End of Year Orchard Wrap

Apple blossoms, Prima, May 20, 2018

    Although the year started out well for the orchard, with enough cold and snow the previous winter to keep the trees happy, and enough rain in the spring, coupled with enough sun during the blossom period, for a good bloom, lack of rain--virtual drought--in July and August kept the apples from sizing up, and induced many to drop off the trees along the way. The only tree with a decent amount during the harvest period was the Prima, possibly because it's one of the earliest. I planted the Prima thirty years ago; it's full-grown and always seems to need more pruning despite yearly efforts.

Prima in full bloom, May 30

     The two young trees grew well in the spring but by the middle of September the Zestar had already dropped most of its leaves. The Garden Royal fared better, and grew taller, almost out of the reach of deer by now. I will need to re-paint the trunks of these two young trees next spring against the apple borers, and I will need to re-do the fencing around the Zestar then also. 

     Last spring I grafted three scions to rootstocks that I had growing in the vegetable garden--two Golden Russet scions and one Zestar. The Zestar and one of the Golden Russets were successful, for a 67% success rate. In the fall I dug holes in the orchard and filled them with seaweed and compost, and this coming spring I will dig up the two successful trees and plant them out, paint the trunks against the borers, and fence them against the deer.