Organic Fruit Tree Zone 5

[Kurite]

Hi unfortunately in zone 5 there aren't many fruit trees I can grow. Whats the easiest to grow organically?
-apple
-pear
-plum
-apricots
-peach
-cherry
-blueberry
-raspberry
-blackberry
Thanks!

[DoubleDogFarm]

I would say, blackberry and raspberry from your list. I grow all of them, on your list, organically.

Eric

[tomc]

Hi unfortunately in zone 5 there aren't many fruit trees I can grow. Whats the easiest to grow organically?
-apple
-pear
-plum
-apricots
-peach
-cherry
-blueberry
-raspberry
-blackberry
Thanks!

If by organic, you intend to spray. There are organic practice aproved dormant oil sprays. As well as pheromone and tanglefoot traps.

For long term growing none of the prunus family (apricots, peach, plum, cherry) will escape borer or leaf curl. So organic practice means for me a steady stream of replacement trees.

I have to admit I am partial to standard (sized) apple. I like the idea of a tree my great grandchildren can harvest from.

If you have the room, why not add nut trees to your list?

[pickupguy07]

aww.. a fruit tree post. Not trying to steal the thread... just throw in an optional question without starting a new thread.
Someone told me that if you pour UCG around some flowers it is very good for them because it raised the PH.

I was curious if this may be an advantage for truit trees. I have two apple trees I set out this spring, and was curious if this might help them grow bigger or stronger trunk and limbs.??

PS.. I added a HOney Crisp, and a Golden delicious.

[soil]

if you do try and grow any i would just recommend trying to grow the trees that flower the latest into spring. so this way you lessen the chances of spring frosts killing your fruit.

try and keep them sheltered when young if you can as well.

[tomc]

aww.. a fruit tree post. Not trying to steal the thread... just throw in an optional question without starting a new thread.
Someone told me that if you pour UCG around some flowers it is very good for them because it raised the PH.

UCG, if you mean uncomposted garbage as a form of sheet composting your going to end up disapointed. Compostable material ends up pretty neutral PH wise.

In order of importance (from most to least needed), new trees need.

Water
Bark mulch to retain water.
A soil test. Repeat about year 5+

In the northeast I used to prophylactively add a little oyster shell into planting hole or dust some crushed limestone on top of soil.

The foot size of your average standard apple tree can be three or four times the volume of the crown. If you keep up an annual bed of bark mulch and water every day it don't rain the first year, and at least weekly in drouthy times there after. You will have gone a very long way to giving your apple tree what it needs.

Mulching with high N composts or chemical fertilizers isn't just wasteful, it can actually hurt your tree.

Trees take up nutrition in a mutualistic relationship with mushroom family organisms. The gradual decompostition of bark mulch will do much more to feed the 'shrooms that feed your tree(s), than anything else you're likely to do.

Fruiting trees that have been in place do need periodical soil tests to note if a tree is depleating mincronutrients.

Good airflow, clean culture under your tree, dormant spraying for scale or fungal disease couldn't hurt your tree and if you've planted trees, its past time to start doing searches about what kind of spray regime you can live with. Its called due dilligence.

No amount of angished posting of; "my tree looks terrible" will make up for the lack of exersize of that due dilligence. And often is a day late and a dollar short.

[pickupguy07]

aww.. a fruit tree post. Not trying to steal the thread... just throw in an optional question without starting a new thread.
Someone told me that if you pour UCG around some flowers it is very good for them because it raised the PH.

UCG, if you mean uncomposted garbage as a form of sheet composting your going to end up disapointed. Compostable material ends up pretty neutral PH wise.

.

UCG I was under the inpression stood for Used Coffee Grounds...
SO does this change the answer

[tomc]

UCG I was under the inpression stood for Used Coffee Grounds...
SO does this change the answer

Not really. Compost tends to be neutral. Using anything composted to acidify soil is going to let you down.

[pickupguy07]

Yeah I did all my "due dilligance" before purchasing my trees, and planting them. (thats part of the reason I knew that a HoneyCrisp doesn't pollinate itself, and I needed something else so they would pollinate)

I was curious how a question about putting UCG around flowers, got me all this info on 'trees'

Seems I did find somewhere you can put 'something' around Hydrangas and it will make them bloom different colors (lime I am thinking)

[Artemesia]

Zone 5 is actually the best for fruit. Concord type grape does especially well in zone 5. Apple, cherry, and mulberry also do very well. You must buy the proper varieties that are disease resistant. And do not overwater or over apply compost. They will be susceptible to disease if they grow too fast.

http://www.gardenfornutrition.org/Organ ... html#FRUIT

http://www.gardenfornutrition.org/Remai ... html#FRUIT