anybody have advice on planting fruit trees?

[chad]

i have a 5 acre parcel of meadow that i want to plant some peach, pear, and apples in. anything i need to do to insure they make it besides water them a lot? planing on putting them in as soon as the frost stops, probably middle of may.

[ArgenteumTelum]

If you can find a vendor in your area (or online but close to your area) it is preferable for quicker shipping. Choose winter hardy varieties of those you desire. At least 3 1/2- 5 ft in height. At time of purchase, I would recommend buying fertilizer tabs for actual placement in the soil. At the same time, I also bought bamboo stakes to create a plastic netting around each tree to prevent deer and bear browsing. There are also plastic coils to place at the bottom of the trunk to prevent mice gnawing. Stakes and netting should be at least 6 ft high and remain in place until tree growth is overt the top. Work the soil well and amend as necessary before planting.

I have used these folks with success: http://www.starkbros.com/?gclid=CILfsZ3Oj64CFUcCQAod0jsQgA

They include planting directions with the purchase. My purchases from them include peach, apple, pear, plum, nectarine and cherry.

Good Luck!! Bless your trees before planting--it helps them.

Added: Remember to buy 2 of each when needed for cross-pollination. Will still take 3-5 years for fruit to grow.

[chad]

the ones i'm looking at say they don't need to be cross pollinated. is this true do you think?

[ArgenteumTelum]

Yes, Chad, this is true for some varieties. I just wanted to make sure you had a handle on it. Double-check with the vendor before plunking $ down. You're going to have a few seasons growth before fruit production.

[chad]

Yes, Chad, this is true for some varieties. I just wanted to make sure you had a handle on it. Double-check with the vendor before plunking $ down. You're going to have a few seasons growth before fruit production.

cool, thanks for the help. not looking to really need fruit, i just think it's big waste having grass grow there instead of food. we have about 1 acre of mature blacberries and 11 apple trees now, just looking to add more :D

[palani]

Throw a couple of lbs of iron in the hole before you drop in the pear trees. They like a lot of iron.

[skid]

I wouldn't add anything without a proper soil test. Get it tested as it is inexpensive, especially when you have a few acres. There is an ideal soil based upon having all the minerals and nutrients in a proper balance. The lab that tests your soil should be able to give advice on how to supplement your soil correctly. Too much of any one thing is going to affect the soil, sometimes very negatively.