budget allows, purchase the propane heaters, and keep them going during those times you need the heat most! Just something I remembered and plan to do when I have fruit trees someday!
Thank you for sharing your orchard with us! I would love to have fruit trees but here in southern Alberta we have trouble with fire blight. A challenge for our apple trees.
I have noticed cities in my area use "water bags" (for lack of a better term) on each tree. They slowly emit water around each tree. They fill each bag periodically and would save running the water hose. And, you left out the berry plants. Thanks. One more thing. When you get a very late frost, I understand water sprinkling is beneficial. You just need to keep above freezing. In Florida they build fires in barrels to emit enough warmth for the groves. I have only seen this done, not experienced it myself.
I have an orchard with about 12 fruit trees. I also have a problem with deer but am unable to fence it in for various reasons. So what I have done is cut about 8-foot strips of field fence and lay 2 at the base of each tree. Deer won't step into the wire to get to the tree. Yes, it's a pain in the rear when it comes to mowing, but it's worth the effort!
FYI...I had one Mulberry tree several years ago....the birds "planted" via their poop everywhere!!! They are very hard to kill...I will cut tree and several more trunks grow from what I cut! They are all along my fence lines. Just so you know. Love your channel... God Bless You Too.
Cut the center out of the peach trees and let the sun in, they all look amazing. I have 4 peach trees and here in mid michigan we had a late frost that killed 90% of the blossoms but the ones that made it were awesome peach.
Here in pennsylvania, I use the lay of the land to help production. Example- grapes and berries like south facing slopes. But things like peaches do better on north facing slopes because it takes longer for the soil to warm up in the spring. So they bloom later in the spring getting them into safer time frame for late frosts.
Some extension offices may be able to connect you with volunteer gleaners after you have picked what you can use or give away. The fruit is donated to various food banks or organizations serving food to those in need in your community. There is usually a questionnaire you fill in and submit so that the appropriate number of people can be available at the right time, and, so that they can bring the right equipment that they will need in order to complete the job.
I have tree trimmers drop off truckloads of wood chips at my place and I use them around my trees to both conserve water and keep the weeds away. I put a 6-8” layer of wood chips in about a 4 foot diameter ring or larger if it’s a big tree and it works great to keep the soil insulated, weeds down, and water from evaporating off the root zone. I have a pretty large orchard so I’m always asking tree trimmers to bring chips, lol and one of the best side effects of wood chips is that they build beautiful soil as they break down.
Oh Sarah I just wanted to tell you about a peach tree from the university of central Florida. It is a tropic peach tree. I went to a farm in Florida this year and picked from there orchard. They were delicious. I have not had a good peach in many years because of living here in Florida. So check it out. I was very pleased.
Some favorite memories are climbing mulberry trees and enjoying those delicious berries. As nice as tall single truck trees are the multi-trunk ones will be easier for those future grandkids to climb. Those were always my favorites. Just don't eat them too fast, stink bugs like them to. They taste like they smell.
Your orchard looks amazing! Great job just think in another five years time you will be knee-deep in fruit on a regular basis. How exciting! You said your sweet cherry tree died over the last past winter if you decide to replace it with a pie cherry tree might I suggest Evans sour cherry? They’re extremely hardy and they produce quickly rounding off at 15 feet tall I believe. They’re absolutely wondrous! We enjoy ours and receive plenty of fruit off of it every year.
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I hit like before I watch. I’ve been watching them for ‘years’ and I’ve learned so many things from these 2 wonderful people. My gratitude to them cannot be put into words🫶
You forgot to show the raspberry/blackberry and grape grove! I love me some raspberries. Love the blackberrie's flavor, too but, I can't do all those seeds!
My apple trees in Michigan got worms. I used wire and mesh bags to tie around the tree. The worms would crawl up the tree but would get caught in the fold and could not get into the tree. If you don’t stop worms you will have to spray pesticides.
Also we know Sara is a wiz at creating delicious treats that those fruits could be used for. No sugar added jams/jelly treats and beautiful summer fruit salads. God bless and enjoy ☺️
Best luck I have had with fruit trees is to ring em outside of the leaf perimeter with any decent lawn edging, and clear the sod from the interior. I don't put down a weed fabric, because it is a PIA under any fill... as to the fill, I use the shredded cedar (not bark), which seems to be a decent compost that will stay put a while. BUT... it does require maintenance... you have to keep it stirred up... moving old fill from around the best vantage trees to add to rearward trees, and adding fresh to the front. So every few years, you will be messin with it.
Wow 3 years goes by quick…I remember watching the video of you guys planting the trees. Thinking to myself…”I can’t wait to see them in a few years”….Well here we are. Thanks for the video guys.
Plant comfrey under your trees. Check Little Mountain Ranch on how to maintain the comfrey. She does not chop and drop. The comfrey blooms are great for bees.
I watch the gardening channel with James Prigioni, he’s in NJ. He uses a lot of mulch and puts strawberries around his trees. He also uses surround kaolin clay in a sprayer and sprays his trees which helps keep any pests at bay. I would love to have an area to grow fruit trees. 🤷🏻♀️ maybe one day. Love your videos ❤️❤️❤️🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
I have about 18 fruit trees I planted 2 years ago and follow the “little tree” way of care. It keeps the trees at 8 feet or under so you don’t need to climb a ladder. Yes less fruit but just as much usable fruit. I do a summer prune just to cut off the long branches and it stunts the growth a bit but pruning in fall causes too much long growth. At planting you cut the tree about knee high. I didn’t do all that way because it is brutal but the ones I did are doing amazing.
I used a raised bed to plant my asparagus patch with companion strawberries. The first few years did well, with good harvests of both. This year the bed was overtaken by Bermuda grass that I have not been able to eradicate. So, this year I am removing everything in order to get rid of the grass.
Great share. You may start looking around for a 3 leg orchard ladder for picking your fruit later on. It's self leveling and keeps you from 'rocking' and maybe falling.
My mulberry tree loves a lot of water. The 2 times I got mulberries that ripened and grew the best is when we got a lot of rain? Orchard looks great. Nancy from Nebraska
I'm just SW of you in OK, my journey with fruit trees has been difficult. I planted four peach trees, got a hundred+ peaches off one last year, and that tree died this year. The other three failed to fruit due to that late frost of which you spoke. I had two year old black apple trees that just suddenly died just now. The pear tree and the remaining peach trees look very handsome and tall. I guess we shall see what happens next year.
We put those rings around the base of our trees and Yes they were a waste of money so we just decided to allow the grass to grow, I have a hand trimmer by Earthwise that works great for trimming. We live on the southeast side of Missouri and have sandy soil and also with those rings the tree's roots weren't going deep they were very close to the top of the earth, so those rings weren't good for that too. I had my first apples last year but this year yes the crazy weather and even with us putting a frost blanket around them didn't save the blooms sadly.
Watching from Texas, I enjoy your videos. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience with your creative expertise. I really like the way that you have planned for a workable layout of your property. Praying for your safety, strength, wisdom, health and success in Jesus's Mighty Name. Blessings to you and your family. ❤☝🙏🙌💪👊
The best method to prevent weeds and grass from growing around your trees is to make a low wooden frame either square or round then fill it with a piece of landscape fabric and then top it with mulch making sure you keep the mulch a little away from the trunk.. It also looks neat. It always works for us and you can mow around the frame or use the whipper snipper.
I also planted a mulberry tree, when we bought our first house (in our 50s!) 3 years ago. Sadly no fruit yet, but have learned just this week that I will be moving soon, so 😥😥 no mulberries for me. Maybe next time!
Because they will get large and we still want to be able to get a mower or tractor between the rows. Also, we have lots of space here so no need to plant them close together.
Yes I use the round rubber mat as well I’m still trying to figure out the best way to water. I do like the way you water every day just move the hose. I plan on burying a holes from tree to tree and put a small waterline off of that half-inch plastic mainline you attach drip line too
For Southerners and South-easterners Stark Brothers and their orchard trees are great. If you live in the Northeast, is Albemarle Cider Works or the Vintage Virginia Apples site with a large variety of heirloom apples, and other orchard species. For the Northern and Pacific Northwest/West Coast states, there is One Green World (Portland) for huge selections. For the West Coast/Southwest areas is Dave Wilson Nurseries, out of the California Central Valley ... and Trees of Antiquity (Paso Robles, CA) with a MASSIVE variety of heirlooms.
This was really fun to tour the orchard with you and I’m glad to hear you are planning to eat some of your fruits. Eating fresh organic fruits can be very beneficial for your health. You know what they say…. “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” 😂 Next up: An update on the Berry Patch (?)
I agree that the woven fabric under the trees does not work well. What I do and what has worked for me is to mulch with fresh cut grass clippings as we have a bagger on our zero turn mower and more than enough grass clippings.
I've heard that you should eat the fruit each to it's season. when the season is over for that fruit, you wait again till next years season. Don't know how true this is ,but worth some research.
And the peach farmers here in NC blueberry also once they bloom they have sprinkler’s on them to run all night to save the blooms. It’s really wild to ride by blueberries that are covered in ice the next morning are it doesn’t kill the bloom but frost does.
Arkansas Black is great for storage. And the Haven Peach is 1 of the best for MO & great fruit What about pears? They r pretty trees & I've made pear honey & my kids sold the heck out of it at school. All I did extra was a piece of lace on the ring Id get a couple nuts. Pecans r so similar to peaches, Filburts r more like bushes. I suggest grabbing a tarp or similar to put under trees so help with windfalls & keeping it cleaner.
A trick to prevent early blooms on a peach is to put up a simple shade cloth strung between 2 posts blocking the Southern sun in late Winter/early Spring. Not a guarantee but typically delays blooms a few weeks, enough to avoid the late frost killing those precious blooms.
Thank you for sharing! I'm getting peach trees this next spring. We have problems with late frost also.Our plums usually get killed by frost.We plant to put plastic cover over our plums next spring.
For the orchard could you use cardboard and thick layer of wood chip, and create a bowl shape towards the trunk to help retain water moisture levels, each year add more mulch fairly low maintenance.
Great tour. An aunt told me years ago never buy an older peach tree because they grow so fast and it really is true. We found a pit in our mulch that had sprouted, planted it and in 4 years with cutting it back twice its still about 15foot tall. It did turn out to be a nectarine and not peach but they grow at a similar rate. I"m in WI and the height for fence is no lie they can spring up so high just from a stance let along a run.
I haven't tried this yet but I was going to cut 2 pieces of 4 foot by 4 foot squares of cushion flooring for each tree or smaller if the drip line is not that large and put it around my apple trees. If the trunk is 4 inches in diameter I would cut a 5 inch circle in the middle and a slit from the outside edge to the center of the circle. I now have the ground cover and this year I will be putting it around my trees. I hope this helps.
That was a fast three years. Barb and I have been following along for a long time. You mentioned lots of deer, maybe you can set up some night vision cameras and make a show of them feeding, or make some clips to close a video, we also watch Brownville food pantry UA-cam channel, they feed deer in winter months and have a few live stream cameras going then
Thank you for another great video! I've been a long time subscriber. Question, are you beekeepers?? Do you have your own hives to help pollinate your trees, and crops?? Your orchard would be a perfect place to keep bees. Five hives would do a great job with pollinating your crops and give you honey which you could add to your list of products that you sell. I've been a beekeeper for a number of years and harvest about 60 pounds of honey per hive per year. Just a thought....
Hey you guys . Your trees are looking good . Well red clover grow in your area. If so plant red clover under and around your fruit tree. Let it bloom then cut it . Danny at Deep South homestead plants it in his blueberry bushes. It’s great for nitrogen fertilizer in the soil. Just a thought
To help trees in winter place hay bales around the drip line of tree to help keep ground frozen loner and blooms will come later to help too early looms here in MN we have to do this with apricots
Thank you for the update! Crab apples are good pollinators for all apple trees and are full of pectin for making sugar free jellies. Have you thought about using the woven lawn cover around your orchard trees?
Holy moly, that was THREE years ago?! I remember that orchard video and it does not seem like it was that long ago! Looks great!
I thought the same thing. Time does fly.
It does seem like that was just last year.
Same!
Same!! Where did the time go!!?
Just throwin this out there fir anyone who may be interested. Theres a family owned orchard in north Carolina called Century orchard that specializes in apple trees from across the early american south. Theres alot of varieties that time has forgotten,but are still fantastic producers. They offer close to 100 varieties on disease and draught resistant root stock. We tryin support family owned small businesses with great service and support
Thanks!! Will look them up!😀
Which part on North Carolina? Do they have a business contact? 😊
Good to know!
I checked them out. Wonderful selection and lots of information.
A couple of folks I follow plant comfrey around their fruit trees. When the comfrey gets tall, they just push it to the ground and let it fertilize the trees while keeping the weeds down.
I can't believe I've been watching you 4 for 7-8 years! Time flies!
My arborist's mantra: the first year trees sleep, the second year they creep, the third year they leap!
😅❤
I love that! I hope it’s true! 😅
@@SilverCreekHomestead it truly is!!
My little orchard wasn’t doing so well until I added many other plants around and nearby. I really think they needed each other!
Your orchard is looking good. Time really flies. Feels like you planted those trees yesterday.
So happy that the fence is working!!
My first video! Now I’m hooked.
Comfrey and Rhubarb, especially around apple trees. 🍎 per Little Mountain Ranch.
With your weird weather patterns in Missouri, I would suggest that you allow the mulberry "tree" to first become a massive shrub with thick trunks and limbs until it starts getting into the 8-10 foot mark. Then start thinning out (over time) the smaller and less directly vertical trunks. Eventually, concentrate on a decision of which trunk will become the singular main leader trunk. This way, all of the growing shrubbery supports the greater growth and shade of the growing root and rootlet base of the tree. With a stronger and vastly established root system, you can then concentrate on the main trunk and grow the mulberry from a shrub (elderberry style) into the proverbial mulberry tree. This way, Missouri weather systems or not, the strongly established mulberry tree can overcome all of the weather weirdness, and become a strong and healthy producer of fruits.
The orchard looks amazing!
To control weeds I just mulch several inches deep around the tree. It also helps retain moisture
I watch the gardening channel with James prigioni. He uses strawberry plants under his fruit trees to shade out grass. Also permapasture farms plants comfrey under his trees and chops and drops it as a mulch. It helps keep the roots cool and keeps weeds at bay. I hope this is helpful for you. Thank you for sharing your farm with us. 😊
As a long time gardner those trees should be a bit bigger after 3 plus years. Water,mulching and fertilizer schedules may need evaluated .
@johnr3603
Are you gardening in southern Mo? Just wondering. The acidic soils and rocks being a challenge here. I ended up digging holes with excavator to plant trees pulling rocks a size of a head then back filling with soil and compost mix. Even after doing all that you fighting soil compaction and lack of nutrients.
@@whitehorse1961 They're around Ava. Missouri is the best at growing rocks! lol
@@minuteman728 While I’m sure you are right about Missouri’s ability to grow rocks, I think those of us here in Southern Oklahoma could give them a run for their money! 😂
I’ve had good luck with cardboard around my trees & cover with compost or soil conditioner.
How does water get through the cardboard to water the tree?
@@cynthiafisher9907 you saturate the cardboard on both sides, water the area around the tree , then place the cardboard and mulch. Then you water the mulch to saturate it. The cardboard stays in tact long enough to block & kill weeds, but the earthworms love the cardboard & break it down pretty fast. Seems the cardboard is pretty porous when wet (I’ve never had a tree or shrub wilt from it blocking water)
@@kkeenan536 Thanks
Comfrey & Rhubarb around fruit trees. The BEST!❤❤
Has it been 3 years ! I remember when you planted it! Time goes by tooooooo fast for me!❤❤
The best way we kept weeds and grass from around our trees is to cut a circle all around the tree about 2 feet out from the trunk. The edge you cut has to be straight up and down. Take out the grass inside the circle. The straight edge keeps the grass from expanding. I occasionally have to pull a weed due to a seed blowing in and rooting
I see bee boxes and tree netting in the future of your orchard. I can say up here in the land of Apple's and Cherries aka Central WA, keeping your Cherry trees dry and air moving when it is cold to keep the frost off as much as possible, is a big deal. Proper soil acidity is said to play an important role as well. Between your plum and peach tree you could have jokingly put a nectarine tree...horticulture humor.
Hi from Spokane Valley!
Everything is so beautiful at your place. You shared a lot of good information that we all can use, and I’m grateful for that. Many blessings to you both.
I have apricot and plums (most years)... they make great fruit leathers when mixed with apple sauce, also, last year I made in 1 cup containers 'freezer fruit' - cooked it like for jam/butters without any sugars or pectin - they are great when making plumb sauce etc ... just add spices and herbs when ready to eat or, thaw and make fruit leathers. My grands love 'freeze dried fruit'.
I have never seen so many tomatoes! I would love to make some green tomatoed relish with those green ones. The orchard is beautiful! So proud of both of you. You have a homestead to be proud of.
Wow, like so many other's, I can't believe it's been that long since you planted the orchard. We love to look back and see how the homestead has grown. Thank you for taking the time to share your wonderful videos with us. 😊
I looked online and found a version of one of Kevin's T-Shirts "Guess what? with an arrow pointing at a chicken's butt" to wear for this years local brewery festival. I also bought a hallmark card that plays the chicken dance song, gutted the card and made a musical necklace. Whenever someone says "Chicken butt!" I can play the chicken dance song. LOL
That was a FAST 3 years!!!
The orchard looks great. I started mine 5-6 years ago and now have 60+ trees here in mid-Missouri. I also tossed out the rubber tree mats. Now use cardboard and cover with woodchips. I also tossed out the tree wraps; instead I use 1/2 inch galivanized wire and cut pieces that are 9 inches tall. The third thing is I plant fruiting bushes between the trees to make use of all that space. I now have gooseberry, cranberry, honeyberry, currents, rhubarb, Juliet bush cherry, figs, hazelnuts, elderberry, etc.
I have an orchard with over 100 fruit trees on a half acre lot. Spray a mixture of white vinegar and salt around the grassy area to the perimeter of
the tree. Once you have done it a few times the tree shades out that area and it mainly free of grass.
Try planting comfrey around your fruit trees. It gives your fruit trees the nutrients they need and get read of the grass. So no need to fertilizer too. Also you can feed the chickens some of it as medicine and as well as ya'll too. They also plant strawberries around their fruit trees too. Check out perma culture videos they do it for their fruit trees
Just a suggestion that may help your orchard in winter...my father worked for a citrus farmer in Florida when I was a kid, and believe it or not, there were some winters that we dipped to 10°. There were many nights that my dad spent in the orchards building contained fires to keep temperatures high enough to prevent damaging crops. Maybe you could build firepits throughout the orchard, or if budget allows, purchase the propane heaters, and keep them going during those times you need the heat most! Just something I remembered and plan to do when I have fruit trees someday!
I have honey crisp apples this year we counted about 12 and a crabapple with apples also. In Wisconsin. Good luck 👍.
Thank you for sharing your orchard with us! I would love to have fruit trees but here in southern Alberta we have trouble with fire blight. A challenge for our apple trees.
I remember when you planted the orchard, I'm so glad it's doing well. It is sad about the Rainier Cherry Tree Rainiers are my absolute favorites
I have noticed cities in my area use "water bags" (for lack of a better term) on each tree. They slowly emit water around each tree. They fill each bag periodically and would save running the water hose. And, you left out the berry plants. Thanks.
One more thing. When you get a very late frost, I understand water sprinkling is beneficial. You just need to keep above freezing. In Florida they build fires in barrels to emit enough warmth for the groves. I have only seen this done, not experienced it myself.
I have an orchard with about 12 fruit trees. I also have a problem with deer but am unable to fence it in for various reasons. So what I have done is cut about 8-foot strips of field fence and lay 2 at the base of each tree. Deer won't step into the wire to get to the tree. Yes, it's a pain in the rear when it comes to mowing, but it's worth the effort!
FYI...I had one Mulberry tree several years ago....the birds "planted" via their poop everywhere!!! They are very hard to kill...I will cut tree and several more trunks grow from what I cut! They are all along my fence lines. Just so you know. Love your channel... God Bless You Too.
Yea, if you have a mulberry tree, you soon will have lots of mulberry trees!
Cut the center out of the peach trees and let the sun in, they all look amazing. I have 4 peach trees and here in mid michigan we had a late frost that killed 90% of the blossoms but the ones that made it were awesome peach.
Wow that three years went by fast. They look great!
Try planting Comfrey around the base of your trees. Comfrey enriches the soil, mulches trees, prevents weeds, and attracts pollinators.
Here in pennsylvania, I use the lay of the land to help production. Example- grapes and berries like south facing slopes. But things like peaches do better on north facing slopes because it takes longer for the soil to warm up in the spring. So they bloom later in the spring getting them into safer time frame for late frosts.
Some extension offices may be able to connect you with volunteer gleaners after you have picked what you can use or give away. The fruit is donated to various food banks or organizations serving food to those in need in your community. There is usually a questionnaire you fill in and submit so that the appropriate number of people can be available at the right time, and, so that they can bring the right equipment that they will need in order to complete the job.
I have tree trimmers drop off truckloads of wood chips at my place and I use them around my trees to both conserve water and keep the weeds away. I put a 6-8” layer of wood chips in about a 4 foot diameter ring or larger if it’s a big tree and it works great to keep the soil insulated, weeds down, and water from evaporating off the root zone. I have a pretty large orchard so I’m always asking tree trimmers to bring chips, lol and one of the best side effects of wood chips is that they build beautiful soil as they break down.
Nice tour thank you for sharing ❤
Good Morning! Trees look beautiful! It doesn't seem like 3 years since I watch you plant those ❤️
Oh Sarah I just wanted to tell you about a peach tree from the university of central Florida. It is a tropic peach tree. I went to a farm in Florida this year and picked from there orchard. They were delicious. I have not had a good peach in many years because of living here in Florida. So check it out. I was very pleased.
I have found that all fruit trees love a good spraying of copper, especially a few times over winter. I put neem oil in the spray as well
Some favorite memories are climbing mulberry trees and enjoying those delicious berries.
As nice as tall single truck trees are the multi-trunk ones will be easier for those future grandkids to climb. Those were always my favorites.
Just don't eat them too fast, stink bugs like them to. They taste like they smell.
😂
Your orchard looks amazing! Great job just think in another five years time you will be knee-deep in fruit on a regular basis. How exciting!
You said your sweet cherry tree died over the last past winter if you decide to replace it with a pie cherry tree might I suggest Evans sour cherry? They’re extremely hardy and they produce quickly rounding off at 15 feet tall I believe. They’re absolutely wondrous! We enjoy ours and receive plenty of fruit off of it every year.
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I hit like before I watch. I’ve been watching them for ‘years’ and I’ve learned so many things from these 2 wonderful people. My gratitude to them cannot be put into words🫶
You forgot to show the raspberry/blackberry and grape grove! I love me some raspberries. Love the blackberrie's flavor, too but, I can't do all those seeds!
My apple trees in Michigan got worms. I used wire and mesh bags to tie around the tree. The worms would crawl up the tree but would get caught in the fold and could not get into the tree. If you don’t stop worms you will have to spray pesticides.
Also we know Sara is a wiz at creating delicious treats that those fruits could be used for. No sugar added jams/jelly treats and beautiful summer fruit salads. God bless and enjoy ☺️
Best luck I have had with fruit trees is to ring em outside of the leaf perimeter with any decent lawn edging, and clear the sod from the interior. I don't put down a weed fabric, because it is a PIA under any fill... as to the fill, I use the shredded cedar (not bark), which seems to be a decent compost that will stay put a while. BUT... it does require maintenance... you have to keep it stirred up... moving old fill from around the best vantage trees to add to rearward trees, and adding fresh to the front. So every few years, you will be messin with it.
Wow 3 years goes by quick…I remember watching the video of you guys planting the trees. Thinking to myself…”I can’t wait to see them in a few years”….Well here we are. Thanks for the video guys.
Plant comfrey under your trees. Check Little Mountain Ranch on how to maintain the comfrey. She does not chop and drop. The comfrey blooms are great for bees.
I watch the gardening channel with James Prigioni, he’s in NJ. He uses a lot of mulch and puts strawberries around his trees. He also uses surround kaolin clay in a sprayer and sprays his trees which helps keep any pests at bay. I would love to have an area to grow fruit trees. 🤷🏻♀️ maybe one day. Love your videos ❤️❤️❤️🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
I have about 18 fruit trees I planted 2 years ago and follow the “little tree” way of care. It keeps the trees at 8 feet or under so you don’t need to climb a ladder. Yes less fruit but just as much usable fruit. I do a summer prune just to cut off the long branches and it stunts the growth a bit but pruning in fall causes too much long growth. At planting you cut the tree about knee high. I didn’t do all that way because it is brutal but the ones I did are doing amazing.
I used a raised bed to plant my asparagus patch with companion strawberries. The first few years did well, with good harvests of both. This year the bed was overtaken by Bermuda grass that I have not been able to eradicate. So, this year I am removing everything in order to get rid of the grass.
Great share. You may start looking around for a 3 leg orchard ladder for picking your fruit later on. It's self leveling and keeps you from 'rocking' and maybe falling.
My mulberry tree loves a lot of water. The 2 times I got mulberries that ripened and grew the best is when we got a lot of rain? Orchard looks great. Nancy from Nebraska
I'm just SW of you in OK, my journey with fruit trees has been difficult. I planted four peach trees, got a hundred+ peaches off one last year, and that tree died this year. The other three failed to fruit due to that late frost of which you spoke. I had two year old black apple trees that just suddenly died just now. The pear tree and the remaining peach trees look very handsome and tall. I guess we shall see what happens next year.
Watching your channel grow as well as those trees!!
We put those rings around the base of our trees and Yes they were a waste of money so we just decided to allow the grass to grow, I have a hand trimmer by Earthwise that works great for trimming. We live on the southeast side of Missouri and have sandy soil and also with those rings the tree's roots weren't going deep they were very close to the top of the earth, so those rings weren't good for that too. I had my first apples last year but this year yes the crazy weather and even with us putting a frost blanket around them didn't save the blooms sadly.
Watching from Texas, I enjoy your videos. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience with your creative expertise. I really like the way that you have planned for a workable layout of your property. Praying for your safety, strength, wisdom, health and success in Jesus's Mighty Name. Blessings to you and your family. ❤☝🙏🙌💪👊
The best method to prevent weeds and grass from growing around your trees is to make a low wooden frame either square or round then fill it with a piece of landscape fabric and then top it with mulch making sure you keep the mulch a little away from the trunk.. It also looks neat. It always works for us and you can mow around the frame or use the whipper snipper.
Oooh. Great idea! I’m going to try this. Our nasty running crabgrass takes over my mulching.
I also planted a mulberry tree, when we bought our first house (in our 50s!) 3 years ago. Sadly no fruit yet, but have learned just this week that I will be moving soon, so 😥😥 no mulberries for me. Maybe next time!
Why did you plant your trees so far apart? Great video and remember if you have to get on a ladder to pick fruit the trees are to tall.
Because they will get large and we still want to be able to get a mower or tractor between the rows. Also, we have lots of space here so no need to plant them close together.
I am keeping mine small enough to net. At 66 I don’t want to climb the ladder any more than I have to. 👍🏼
@@rangerswife2176 Well said my friend, I'm 74.
Yes I use the round rubber mat as well I’m still trying to figure out the best way to water. I do like the way you water every day just move the hose. I plan on burying a holes from tree to tree and put a small waterline off of that half-inch plastic mainline you attach drip line too
For Southerners and South-easterners Stark Brothers and their orchard trees are great.
If you live in the Northeast, is Albemarle Cider Works or the Vintage Virginia Apples site with a large variety of heirloom apples, and other orchard species.
For the Northern and Pacific Northwest/West Coast states, there is One Green World (Portland) for huge selections.
For the West Coast/Southwest areas is Dave Wilson Nurseries, out of the California Central Valley
... and Trees of Antiquity (Paso Robles, CA) with a MASSIVE variety of heirlooms.
This was really fun to tour the orchard with you and I’m glad to hear you are planning to eat some of your fruits. Eating fresh organic fruits can be very beneficial for your health. You know what they say…. “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” 😂
Next up: An update on the Berry Patch (?)
I agree that the woven fabric under the trees does not work well. What I do and what has worked for me is to mulch with fresh cut grass clippings as we have a bagger on our zero turn mower and more than enough grass clippings.
I've heard that you should eat the fruit each to it's season. when the season is over for that fruit, you wait again till next years season. Don't know how true this is ,but worth some research.
And the peach farmers here in NC blueberry also once they bloom they have sprinkler’s on them to run all night to save the blooms. It’s really wild to ride by blueberries that are covered in ice the next morning are it doesn’t kill the bloom but frost does.
Thank you for sharing. I'm planting peach from your same company.
You could put black ir red mulch around the trees. Brings beauty and weed barrier and water absorption
I hear you on the rubber tree rings. Not great in my experience either.
We too started an orchard with Pear and Cherry trees. I hope to get more in the spring.
Your orchard looks great!Have a good weekend 🍎 🍏
Arkansas Black is great for storage. And the Haven Peach is 1 of the best for MO & great fruit
What about pears? They r pretty trees & I've made pear honey & my kids sold the heck out of it at school. All I did extra was a piece of lace on the ring
Id get a couple nuts. Pecans r so similar to peaches, Filburts r more like bushes.
I suggest grabbing a tarp or similar to put under trees so help with windfalls & keeping it cleaner.
Hi Kevin & Sarah,WOW,your orchard is doing so well after 3 years.Kevin & Sarah,your homestead is just beautiful.❤
We planted peach trees 10 years ago. This year was the first year we actually got peaches... then it hailed.
😢😮
Hi Kevin and Sarah. I remember when you planted it. It looks great. Have a good day. Lv and Prayers all.
Your grandkids will love the fruit freeze dried
A trick to prevent early blooms on a peach is to put up a simple shade cloth strung between 2 posts blocking the Southern sun in late Winter/early Spring. Not a guarantee but typically delays blooms a few weeks, enough to avoid the late frost killing those precious blooms.
Thank you for sharing! I'm getting peach trees this next spring. We have problems with late frost also.Our plums usually get killed by frost.We plant to put plastic cover over our plums next spring.
For the orchard could you use cardboard and thick layer of wood chip, and create a bowl shape towards the trunk to help retain water moisture levels, each year add more mulch fairly low maintenance.
Have you thought about planting a ring of comfrey around your fruit trees? Also giving you the leaves of the plant to mulch with! Just a thought! ❤
Great tour. An aunt told me years ago never buy an older peach tree because they grow so fast and it really is true. We found a pit in our mulch that had sprouted, planted it and in 4 years with cutting it back twice its still about 15foot tall. It did turn out to be a nectarine and not peach but they grow at a similar rate. I"m in WI and the height for fence is no lie they can spring up so high just from a stance let along a run.
We had the same problem with our cherries here near Kansas City, we added lime to the soil around the trees and they came back like gangbusters.
I haven't tried this yet but I was going to cut 2 pieces of 4 foot by 4 foot squares of cushion flooring for each tree or smaller if the drip line is not that large and put it around my apple trees. If the trunk is 4 inches in diameter I would cut a 5 inch circle in the middle and a slit from the outside edge to the center of the circle. I now have the ground cover and this year I will be putting it around my trees. I hope this helps.
Your orchard is looking great. Only missing an apricot tree. Love what it looks like. Hearts and flowers coming your way. ❤️💐
Beautiful from Ontario Canada
That was a fast three years. Barb and I have been following along for a long time. You mentioned lots of deer, maybe you can set up some night vision cameras and make a show of them feeding, or make some clips to close a video, we also watch Brownville food pantry UA-cam channel, they feed deer in winter months and have a few live stream cameras going then
Just learned a friend of mine mulched her trees but also planted comphrey around the base. The comphrey helps the tree absorb nutrients
You could move your geese to the orchard . They are amazing weeders.
Can't believe it's been 3 years looks amazing. I'm sure you're going to get a wonderful crop in the future. Thank you for sharing and showing us.
Thank you for another great video! I've been a long time subscriber. Question, are you beekeepers?? Do you have your own hives to help pollinate your trees, and crops?? Your orchard would be a perfect place to keep bees. Five hives would do a great job with pollinating your crops and give you honey which you could add to your list of products that you sell. I've been a beekeeper for a number of years and harvest about 60 pounds of honey per hive per year. Just a thought....
Hey you guys . Your trees are looking good . Well red clover grow in your area. If so plant red clover under and around your fruit tree. Let it bloom then cut it . Danny at Deep South homestead plants it in his blueberry bushes. It’s great for nitrogen fertilizer in the soil. Just a thought
The best 'weed mat' for fruit trees is cardboard and wood chips. You only need the cardboard once and renew the woodchips yearly.
To help trees in winter place hay bales around the drip line of tree to help keep ground frozen loner and blooms will come later to help too early looms here in MN we have to do this with apricots
Thank you for the update! Crab apples are good pollinators for all apple trees and are full of pectin for making sugar free jellies. Have you thought about using the woven lawn cover around your orchard trees?
Time goes so quickly! I remember when you planted those trees.