Organic Apples

[jamespm_98]

Does anyone have any ideas about raising apples and peaches organically? I have two dwarf apple trees and two dwarf peach trees and every year the little trees struggle. I see the trees at the orchards and they look great, but I know they spray them constantly. I want my trees to do well, but I don't know what to do. How did people raise fruit trees before everyone started using all of the spray and chemicals?

 

[Hattie the Hen]

Hi jamespm!

These might help:

http://www.greenmantlenursery.com/2008revision/fruit2008/organic-fruit2008.htm

http://www.helpfulgardener.com/organic/2006/fruit.html

http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/fruitover.html

http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/fruitover.html#managing

http://www.bernwodeplants.co.uk/organic.htm

*** This last supplier is one of my own here in the UK & this is what they say!


Hope this helps. Good luck with your project.
Happy New Year!

:rose Hattie :rose

 

[jojo54]

Thanks Hattie. I have been wondering the same but hadn't done any research yet. Now I have a place to start! :rainbow-sun

 

[jamespm_98]

Thank Hattie! I will do my research this winter and see if I can improve the little trees. Last year I got two peaches and no apples. The little apple trees are big enough to start bearing this year. Just from some quick reading on the links you provided I probable need to do some more work with soil fertility. Both my peaches and apples could probably use some pruning, but I am scared I would do more damage than good.

 

[4grandbabies]

Does anyone have any ideas about raising apples and peaches organically? I have two dwarf apple trees and two dwarf peach trees and every year the little trees struggle. I see the trees at the orchards and they look great, but I know they spray them constantly. I want my trees to do well, but I don't know what to do. How did people raise fruit trees before everyone started using all of the spray and chemicals?

I rely on Gardens Alive to provide all the "natural" or organic materials I need. They have great stuff for fruit trees. you can find them online or order their catalog.

 

[Hattie the Hen]

Hi jamespm

Try this site. this article might help with getting your trees to fruit well this year. I am going to try it on a plum that is shy of fruiting!

http://www.weekendgardener.net/tree-information/notching-buds-120912.htm

Also on the same site is this advice on pruning apple trees.

http://www.weekendgardener.net/how-to/prune-apple-trees.htm

THIS IS FOR PRUNING PEACH TREES:

http://www.ehow.com/way_5314457_time-prune-peach-trees.html

Good luck!

:rose Hattie :rose

 

[journey11]

I read an article on netting your trees to prevent pests. I'll see if I can't remember where I saw that. Seemed like a lot of work though....

I don't usually spray mine either and can get a decent crop, some years better than others and I don't mind if the bugs get a little share, I can cut around. But they can't have them all! Some years are worse than others. Last year was bad for my peaches (they made it past the late frost, but then the bugs nailed them). I am going to spray with dormant oil this year. That is not so bad since you do it before they even leaf out.

Some things, like tent caterpillars I remove by hand.

 

[jojo54]

I read an article on netting your trees to prevent pests. I'll see if I can't remember where I saw that. Seemed like a lot of work though....

I don't usually spray mine either and can get a decent crop, some years better than others and I don't mind if the bugs get a little share, I can cut around. But they can't have them all! Some years are worse than others. Last year was bad for my peaches (they made it past the late frost, but then the bugs nailed them). I am going to spray with dormant oil this year. That is not so bad since you do it before they even leaf out.

Some things, like tent caterpillars I remove by hand.

We bagged our cherry trees because of the Cherry Fruit Fly maggots. People around here either spray pesticides, do nothing and use the fruit until they see worms (yuk! I don't want to chance finding 1/2 worms!) or else don't use their fruit. We found a lady who sells bags for the trees which worked great. http://www.kootenaycovers.com/
Yes they were some work to put on but when you consider we ate, used and sold over 400 lbs of cherries from 3 trees it was worth it. We had one tree that we covered too late (you need to cover them after they are finished flowering but before the flies start laying eggs - DH was working and the last tree didn't get covered with the rest) and the fruit was wormy so it was wasted.

We have to look into when a person would cover apples trees because if we could use the same bags it would be great.

 

[vfem]

Thank you for asking this... next year I may have a chance at my first apples from my semi-dwarf trees... I want to do this organically as well. However, my neighbor's don't tree their apples and they look horrid to the point that don't eat them... they just let them drop and rot and they look horrible!

Thanks for all the great links to start my research!

 

[Beekissed]

Your neighbor's apples may be breeding and harboring pests that will infest your crop as well. They should be removing all rotten or diseased apples.

I've been reading a great book on organic gardening practices for preventing pests and they say that you can spray a dormant oil on your trees 2-4 weeks prior to blossoming that will prevent pest infestations and some fungal parasites. Some folks spray with olive oil or old cooking oil. I am going to look into an appropriate oil for this purpose this year....I don't want an oily residue on my soils that might hinder soil health.