Tree planting sweetspot... and recommendations requested

[Dadnatron]

I’m not look8ng for production, certainly not for sale. I am simply wanting a family Orchard for enjoyment. Family and friends only, maybe a few apples for horses. Some nuts etc.

I will only put in dwarf trees I suspect to keep them more manageable. I need to insure I put in enough of the right cultivars for pollination and variety. I’m thinking about fruit variety and enjoyment. Not, and I recognize there will be some, a lot of work. I might find it’s more than I bargained for, but also that it’s worth trying. I’m just hoping to design it as well as I can in order to have the best opportunity for enjoyment in the future.

“Minimize” heartache and difficult work and “maximize” enjoyable work and success. Whatever that ultimately looks like.

 

[ruffdog]

A local apple orchard put in dwarf Honey Crisp trees and it is unreal how many apples are harvested from them.

 

[CADplans]

I am harvesting over thirty acres of trees right now,,

I have been talking to the state foresters since 2013, they were very helpful with educating me on how to sell.
The MAIN thing I learned from them is that the underlying soil determines what trees do best on that particular land.

I have a LOT of limestone near the surface, the pH of my soil is perfect for poplar trees.
The result was that my land had 73% poplar trees,, luckily, right now, poplar trees are in demand.
Around here, you can almost not give away trees that are predominately pine.

So, my recommendation is that you find out what type of tree grows best on your soil type.
Look at nearby wooded areas, that will give you an indication of what grows best.

I would never consider trying to force grass to grow in a forest planting.
Some natural order of tree growth occurs,, normally starting with bramble like raspberries, then,,,

Eventually trees become established, I will try to encourage poplars on my land by putting grow tubes on trees I want to flourish.

I guess it is time for me to find out how to start poplars from seed,,,,,, :cool2:

 

[MossRoad]

I知 not look8ng for production, certainly not for sale. I am simply wanting a family Orchard for enjoyment. Family and friends only, maybe a few apples for horses. Some nuts etc.

I will only put in dwarf trees I suspect to keep them more manageable. I need to insure I put in enough of the right cultivars for pollination and variety. I知 thinking about fruit variety and enjoyment. Not, and I recognize there will be some, a lot of work. I might find it痴 more than I bargained for, but also that it痴 worth trying. I知 just hoping to design it as well as I can in order to have the best opportunity for enjoyment in the future.

溺inimize heartache and difficult work and 杜aximize enjoyable work and success. Whatever that ultimately looks like.

You still should plant them at the correct spacing for when they are mature trees or they'll constantly be hitting each other, causing rubs and lesions on the branches, which opens them up to infections, diseases, insects, etc... plus it makes it harder to harvest if you have to squeeze between the trees, and harder to apply sprays and prune as well.