An Early Spring???

The brief glimmer of sunshine on February 2nd, Ground Hog’s Day, wasn’t quite enough for Punxsutawney Phil to see his shadow. So, according to folk lore, we’re supposed to have an early Spring. No one living in Indiana would have any complaints about the arrival of an early Spring.

Customers have repeatedly asked about the prospects of a peach crop this year. We’re keeping our fingers crossed but so far, so good for peaches. We’ve had mild daytime temperatures but the night time temperatures have fallen back into the twenties. This is good as cold overnights keep the ground temperatures cold. When ground temperatures remain cold, the trees stay dormant. The longer the trees stay dormant, the better the chances of a peach harvest.

We’ve been taking advantage of the somewhat mild temperatures of these past several weeks and have continued to prune the apple trees. It is baffling to some individuals to watch our progress and discover that we still prune each tree individually. Hand pruning is a labor intensive job. There’s just nothing else to say about the process. Our older, more established orchard, takes the majority of our efforts as the trees are larger in size and more difficult to thin out and reach the tops.

The U-Pik location has been planted with dwarf varieties of apple trees. Smaller trees do not demand such an all out physical effort to prune. We do plan to plant more dwarf size trees as we replace parts of the old orchard in the future. With labor costs, chemical costs and fertilizer costs on the rise, it is just a matter of good economics to replace larger size trees with dwarf root stock.

It’s been cold and we’ve put in hundreds of labor hours so far, but pruning is absolutely necessary for good apple production. We’ve been told our method of pruning is outdated and we should perhaps look into “hedging” our trees. Hand pruning is what we do, though, and guess we will continue doing it for as long as we can. Despite the difficultly of the job and the number of labor hours involved to get it done, there’s really nothing more satisfying than looking up at a perfectly clear, blue sky, feel the warm sunshine on your back and knowing you’re a part of something pretty awesome.

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Back to Work…

It’s been a good break in routine but the holidays are now over and it’s that time of year to get back into the orchard and start the annual pruning. If there is one particular question that we are often asked, it usually is concerned with the pruning process. Other than a few basics, it is difficult to advise how to prune a tree without seeing it, as all trees are different and need individual assessment.

Pruning shouldn’t be thought of as a deep, dark mystery and no one should be fearful about pruning fruit trees. After learning basic principles and a step by step process to follow the end results will be “fruitful.” It is good to keep in mind that light pruning will not harm your fruit tree but a tree that is neglected will over time become a poorly shaped tree with too much overgrowth and will not produce a good fruit.

Pruning is most commonly done during the winter. This is the time of season that we pull out the pruning equipment and set it up in the orchards to begin. We still prune by hand, meaning we assess each tree and use pneumatic hand pruners to remove excess growth, broken limbs and unwanted branches. Our purpose is to shape the tree properly, allow sunlight, air and chemical applications to reach the fruit. We try to “open up” the tree. Fruit trees can not be shaped like a shrub for if it is, fruit production will suffer.

There are three systems of pruning, the central leader system, the modified central leader system and the open center system. We use the central leader system in our orchard. When we plant our new trees is the time we actually initiate this system. We maintain one “leader” to provide good balance and form. This system provides one main “leader” which becomes the largest, and strongest part of the tree from the trunk to the tip of the tree. The horizontal branches coming out from the trunk are left to grow and these become the branches on which the fruit grows. Sometimes these horizontal branches are referred to as “scaffolding” branches

We prune in the winter months because the trees become dormant. Trees store carbohydrates and other nutrients in their wood and root systems during the winter. With the arrival of warmer temperatures in spring, the carbohydrates become activated and they move to the growing points of the trees. When trees have been pruned in winter, excess growing points have been removed. So with less buds on the tree, there is more stored energy available to the remaining buds. Winter pruning, consequently, promotes more vigorous tree growth and fruit production.

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“All Good Things Come To An End!”

Well, another harvest season has come and gone. The twelve and fifteen hour days of picking, washing and sorting fruit, selling product, loading trucks for markets have now ended. We now will enjoy a little respite before the pruning season begins. Quite nice to take a break from the fast paced life of apple harvest.

We were quite happy with the support and the feedback from our customers in regards to the U-Pik location. Our overall goal was to have families enjoy the orchard setting and for children to have hands-on experience in seeing the development and harvest of apples. There is far more to supplying food than just going to the grocery store and filling the grocery cart. We wanted the U-Pik to be a source for this learning and create an awareness of the complexities of agriculture.

Overall a we experienced a good harvest season. Although we had challenges from Mother Nature in terms of weather during the summer, she compensated with excellent weather for apple picking. The freezing temperatures of late April and the straight line winds and hail in July created more damage to the apples than we had first thought. We had considerable freeze damage to the Gala, Blondie, Gingergold, McIntosh, Mutsu, Jonagold and Red Delicious. We had limited quantities of these customer favorites. As we continued to pick, hail damage was evident in almost all of the other apple varieties. Pea size hail does no favors to an apple orchard.

The past week was spent bringing in the ladders from the orchard, storing crates, winterizing the equipment and finishing sales. Next on our “to-do” list is to repair the crates damaged during picking, fertilize the orchard and then to get the equipment ready for pruning which will begin as cold temperatures set in and the trees go into dormancy.

If there is any need to make contact with us during the harvest season or in the “down” time, please find us on Facebook under Doll’s Orchards and direct your questions and concerns there. We will make every effort to respond. Sorry to say, we don’t respond so well from this post.

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Harvest Begins

We’ve made it through a late freeze in April (23rd and 24th), straight line winds of 80 mph in July which took out over 70 trees, two weeks later a hail storm and then 5 inches of rain last week. Mother Nature has thrown her worst at us this season. We have, however, met the challenges and are beginning to pick fruit.

The first varieties of Zestar, Sansa and Gingergold opened our season. We have offered all three varieties to our customers at markets at which we were able to finally set up last week. It was a good feeling to see old customers again and meet new ones as well.

This week harvest will get in full swing. Our goal is to pick Gala and possibly some McIntosh. What we are finding as we pick is considerable damage from the April freeze and last week’s hail. The fruit buds were at a delicate stage at the time of the freezing temperatures and were affected with frost “rings.” This frost ring is similar to scarring like a burn to our skin, The taste is not affected; it’s just a cosmetic issue. The hail storm damaged the apples by denting the more densely composed ones, and breaking the skin on the softer apples. When the skin is broken the fruit begins to rot and there is deterioration of the apple. We eliminate any damaged apples. This season there will be quite a large amount of them.

The U-Pik location opened this weekend and had a favorable response from the patrons. Gala, Dandee Red and Zestar were available for the pickers. The season is just beginning and the U-Pik is set up that different varieties ripen every week. Thus the pickers can always have a chance to try something new each week as they visit and pick fruit.

It’s indeed a very busy time for us but we look forward to harvest as we get a chance to enjoy’ “The Fruits of our Labors.” See you soon at market or the U-PIK!

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Getting Closer

Apple harvest is not too far away. Ripening seems to be about seven to ten days later than in past years but we’re progressing towards harvest. The freeze we experienced in late April damaged the first blooms and so we had to depend on the second blooms to get pollinated and produce fruit. We anticipate being at our usual Farmers’ Markets in about two weeks.

First apples to harvest were the Early Harvest or Transparent variety. These apples were picked and sold to our customers who have “standing orders.” This variety of apple is an heirloom, very difficult to find in modern orchards. The Early Harvest is not a type of apple recommended for long term storage and picking it without cosmetic damage is difficult. Basically, it is recommended for use in applesauce as it makes a very fine textured white sauce. Some of our customers use it for pies but the apple breaks down and makes a “saucy” type pie.

Next apples to harvest are the Gingergold, Zestar and Sansa. After the harvest of these varieties, we will be in “full swing,” picking the ever popular Gala and Honeycrisp. Just the beginning as many favorite varieties will follow and be offered to our customers.

We’ve had ample rainfall during the month of July and this has reduced the need for irrigation. However, ample rainfall, hot temperatures and longer days of sunlight produce weeds. Weeds are indeed a nemesis in our orchard. Our efforts to be better caretakers of the environment and use less herbicides allows an overgrowth of weeds especially the invasive vines. We spend hours pulling weeds from the newly planted trees and using weedeaters. Sometimes we feel we are fighting a losing battle!

Again, a reminder to please shop local. Visit your local Farmers’ Markets and enjoy the fresh vegetables and fruits that are offered by the growers. Farmers’ Markets offer transparency to you the consumer. Check things out, ask questions and visit with the vendors who spend many hours producing quality food products. We’ll be there soon and hope to see our old customers and welcome new customers as well.

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“It’s the Business”

Our area was predicted to experience a summer of below normal precipitation and above normal temperatures. When fruits and vegetables are needing favorable growing conditions, these predicted weather outlooks are not so good to receive. It’s been a very dry last few weeks. The new trees planted this Spring were beginning to show stress so it was necessary to water them. Watering trees is by no means as beneficial for them as is the natural watering by rainfall. However, it is vital to keep new plantings from “stress” as the trees establish their root systems. Thus, the rains today were very, very welcome.

The frost, more accurately, the freeze, in late April did damage the apples. We were waiting for “June drop” to occur to make a better assessment of what varieties and how many apples survived those freezing temperatures. Glad to say, our healthy trees produced enough second blooms and the honey bees were out and about pollinating those blooms, so our trees should produce a favorable harvest. Not all varieties fared as well as others but overall we should be able to offer our customers a fine selection of fruit.

We have had several calls and questions regarding what we call “June drop.” The backyard grower is sometimes puzzled when they see fruit that was developing and then it suddenly just drops to the ground. Sometimes the ground beneath the tree is completely covered with fruits about 1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter. Fruit dropping in this manner is nature’s way of eliminating inferior or excess fruit. Nature knows its limitations and this “dropping” prevents the tree from having to feed or carry more fruit weight than the branches can support. Developing fruit that was not properly pollinated will drop at this point and this was what we were waiting to see happen. We were unsure if the second blooms were pollinated and how many would “stick” and mature into good fruit. As previously stated, this process is referred to as “June drop” but the discarding could happen as early as June or as late as July depending on the growing region.

All in all, the damages done in the April freeze were not as devastating as it looked at the time. It was rather disappointing to see our orchards in beautiful full bloom one day and those same blooms totally brown the next afternoon. The only thing that can be said about all that is, “that’s the fruit business.”

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Another Whammie!

Bloom was about seven days earlier than usual for our orchard. It was beautiful against the backdrop of the blue skies of Spring and gentle warm breezes. Being earlier than most years we were cautiously optimistic that we’d be able to avoid any pockets of cold that sometimes hit our region in Spring. That optimistic outlook was reversed by overnight temperatures dipping as low as 27 degrees last weekend. These temperatures were just too cold for the delicate fruit buds and we are now in “damage control” mode. When working in agriculture a producer never knows what Mother Nature will throw at you and every day is important. This year we were double whammied. The first blooms (King blooms) were destroyed by the freeze and now we are waiting to see if any second blooms will be pollinated and set fruit. A waiting game at this point.

Regardless of what comes next for our fruit outlook, we continue to follow through on the fertilization and care of the trees. Fertilizers are somewhat similar to vitamins, coming in many shapes and kinds. When choosing a fertilizer it is important to check the label on the bag. All fertilizers are labeled and the labels indicate the percentage of each of the three major plant nutrients, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. At times you will see these nutrients referred to by their chemical element symbols, N for nitrogen, P for phosphorus and K for potassium. You may also see numbers such as 15-5-10. These numbers indicate 15 percent nitrogen per pound of fertilizer, 5 percent phosphorus per pound and 10 percent potassium per pound. Fertilizers that include all three of these major nutrients are called “complete” fertilizers.

Nitrogen is necessary for shoot growth and green color in the leaves. It is sometimes in low supply and the fruit tree heavily uses nitrogen. BUT too much nitrogen can cause too much shoot growth and thus, will decrease the production of fruit buds. All nitrogen applications need to be applied in moderation. Phosphorus helps the tree in the growth of roots, seeds and early leaves. Phosphorus is not easily dissolved and works slowly into the soil. Potassium is necessary for the tree to produce fruit, grow good root systems and resist diseases. Potassium helps to transport sugar and starch through the tree.

How much fertilizer to apply is difficult to answer. The amount of fertilizer to use varies with soil type, amount of soil, organic matter, age of the trees and volume of the crop. A soil test would be recommended to determine the type and amount of fertilizer to apply. Local extension offices can help with soil tests. Fertilizer specialists and nursery stores can also be a starting point. We contacted a plant pathologist at a university who did our samplings.

No matter how it looks from the outside, nothing is easy in growing fruit.

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Follow the Directions

Safety issues in handling and application of pesticides is often left out of gardening books. Common sense is the rule when using chemicals, whether it is a man made chemical or organic material. A poison by any other name is still a poison and unintentional pesticide poisonings happen when materials are used without proper knowledge or protection. In our state it is necessary for the grower to pass a licensing exam and that license allows the grower to buy and apply toxic pesticides. When any grower, whether a commercial grower or backyard orchardist or home gardener, chooses to use toxic materials, these materials should be handled with care and respect.

Some common sense safety precautions important for all to follow:

  1. Read product label and understand what you’re using. Follow label directions carefully.
  2. Mix only amount of spray you’ll need for current application. If you have small amount left, give a heavier spray application. Exposure to the weather causes spray materials to break down naturally. Do not dump leftover spray in a concentrated spot on the ground or down a sewer.
  3. Store pesticides in a marked, locked cabinet out of the reach of children.
  4. Never put materials in something other than the original container.
  5. Spray only in calm weather conditions so spray doesn’t drift to neighbor’s property or harm pets.
  6. Dress properly when applying any chemicals. Wear long sleeves, pants and work shoes. Protective clothing such as rubber gloves, boots, respirator and face shield are strongly encouraged.
  7. Do not eat, drink or smoke while applying pesticides and wash hands thoroughly when finished.
  8. Dispose of containers properly. Follow all local recommendations in regard to their disposal (i. e. landfills).
  9. Follow recommended interval from last spray to time of harvest.

There should be no reluctance by the average consumer to use fresh fruits and vegetables produced by local growers. With common sense use and handling of chemicals, growers can produce fruits and vegetables that are safe to eat and beautiful to look at.

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“Ready, Set, Grow!”

It was a great feeling when the last tree was pruned and the equipment was cleaned and stored in the maintenance building. A long haul this pruning season, not only with trimming the trees but also the challenge of orchard clean up. Looking at the rows of trees, now neatly pruned, debris on the orchard floor, raked and mulched, gives us a great sense of accomplishment. You’d have to own an orchard to truly understand the good feeling. The orchard is truly, “looking good.”

The next step will be application of the dormant spray. Application of the dormant oil spray is probably one of the most important of the season. It is safe, nontoxic and even a home orchardist can apply it to his apple trees. Dormant oil is mixed at a two percent (2%) rate. So for instance if you have 100 gallons of water, you need to mix 2 gallons of dormant oil. Applications should be made when temperatures are above 50 degrees, before and up to when the trees are “green tipped.” Green tip occurs when the bud opens and green tissue starts growing. The purpose of a dormant season nontoxic spray is to kill and minimize mites and microscopic insects that have “overwintered” on the fruit tree. The application of horticultural oil will smother these insects as they make their way out of their winter dormancy and start their crawling activity on the trees. San Jose scale is the most common and the most damaging of the scales found in apple orchards. Dormant season treatments are the key in controlling this pest. San Jose scale infest the apple branches and if not controlled cause red halos or spots on the fruit. The red halos or spots are remains of their feeding area and makes fruit unattractive, especially green and yellow apples.

Our peach trees do not look as if they have any live fruit bud. The sub zero temperatures that we experienced in this area during the Christmas holidays killed the fruit bud. The trees are fine, there’s leaf bud, but no fruit bud. Without fruit bud, no development of peaches.

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Still Pruning but “Getting There”

Good progress was made these past weeks pruning the apple trees. We endured the chilling temperatures of January and early February and moved through the trees one by one, trimming, cleaning out excessive growth and removing broken limbs. Pruning in the main orchard was completed this past week. The young trees in the U-PIK location are next on the list and we will be moving the pruning equipment into that area either late this week or early next.

After pruning is completed the limbs and small branches are pulled into the aisle ways for a grinder to mulch. Wish that was all there was to it, but after grinding comes the raking. Debris is pulled from under the trees and raked to the middle aisle ways. One more time equipment grinds up whatever is left and this mulch then remains on the orchard floor and deteriorates. This is probably not standard work procedure for all orchard operations but it is what we do.

Timing, travel distance and weather conditions were contributing factors in our non- attendance at fruit conferences and trade shows this year. We missed these educational seminars and the trade shows’ exhibits but sometimes things just don’t work out and this was one of those years.

Days are less overcast and daylight hours are increasing. Plants and bulbs are pushing out of their dormancy and are sure signs that Spring isn’t so far off. Tree planting is just around the corner. We plan to replant part of the orchard that was cleared last year and left fallow. The ground was left unplanted last year to restore its fertility and remove any phytophthora. Phytophthora is basically a microscopic, fungus-like organism that is found within the soil where it can survive for many years. It affects the roots of the trees and sometimes just referred to as “root rot.” Phythophthora kills trees. By removing the host plants (old apple trees), opening the soil by plowing and harrowing, we hoped to be pro-active in management of this disease before we plant new stock.

The apple trees should be in bloom in about six to eight weeks. Peaches bloom earlier but as of now, not too many peach buds seem to have survived the subzero temperatures of December. It’s a waiting game at this point. One never knows for sure about Mother Nature.

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