Our orchard was already in place when the property was purchased. There are 10 apple trees, a pear tree (Bartlett), one sweet and one sour cherry tree, two plum trees (Superior and Blue Damson), currants, and a grape arbor. The apple trees include Beacon, MacSpur, McIntosh, Willis Wm Red, Red Delicious, and Golden Delicious.
These older non-dwarf apple trees have proven very difficult to maintain. Without being sprayed, they usually show signs of scab. We have had success in controlling codling moths by hanging gallon milk containers in the trees with a mixture of equal parts water and vinegar and one tablespoon molasses. The moths fly in and drown.
The Art of Growing Grapes -
Learn how to prepare your soil before you plant a grape vine, fertilize and irrigate your grape vine,
train your newly planted grape vine, prune your grape vine, prepare your grape vine for optimum
grape production and decide when your grapes are ready for harvest.
Seedless fruit has a pleasant tang, tender skin and plenty of juice.
Re: Belle de Boskoop
I am growing this variety on a branch of my tree in Portland. It takes a long time to mature, but I'm finally going to harvest a couple this year for the first time. I like the flavor of this apple fresh, but I really like a full flavored apple-sweet and tart, and all kinds of flavors. I don't like bland apples, like current Red Delicious. John S PDX OR
Re: Almond trees in Portland
Almonds bloom the earliest of all Prunus here, usually in February. Based on personal attempts, I'd say grow a dwarf in a heated greenhouse, If you can use bitter almonds, you might try P. tenella, bush almond, in a sheltered location. If you do get nuts from it, they are only edible cooked.
UK - sale of ex-nursery semi-mature fruit trees
UK visitors to this forum might be interested in the following article. Basically the new owner of some land formerly used by Scotts Nursery, in Somerset, England, which ceased trading last year, is offering the trees for sale prior to clearing the land. There are lots of interesting apple / pear / cider and perry trees.
I am in the land of the original good oldie:"Belle de Boskoop". Apple's, pears and cherries. It's a big size apple. not for fresh eating variety, unless you prefere a sour apple. On the counter let say about a month, it taste pretty well with a nice aroma. A very good storage apple a lot of(pectine), over here a number one for cooking (pie) In about a month they are ready to pick, with a wonderfull red blush Resistant to frost, a healthy vigor without diseases.
I took this pic today
Almond trees in Portland
I'm here in rainy old Portland, OR. I want to experiment with growing an almond tree. What varieties have people tried here, and were you able to harvest any almonds? Please let me know your experiences. Thanks!
peach trees
HELP! I have 4 young peach trees that seem to be resistant to the curl that I would like to grow. I was thinking that budding would be more practical rather than grafting, because the trees are young and I don't have a lot of wood to use. I am totally new to this though and don't know where to get rootstock, if I can still get it this fall and do the budding now, or do I need to wait til next Spring, buy the rootstock, then bud next fall? Thank you for a prompt reply, I know I should have been working on this sooner and I probably don't have much time. (the orchard specialist at the extension office was not very helpful)
Re: $1.50 Rootstocks available at the HOS Arboretum
Hello - I am totally new to this adventure. I'm looking for peach rootstock for budding from my own trees. Can you help with this? Are these root stocks still available? can I plant and bud them now, or do I need to wait til next year? Thank you for a quick reply, I know I should have been onto this a lot earlier. Sue
quote="arboretum"]In the aftermath of the Fruit Propagation Fair, all of the unsold rootstocks get carted off to the HOS Arboretum in Oregon City, where they are heeled in to await a new home. We had a lot of rootstocks left over this year, and they are for sale at the great price of $1.50 each!! They are available for pickup on tuesdays or saturdays from 9-3pm at the arboretum in oregon city. email me: arboretum at homeorchardsociety dot org to confirm the supply you are looking for. Come take some rootstocks of our hands and give them a good home!!! Please!! thanks, karen
Follows is the availability list; most of what we have is 1/4-3/8" caliper; the quantity follows in parentheses. for each species, they are listed in rough order of size, from biggest to dwarfingest.
plums: Marianna 2624 (150+) [this is the biggest caliper, ±1/2", with great roots] St. Julian A (100+) Krymsk 1 (40)
Apple: Malus antonovka (15) M111 (22) M7 (200+) M26 (26) these are left 4' tall, grown for budding multiple varieties along their length during budding season to create multi-graft espalier trees M9 (20) Bud 9 (75+) Mark (75+) M27 (75+) P22 (200+)[/quote]
I can't say it is my favourite apple, but I think it is worth growing because the flavor is very different from the mainstream of apple flavors which helps you think about the flavors of your other apples in a different way.
