Been pondering this for awhile and just thought yall might have some opinions/advice on how to get going. I want an all purpose orchard, apples, peaches, pears, etc... I want fruit for eating fresh and canning. What varities for zone 6 work the best? I have looked in several magazines but know that experience beats all and it seems there is alot of experience on here.
Thanks in advance...
I have never had my own orchard. I know they are the most work when in their infancy. Once you have an established orchard the investment can really pay off and it is a wonderful thing to pass down to kids.
If you can find someone with an old fashioned apple tree named a Grimes Golden-buy it! They are the best apples to make applesauce and apple butter out of. They are a sweet tart apple and absolutely make the best tasting apple butter I've ever tasted. My wife brought some in from a local orchard once and we've been hooked ever since.
I have considered planting a few apple trees at one time but have never really researched it much. Doesn't it take up to 5 years before you can really begin harvesting fruit from fruit trees.
wanderer: found your variety of apple trees....Grimes Golden Apple Tree, Apple Tree Varieties at Aaron's Nursery
still pondering.... Thanks....
Much depends on your area. I'm in the middle of Missouri, and Cedar Apple Rust is a big problem for me. I have planted about 15 different apple and culinary crab apple varieties, and I wish now that I had paid more attention to disease resistance, as only some of those varieties are resistant to CAR. I'm in zone 5/6 depending on what chart you use, and so far as zones are concerned, there are few apple varieties I could not grow, if any, though some might do better in colder climates. I have two different peach varieties, Red Haven and Belle of Georgia. Both grow OK here, but I lose all my Red Haven peaches every year either to tree rats, coons, or birds. This is my first year for getting a real harvest of the Belle of Georgia peaches. They ripen a month after the Red Haven, and I think the bluejays that pecked all my Red Havens had mainly moved on by the time the Belle of Georgia started turning red. I've tried and given up on sweet cherries, but the pie cherries do well for me. I have North Star and Evans, though the Evans are just a year old now. I just planted Bartlett and Moonglow pears this spring. I also have Carpathian walnuts, heartnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries... When I finally get to retire I'll probably spend my first year just trying to get all this stuff in some kind of order.
When you decide on varieties, also check on the reputation of any nursery you order from. I think Aaron's Nursery is one with a rather poor reputation, though I might have that wrong. GardenWeb has links to sites that rate the nurseries. I've ordered trees from Stark, Millers, Vintage Virginia Apples and Burnt Ridge Nurseries. Stark and Millers are usually rated only OK, but I've been satisfied with their products. Both VVA and Burnt Ridge have been excellent.
Chuck
Thanks Cuck,
That is the type of info that i have been looking for. There are no repuatable orchards/nursuries close by that I know of. Disease is something that I really want to deal with organically, so the better the resistance is a big plus.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote