I have about 18 trees planted in my small fruit orchard--apple and
pear only so far-- and the beginnings of a nut orchard. These trees
all went in March 07 and have been hand watered by hose weekly due to
the ongoing drought in the Mid-Atlantic. I think we may have had one
week where watering wasn't absolutely required.
Our OLD farmhouse has no external spigots, so we have to run a hose
up from the cellar on the far side of the house and add enough 100 ft
hose extensions to get past the veg garden to the orchard. I think we
have 4 extensions with a fifth to reach the nuts. What do you do
about watering after leaf fall? Do you? I can imagine the difficulty
with trying to schlep a cold inflexible hose out there after temps
fall drastically.
I'd be interested in finding out how you keep your established trees
watered year round. I don't *think* I see irrigation systems being
used in the commercial orchards on the hills around me, but I could
be wrong.
Does rain normally take care of most orchards in a normal year or is
it nearly always required to supplement the weather by our own
efforts?
Sue
Adams County. PA zone 6
Normal rainfall @ 42-44". 2007 rain to date-22"
[NAFEX] Watering orchard trees,
Sue Christensen, 10/03/2007