North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[<dmnorton@royaloakfarmorchard.com>]

Melissa,

 

We have over 12,000 trees, are professional growers and find the high density, tall spindle system the least labor intensive of all planting systems for apples, especially an espalier 4 wire system.  That is the most intensive since the branches have to be trained to travel the trellis wire, but you can plant trees 3 feet apart and can get a dozen trees in a space 3' by 40'.  Those cheap apples at the store are most always last year's apples that have been in Controlled Atmospheric Storage all winter and get soft or are already soft within a few days of purchase.  Give me a fresh, right off the tree apple any day!

    

Dennis Norton
Royal Oak Farm Orchard
Office (815) 648-4467
Mobile (815) 228-2174
Fax (609) 228-2174
http://www.royaloakfarmorchard.com
http://www.theorchardkeeper.blogspot.com
http://www.revivalhymn.com

----- Original Message -----

From: Melissa Kacalanos

To: dmnorton@royaloakfarmorchard.com ; North American Fruit Explorers

Sent: Friday, May 29, 2009 2:51 PM

Subject: Re: [NAFEX] High Density Planting

I can see how it would be possible to cram a whole lot of fruit trees into a small space, but it seems to me that it would be easier just to plant things that are naturally small and/or easily trained to a trellis: strawberries (various species), raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, melons, juneberries, grapes, bush cherries, currants, gooseberries... When apples are pretty cheap at the store, at least compared to raspberries, I'd rather grow raspberries. I realize that many gardeners enjoy the challenge of turning an apple tree into a bonsai, of course, so if that's your thing, have fun. I'm not trying to discourage you.

Melissa
I just saw a team of rabbits conferring, and then running repeatedly around our new fence trying to find a way in, but with no success! They're probably digging a tunnel now.