William, I am a "rookie" start up planting a total of 2000 trees over 2 yrs. This is my second yr. I used guidance and lessons from Rutgers Ag Extension and Mr. Win Cowgill. I laid out my rows with a string line, sprayed Orange marker paint on the ground down the line. Then placed 'X's" every 3 feet. at 30ft intervals I used 5-6 treated posts driven into the ground via a pile driver attached to a skid steer as support posts for the wire. There are 10 trees between posts planted via an auger digging the holes 18" Dia X 18" deep. Then I strung the wire on the outside of the posts as you have indicated and loosely supported the root stock via plastic clips to the wire. I am in the Endless Mts area of Pennsylvannia where the wind is powerful and frequent. I have had no injury so far against the wire. By the way I have nearly 100% survival to date of the trees planted. All that bloomed within 2 weeks of planting produced blossoms and went through what appears to be a normal seasonal cycle. So much for year 1. I am very interested in Organic production but have much to learn. Slow but sure!
On 2/11/10, Fleming, William <w...@montana.edu> wrote: > > Nick, the way it works when you use a tractor drawn tree planter is the > logical place for the trellis poles is in the groove made by the planter. > If you attach the wire to the outside of the post with stapes the wire ends > up half the post width out of line with the tree row. > That usually ends up being the 3-4 inches you mentioned. > Even if you don't use a planter better that the posts are in line with the > tree row, wire will then be offset from the row. > > Other things I've learned: > Rather than placing the trellis posts halfway between trees place them > close to the tree. Depending on your tree spacing placing the post midway > creates a small "dead space" that's harder to deal with for weed control. > This is especially true if you're organic and using mechanical weed control > but the post can also create a herbicide spray shadow. > With the post close to the tree you end up with one extra small space and > another space almost equal to your tree spacing. > > Using water to set the posts is the best method I've found. I made a tee > shaped handle with 3/4" steel pipe, valve on the top of the tee. > Since we were using 4-5" posts I attached a 6 inch long piece of 4" pipe at > the bottom of the tee. It was cut, bent, and welded to a point with a 1/2" > outlet at the bottom for the water to exit. Water at 80 psi from a sprayer > is plenty. Volume is more important than pressure. > With a two man crew we could set a very solid post in less than 30 seconds. > One guy with the water, the other sets the post and plumbs it. You have to > work very fast before soil suspended in the water settled, if it takes more > than a second before the water drill is pulled out of the hole and the post > is set it won't be as deep as you want. > The way it worked seemed excellent to me. Rocks and gravel would settle at > the bottom of the post hole creating good drainage for the post. The fine > silt that settled out of the water rapidly set up almost like concrete. > Much faster than an auger, less expense than a tractor mounted pounder. > > > > > > > Bill Fleming > Montana State University > Western Ag Research Center > 580 Quast Ln > Corvallis, MT 59828 > (406)961-3025 > > -----Original Message----- > From: apple-crop@virtualorchard.net [mailto:apple-c...@virtualorchard.net] > On Behalf Of Nick Lucking > Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 10:49 PM > To: apple-crop@virtualorchard.net > Subject: RE: Apple-Crop: Attaching trees to trellis > > Bill, > > That's good to know. > > On that note, when I plant these new trees should they be planted > directly inline with the trellis system? Or be 2-3, or more inches > off the wire initially? Thanks for the help, my horticulture degree > did not quite cover this! > > Nick Lucking > Field Manager > Cannon Valley Orchard > Cannon Falls, MN > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > The 'Apple-Crop' LISTSERV is sponsored by the Virtual Orchard > <http://www.virtualorchard.net> and managed by Win Cowgill and Jon > Clements <webmas...@virtualorchard.net>. > > Apple-Crop is not moderated. Therefore, the statements do not represent > "official" opinions and the Virtual Orchard takes no responsibility for > the content. > > > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > The 'Apple-Crop' LISTSERV is sponsored by the Virtual Orchard > <http://www.virtualorchard.net> and managed by Win Cowgill and Jon > Clements <webmas...@virtualorchard.net>. > > Apple-Crop is not moderated. Therefore, the statements do not represent > "official" opinions and the Virtual Orchard takes no responsibility for > the content. > > > > > > -- Michael D. Vaughn Owner / Manager Pie-In-the-Sky Orchards
