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[Raymond Zentz <rayzentz AT aim.com>]

> >
 > There is a peach tree, as well, but no fruit was on it. We did have a
 late
 > frost last spring, so that may have done it in.

That could do it, but some peach trees are finicky. Also peach trees don't
ear fruit past 20-25 years of age.

this is a young tree. It may just be too young, yet, but the owner thought it 
was about 7 or 8 years old



-----Original Message-----
From: Lisa Kae Van Meter Perry <lisakvperry AT gmail.com>
To: homestead <homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Mon, Nov 14, 2011 2:33 pm
Subject: Re: [Homestead] Tis the Season


On Mon, Nov 14, 2011 at 3:40 PM, Lynda <lurine AT com-pair.net> wrote:
>
 We are looking at espaliering fruit trees so we can get more in a smaller
 space.

Lynda,
We have these and they are a pain in rear. Require LOTS of pruning. From
ur limited experience, the Asian pears are doing the best of all the
spaliered
pples & pears that we have. The other trees don't produce enough to warrant
he amount of effort put into them--but maybe you'll have a better
xperience.
>
 > The lot has a big, totally overgrown apple tree that produced lots of
 > fruit this year. I will be rather severely pruning it this winter. The
 big
 > grapevine has grown right into it, so that needs serious cutting back, as
 > well.

Consider talking to an Ag Extension person about this tree. Have them out
o your place, they are usually happy to make an appointment and it's free.
We learned that it's really hard on a tree to severely prune it. Better to
ake
 series of cuts over a few years to give the tree time to recover in
etween.
lso, it's very important for the long-term health of the tree to make sure
ou
ake proper collar cuts otherwise in as few as three years you could lose
n entire limb to rot or make it more susceptible to bark beetles (which
ill
ill it, too).
> >
 > There is a peach tree, as well, but no fruit was on it. We did have a
 late
 > frost last spring, so that may have done it in.

That could do it, but some peach trees are finicky. Also peach trees don't
ear fruit past 20-25 years of age.
> >
 > I am planning on 3 additional peach trees, 2 apricot, 2 cherry, 2 plum,
 > and 3 more apple trees. Maybe a pear or two, as well...
 >
 > a small orchard, but tending fruit trees does not require as much bending
 > and kneeling...   ;-)

This is pretty much what we're planning on at our new place (when we have
t). We're thinking much less--less to prune, less fruit to thin early in
he spring,
ess spraying, less picking, harvesting, and processing--but still enough
o eat.
e want apple, cherry, peach & pears.
Lisa
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