Re: Growing Fruit Trees

[Guest guest]

I NEVER spay my cherries. The only problem I have is getting to them before the birds. I have two varieties and they are absolutely delicious. When Emmett, ID was the cherry capital of the nation, the law read that you HAD to spray your trees to protect the big orchards from having infestations. But, most of those places are gone and no one is going to say I have to use poison on my trees.

Oh, the oil is NEEM OIL, from the Neem tree. Non-toxic and you should spray every other week when the flowers start so the bugs don't get to the fruit. You can use it as a dormant oil as well. Make sure you spray under the leaves. That's where the little buggies like to lay eggs.

But, I sure wouldn't do anything unless you actually see leaf damage.

K.C.

Growing Fruit Trees

At 06:32 PM 12/14/2004, you wrote:

> []> I am working on getting an apple tree and a pear tree but I've been told > by so many that they are a bigger pain than it's worth. I'm told that the > fruit won't come out edible if I don't treat the trees with pesticides and > herbicides. Is this true? I would've thought it's pretty much like > other garden plants- maintenance required but not nuisance like.That's what I've wondered too. My dad and stepmom gave me two white peach trees, and I want to put in at least one cherry tree, if not two, and I've been told that if I don't spray them, the fruit won't be fit to eat. There has to be some natural way to control pests and diseases on these things, right?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Canfield-God grades on the cross, not on the curve. -Anonymous 3:36: He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."PLEASE BE KIND AND TRIM YOUR POSTS WHEN REPLYING!Visit our Raw Dairy Files for a wealth of information!http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RawDairy/files/

[Guest guest]

Hi and ,

I had some young peach trees and the fruit was fine. My older apple trees are fine and the fruit is not 'disgusting' or wormy. You might want to check into 'biological controls' if you're concerned though. You can buy ladybugs by the thousand. They just do their own thing and eat the pests.

But do be careful with fruit trees if you have goats. When the leaves 'turn' in the autumn they become toxic. Goats are dangerous to the tree too. LOL When I say I had some trees I meant 'past tense' as some goats got out and girdled them. I ran a 'flerd' a mixed flock/herd and the goats taught the sheep bad things. After awhile they started to browse too. So watch out for the leaves, and try to plant in a protected spot where the stock can't get to the trees until they are older and the bark is tough.

Beverly W

> I am working on getting an apple tree and a pear tree but I've been told > by so many that they are a bigger pain than it's worth. I'm told that the > fruit won't come out edible if I don't treat the trees with pesticides and > herbicides. Is this true? I would've thought it's pretty much like > other garden plants- maintenance required but not nuisance like.That's what I've wondered too. My dad and stepmom gave me two white peach trees, and I want to put in at least one cherry tree, if not two, and I've been told that if I don't spray them, the fruit won't be fit to eat. There has to be some natural way to control pests and diseases on these things, right?

Canfield

[Guest guest]

I forgot to mention that Gardens Alive (they do have a web site) has EVERYTHING you will ever need to safely treat trees and just about anything you grow. They aren't cheap, but they always offer 20-25% off. Everything they offer is for the organic gardener or people who want to use non-toxic pesticides and natural fertilizers.

You might also want to check out Spray n' Grow. I use it every year and it's about the best thing to get things growing and make fruits and veggies huge. I love this stuff.

K.C.

Re: Growing Fruit Trees

Hi and ,

I had some young peach trees and the fruit was fine. My older apple trees are fine and the fruit is not 'disgusting' or wormy. You might want to check into 'biological controls' if you're concerned though. You can buy ladybugs by the thousand. They just do their own thing and eat the pests.

But do be careful with fruit trees if you have goats. When the leaves 'turn' in the autumn they become toxic. Goats are dangerous to the tree too. LOL When I say I had some trees I meant 'past tense' as some goats got out and girdled them. I ran a 'flerd' a mixed flock/herd and the goats taught the sheep bad things. After awhile they started to browse too. So watch out for the leaves, and try to plant in a protected spot where the stock can't get to the trees until they are older and the bark is tough.

Beverly W

> I am working on getting an apple tree and a pear tree but I've been told > by so many that they are a bigger pain than it's worth. I'm told that the > fruit won't come out edible if I don't treat the trees with pesticides and > herbicides. Is this true? I would've thought it's pretty much like > other garden plants- maintenance required but not nuisance like.That's what I've wondered too. My dad and stepmom gave me two white peach trees, and I want to put in at least one cherry tree, if not two, and I've been told that if I don't spray them, the fruit won't be fit to eat. There has to be some natural way to control pests and diseases on these things, right?

CanfieldPLEASE BE KIND AND TRIM YOUR POSTS WHEN REPLYING!Visit our Raw Dairy Files for a wealth of information!http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RawDairy/files/

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 12/14/04 9:33:30 PM Central Standard Time,

thequeen@... writes:

<< That's what I've wondered too. My dad and stepmom gave me two white peach

trees, and I want to put in at least one cherry tree, if not two, and I've

been told that if I don't spray them, the fruit won't be fit to eat. There

has to be some natural way to control pests and diseases on these things,

right? >>

Hi , In October we went to Gays Mills, Wi. to an organic orchard and I

got to visit with one of the owners - They are making great strides into

controling pests and diseases naturally. One of the things they are doing is

using guineas, chickens, pigs, and I can't remember what else on a test plot and

they are having some amazing results. I was able to get unpasturized cider.

The name of the orchard is Turkey Ridge and if I can find their e-mail address

I will give it to you. It was very interesting talking to her and the

struggles they have with regulations, etc.

[Guest guest]

I don't know much about fruit trees, but we have never used sprays,

and some years we have good yield, others not so good - last year,

we had no apples at all, and a small cherry yield. We had a cold

snap late in the spring...

The year before I tried Neem oil on the apple trees, but it stinks,

and you have to stay with it, and I didn't...plus it can burn the

leaves if you apply it in full sun...but it's a " natural " fungicide

and bug deterrant.

Some organic gardeners claim that if your soil is nutritious, the

plants will be very hardy, and insects won't have much impact. It

can take a few years to get the soil right. Last year I dusted

Azomite powder, a trace mineral supplement from ground clay that

contains some 60+ minerals, around all my plants and trees, and I

was impressed with the results. I saw a few leaves eaten by bugs,

but nothing remotely upsetting all season.

I also tried companion planting (onions, hot peppers, various herbs,

and that bright yellow annual that smells bad - self-sows like crazy

and looks like a wadded up tissue? sorry can't remember the name...),

so that may have helped too.

But the Azomite powder caused a striking spurt of thick growth and

darker green leaves, more flowers, better drought tolerance. Bugs

didn't phase them. Next year I'm tilling it into the soil!

Hoping that they're right about no chemical sprays,

-Blair

> In a message dated 12/14/04 9:33:30 PM Central Standard Time,

> thequeen@c... writes:

>

> << That's what I've wondered too. My dad and stepmom gave me two

white peach

> trees, and I want to put in at least one cherry tree, if not two,

and I've

> been told that if I don't spray them, the fruit won't be fit to

eat. There

> has to be some natural way to control pests and diseases on these

things,

> right? >>

>

[Guest guest]

I don't know much about fruit trees, but we have never used sprays,

and some years we have good yield, others not so good - last year,

we had no apples at all, and a small cherry yield. We had a cold

snap late in the spring...

The year before I tried Neem oil on the apple trees, but it stinks,

and you have to stay with it, and I didn't...plus it can burn the

leaves if you apply it in full sun...but it's a " natural " fungicide

and bug deterrant.

Some organic gardeners claim that if your soil is nutritious, the

plants will be very hardy, and insects won't have much impact. It

can take a few years to get the soil right. Last year I dusted

Azomite powder, a trace mineral supplement from ground clay that

contains some 60+ minerals, around all my plants and trees, and I

was impressed with the results. I saw a few leaves eaten by bugs,

but nothing remotely upsetting all season.

I also tried companion planting (onions, hot peppers, various herbs,

and that bright yellow annual that smells bad - self-sows like crazy

and looks like a wadded up tissue? sorry can't remember the name...),

so that may have helped too.

But the Azomite powder caused a striking spurt of thick growth and

darker green leaves, more flowers, better drought tolerance. Bugs

didn't phase them. Next year I'm tilling it into the soil!

Hoping that they're right about no chemical sprays,

-Blair

> In a message dated 12/14/04 9:33:30 PM Central Standard Time,

> thequeen@c... writes:

>

> << That's what I've wondered too. My dad and stepmom gave me two

white peach

> trees, and I want to put in at least one cherry tree, if not two,

and I've

> been told that if I don't spray them, the fruit won't be fit to

eat. There

> has to be some natural way to control pests and diseases on these

things,

> right? >>

>

[Guest guest]

All my trees are in full sun and I never burned them with the Neem Oil. I did't find the smell too bad.

Sounds like the freeze got the buds on your trees in the spring. That happened here a couple of times. It's so upsetting to prune and care for your trees only to have the buds freeze and then no fruit.

K.C.

Re: Growing Fruit Trees

I don't know much about fruit trees, but we have never used sprays, and some years we have good yield, others not so good - last year, we had no apples at all, and a small cherry yield. We had a cold snap late in the spring...The year before I tried Neem oil on the apple trees, but it stinks, and you have to stay with it, and I didn't...plus it can burn the leaves if you apply it in full sun...but it's a "natural" fungicide and bug deterrant.Some organic gardeners claim that if your soil is nutritious, the plants will be very hardy, and insects won't have much impact. It can take a few years to get the soil right. Last year I dusted Azomite powder, a trace mineral supplement from ground clay that contains some 60+ minerals, around all my plants and trees, and I was impressed with the results. I saw a few leaves eaten by bugs, but nothing remotely upsetting all season.I also tried companion planting (onions, hot peppers, various herbs, and that bright yellow annual that smells bad - self-sows like crazy and looks like a wadded up tissue? sorry can't remember the name...),so that may have helped too.But the Azomite powder caused a striking spurt of thick growth and darker green leaves, more flowers, better drought tolerance. Bugs didn't phase them. Next year I'm tilling it into the soil! Hoping that they're right about no chemical sprays, -Blair > In a message dated 12/14/04 9:33:30 PM Central Standard Time, > thequeen@c... writes:> > << That's what I've wondered too. My dad and stepmom gave me two white peach > trees, and I want to put in at least one cherry tree, if not two, and I've > been told that if I don't spray them, the fruit won't be fit to eat. There > has to be some natural way to control pests and diseases on these things, > right? >>> PLEASE BE KIND AND TRIM YOUR POSTS WHEN REPLYING!Visit our Raw Dairy Files for a wealth of information!http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RawDairy/files/

[Guest guest]

All my trees are in full sun and I never burned them with the Neem Oil. I did't find the smell too bad.

Sounds like the freeze got the buds on your trees in the spring. That happened here a couple of times. It's so upsetting to prune and care for your trees only to have the buds freeze and then no fruit.

K.C.

Re: Growing Fruit Trees

I don't know much about fruit trees, but we have never used sprays, and some years we have good yield, others not so good - last year, we had no apples at all, and a small cherry yield. We had a cold snap late in the spring...The year before I tried Neem oil on the apple trees, but it stinks, and you have to stay with it, and I didn't...plus it can burn the leaves if you apply it in full sun...but it's a "natural" fungicide and bug deterrant.Some organic gardeners claim that if your soil is nutritious, the plants will be very hardy, and insects won't have much impact. It can take a few years to get the soil right. Last year I dusted Azomite powder, a trace mineral supplement from ground clay that contains some 60+ minerals, around all my plants and trees, and I was impressed with the results. I saw a few leaves eaten by bugs, but nothing remotely upsetting all season.I also tried companion planting (onions, hot peppers, various herbs, and that bright yellow annual that smells bad - self-sows like crazy and looks like a wadded up tissue? sorry can't remember the name...),so that may have helped too.But the Azomite powder caused a striking spurt of thick growth and darker green leaves, more flowers, better drought tolerance. Bugs didn't phase them. Next year I'm tilling it into the soil! Hoping that they're right about no chemical sprays, -Blair > In a message dated 12/14/04 9:33:30 PM Central Standard Time, > thequeen@c... writes:> > << That's what I've wondered too. My dad and stepmom gave me two white peach > trees, and I want to put in at least one cherry tree, if not two, and I've > been told that if I don't spray them, the fruit won't be fit to eat. There > has to be some natural way to control pests and diseases on these things, > right? >>> PLEASE BE KIND AND TRIM YOUR POSTS WHEN REPLYING!Visit our Raw Dairy Files for a wealth of information!http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RawDairy/files/