North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Gunther Ansari <guntheransari@yahoo.com>]

Dear Jerry,

One really does not know WHEN the inherent strengths (or the lack thereof) of ones' labor-of-Love caves in under the sudden vagaries of the seasonal frosts!

 

I have been associated with the use of nutrients (Chem Fertilizers and organics too) since several decades. I also have an "Alpine Orchard" with plenty of apples!

 

The one thing I did learn along the way, was that if one does not have access to organic sources of the most needed nutrients, one just has to seek recourse to "The-other-route"!

 

You certainly must know that SoP (Sulphate of Potash or Potassium Sulphate) is one of the "Big Three" major / basic nutrients needed to keep a plant healthy!

 

Further, besides being the greatest trigger for increasing the quality and sweetness of fruit, the inherent reinforcement that this SoP gives to your plants is the winter hardiness and strength of the stalks (In the bark, here).

 

Nevertheless, I'd really suggest that you take a representative sample of the cross section of the soil from upto 10 inches deep from the shade area of your trees, and send them in to the nearest Soil Laboratory in your vicinity. They would need to know, of course, what your target plant (Trees & age / height) is, so that they analyze the nutrient needs of your soil as against the Crop requirements are typically accepted as "Thumb-Rule" for your area.

 

You could also perhaps forestall the rush to meet the soil needs by treating the soil yet before the new frosts come, by doing some DIY even before the soil sampling results come in; that being, that you could do some tilling (Careful of the roots!) inside the shade areas of the trees, and, whilst at it, try a placement of about a Kg of SoP per tree, well mixed into the soil at a depth of 6-9 inches below the surface, and as close to the roots as is safe, without damage. (don't worry about the "Accuracy / even-ness" of the placement of the SoP. All you need to do is to place it within easy reach of the roots, for it to be available by the next spring.

 

You could do the same with some strategically placed (even mixed with the soil & SoP), Triple-Super-Phosphate (TSP) in the same quantities. I would not suggest the use at this stage of approaching weather, to use any Nitrogenous compound fertilizer like DAP (Di-Ammonium Phosphate). That must & should only take place, after the spring is well on it's way, and no freak frosts come along to freeze-burn the abundance of new shoots / foliage that are a direct result of the Nitrogen boosters. (Don't forget to prune!) 

 

I shall keep my fingers crossed, and hope you have a good crop next season. If this is successful, I'd appreciate a "Before & After" snapshot, and perhaps a small packet of the fruit, if you could spare some afterwards!

 

May The Lord Give you a good harvest! Amen!

 

In Brotherhood,

 

Gunther N. Ansari 

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I had only one tree not get frozen out this spring and now it is dropping apples prematurely.  It is a Harralson.  I have had good crops from it before, and some years it has dropped most of its apples early.  Does anybody have any hints as to what I am doing wrong?  Jerry in southern Indiana

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