Planting fruit trees

The #1 community for Gun Owners in Indiana

Member Benefits:

  • Fewer Ads!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • phylodog

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    59   0   0
    Mar 7, 2008
    18,752
    113
    Arcadia
    I would like to get some fruit trees planted this fall. I know nothing about it other than hearing I'll need at least 2 apple trees for pollination. Looking for pointers or advice from those who have done this before. What types should I plant? Where do I buy them? Are there any apple trees that don't look like little dumpster fires? lol

    We like apples, cherries, persimmon, pears, plums, etc..
     

    chocktaw2

    Home on the Range
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    Feb 5, 2011
    61,470
    149
    Mayberry
    Fruit trees are a LOT of work.

    If you want specific fruit, ask a nursery owner. So many different varieties out there now days. Spraying on time is BIG THING, as the bees and bugs really have a sweet tooth.
     

    HoughMade

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 24, 2012
    35,615
    149
    Valparaiso
    I currently have 6 apple trees. Yes, you need at least 2, but you also need to match the trees that you get. Not all apple trees are compatible.

    Of my 6 trees, 2 are 5 years old. Only 1 produces because I screwed up choosing the varieties when I had just the 2. One tree pollinates the other, but not the other way around.

    2 trees were planted last year and 2 more this spring. They do not usually produce until 4 or 5 years. Now, I have 2 pollination partners for every tree, so when they mature, we should be OK.

    The best trees are probably at a local nursery, but I have had good luck with the big box stores, but not this time of year. I think your only option in the fall will be a local.

    My trees are:

    Haralson
    2 Golden Delicious (they pollinate a lot of trees and sometimes each other)
    Pink Lady
    Winesap
    Gala

    I fertilize in the spring with a 12-12-12, and dust with Sevin after the blossoms are gone (don't want to kill insects before pollination). I will be pruning the 2 oldest trees when they go dormant. Also- deer. The 2 5 year old trees were nearly killed by deer stripping the leaves off right after I planted them. I built deer protection and they recovered after a couple of years.

    I would like to add another Gala and a Fuji next year.
     

    rkwhyte2

    aka: Vinny
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    37   0   0
    Sep 26, 2012
    21,056
    77
    Sheridan
    If you plant cherry trees be ready to put a net over them when they have fruit otherwise the birds will eat them all.
     

    Hkindiana

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    8   0   0
    Sep 19, 2010
    3,175
    149
    Southern Hills
    If you have any cedar trees near where you plan to plant your apple trees, you will get “cedar rust” on your trees, so keep that in mind. My pear trees produced well fot the first couple of years. Now, the squirrels get ALL of the pears when they are about the size of a quarter.
     

    Phase2

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Dec 9, 2011
    7,014
    27
    Planting in the fall is very good for allowing them to establish root systems and get a better start in the spring, but most places have limited stock in the fall. Large hardware/retail stores generally only carry in the spring. I did see that the local Rural King had some just a couple of days ago.

    Personally, I buy most of my trees from StarkBros.com, but there are many alternatives. That site is very good for information including growing guides and which trees are compatible for cross-pollination. Crab apples are supposed to be very good for fertilizing regular apples, so you might want to include one. I don't have detailed knowledge there, so do your own research.

    Some things to think about:
    • Do you want full-sized trees or dwarfs (or semi-dwarfs). I use only dwarf/semi-dwarf trees to fit a variety on a small property and to be able to reach them without a ladder as I get older. Fruit that is 20 feet in the air is useless to me. I don't want to be 70 and reaching out for that last apple on a ladder...
    • Check into the disease/insect resistance of your trees to minimize problems that you will have to contend with or at least be better prepared to handle them. Apples actually take a lot of treatment compared to many other fruit trees to prevent problems. This is particularly important if you are thinking of going organic.
    • Understand that it will be a few years before you get production. Most apples won't produce until year 2-5. Other fruits will produce at different years.
    • Not something that you need right now, but learn how to prune your fruit trees annually rather than letting them grow uncontrolled. They will be healthier and more productive and you can control their size that way. Pretty much all pruning is done either in the late fall/early spring (while the tree is dormant).
    Be sure to look up "how to plant a tree" if you haven't done so before. It isn't hard, but doing it the right way will give them a much better start. As with many things when dealing with plants: The best time to have started is 20 years ago. The second best time is today.
     

    hoosierdaddy1976

    I Can't Believe it's not Shooter
    Rating - 100%
    16   0   0
    Mar 17, 2011
    6,469
    149
    newton county
    I know nothing about growing fruit trees, but I've heard that Pixie Crunch is a good variety to grow. Originated in indiana, pretty disease resistant, and can bear 80+ apples by year 3. Fruit are on the smaller side, so less chance of branch damage, and a harvest window of 3 weeks or so.
     

    HoughMade

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 24, 2012
    35,615
    149
    Valparaiso
    Eventually it’ll be worth it (I hope). I have great memories of spending fall Saturdays pressing cider with my Dad while listening to U of M football on the transistor.
     

    cedartop

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Apr 25, 2010
    6,687
    113
    North of Notre Dame.
    Fruit trees are a LOT of work.

    If you want specific fruit, ask a nursery owner. So many different varieties out there now days. Spraying on time is BIG THING, as the bees and bugs really have a sweet tooth.

    Definitely. I live in the fruit belt and grew up with this stuff. A lot of work is an understatement. Add in frost killing your fruit and with something like sweet cherry trees a high mortality rate of the tree itself. Apples and pears are pretty hardy. I lose apricots more often than I succeed with them and I am about 10 miles away from the big lake. My neighbor's business is agritourism and he lost his whole cherry and peach crop this spring. Fortunately his apples did ok and the FIPS are streaming in by the carload to take their wagon ride out to the orchard and pick them. My pears were great this year. Apples were ok. I had no plums, apricots, or cherries due to late frost. And spraying, oy vey, I am sure if I die early it will be from living in the middle of all of these fruit orchards and inhaling the spray. The blossoms in the spring make it worth it though.
     
    Last edited:

    Fordtough25

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 99.1%
    110   1   0
    Apr 14, 2010
    6,898
    63
    Jefferson County
    Agree they are a lot of work, we have a large orchard down in SE indiana and we have hardly any fruit this year with the late freezes. I can appreciate your desire but it's work!!
     

    phylodog

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    59   0   0
    Mar 7, 2008
    18,752
    113
    Arcadia
    I really do appreciate the insights. I wish I was kidding when I said never mind, my shoulder is so jacked up these days it takes me a month to get something done I used to be able to do in a week or less. Probably be a waste of money and effort to plant them as I won't be able to take care of them properly. Hopefully I can get a decent garden going next year, another thing I know nothing about so we'll see.
     

    drillsgt

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    108   0   0
    Nov 29, 2009
    9,627
    149
    Sioux Falls, SD
    I really do appreciate the insights. I wish I was kidding when I said never mind, my shoulder is so jacked up these days it takes me a month to get something done I used to be able to do in a week or less. Probably be a waste of money and effort to plant them as I won't be able to take care of them properly. Hopefully I can get a decent garden going next year, another thing I know nothing about so we'll see.

    What about something like grapes or raspberries?
     

    Jaybird1980

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    5   0   0
    Jan 22, 2016
    11,929
    113
    North Central
    I really do appreciate the insights. I wish I was kidding when I said never mind, my shoulder is so jacked up these days it takes me a month to get something done I used to be able to do in a week or less. Probably be a waste of money and effort to plant them as I won't be able to take care of them properly. Hopefully I can get a decent garden going next year, another thing I know nothing about so we'll see.

    It is definitely easier to go pick up some fresh fruit at the farmers market. Let someone else handle the work.
     

    cedartop

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Apr 25, 2010
    6,687
    113
    North of Notre Dame.
    As the fruit trees along my 500-ft long driveway die I will not be replacing them with other fruit trees. I am replacing them with arborvitae which provides a vision and snow barrier for the driveway. This will cut my fruit tree total down considerably and in theory will allow me more time to do upkeep on the other ones.
     

    SarahG

    Snow Shovel
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Apr 17, 2017
    4,402
    47
    Morgan County
    I would agree fruit trees are tons of work. When I was a kid we had a few apple trees, a couple cherry trees, plums, etc. My parents have cut them all down now because between fighting the raccoons and the birds it became not worth it. They still do have raspberry, blackberry, and strawberry patches. All of those are relatively low maintenance and grow well, so I might suggest that if you don't want to fight with the animals. :)
     

    Mr Evilwrench

    Quantum Mechanic
    Emeritus
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Aug 18, 2011
    11,560
    63
    Carmel
    I've had successful years with cherries and peaches, not necessarily the same years. It depends on the frost. I'll have a year with the peach branches dragging the ground (except I prop them up) followed by a year of nothing, or a couple of moderate to poor years. The trees are dwarf so it's not too much. I have a cherry that's been producing long enough it's about time it became lumber, and replaced by a couple of dwarves. I have a comice pear I started from a seed lo these many years ago, and it sets plenty of fruit that the local wildlife find irresistable.

    I also want to put in a couple of nuts. If you have a black walnut juglans nigra, it will poison many plants in its vicinity.
     

    HoughMade

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 24, 2012
    35,615
    149
    Valparaiso
    This.

    I've had much better luck with grapes and other berries than fruit trees. I still get some things like paw paws and persimmons from the forest.

    Concord grapes are easy to grow, but you have to keep after the pruning to get them to produce...

    ...when I was a kid, we pressed grape juice too. Some day I will recount my family's maple syrup operation. When I tell these stories, people say things like: "you sound like you're 85, but you only look 60". (I'm 49)
     
    Top Bottom