It was with satisfaction and a great sense of accomplishment that last week we pulled the equipment from the orchard for the last time this pruning season and into the storage building. The trees have all been individually pruned, the orchards mulched, raked and debris picked up. While it took quite a bit of effort, we are now ready for another season. To date the fruit bud looks good but as always, we need favorable Spring weather conditions when the trees actually bloom and the fruit is set. So far, this winter has been mild and wet and the Spring long term forecasts look favorable, but a lot can happen as we move forward into the months of April and early May.
Apple trees progress in stages. Overwinter the trees are in a “dormant” growth stage. During this time the trees experience very little growth activity and this is when pruning is done. As warmer temperatures occur and the days become longer, the apple tree breaks dormancy and enter what is known as the “silver tip stage.” It is during this “silver tip” stage that the fruit bud scales separate at their tips and you notice a gray or silver tissue. Currently, our trees are at “silver tip.”
Delivery of our new trees will be arriving in a few weeks. We will be replacing trees lost through rodent damage, disease, breakage, drought and just plain age. There is quite a bit of damage from deer in this area also. It seems the deer like our orchard almost as much as we do. We notice more deer damage to the peach trees than the apples, however. We usually request our tree order to be delivered approximately the first week of April. This gives us time to get the trees planted so they get a good “start” before the heat of the summer. There is something therapeutic about planting trees for there is no better way to touch the future. When asked what is the best time to plant a tree, “yesterday;” when is the second best time, “today.”