I recently purchased a home with some sad, but producing fruit trees in Cashiers, NC. I am at 4000 ft altitude, and have several apple and peach trees. Trees look to be in very poor shape but they do have fruit. My guess is that they have been neglected for years. Fruit is visible. We are having a drought so soil is very dry. Trees have many dead branches and a green like moss all over them. SO I'm new to tree care and would appreciate any advise in 3 areas. 1) What should I do now in terms of fertilizer and insect care? What specific products are recommended (especially Home Depot since it is the only store nearby)? I think the previous owner had put down some Milorganite but I don't know how much. 2) What do I need to do this fall (timing)? 3) What do I need to do next spring (timing)?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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Theclowndog
- Full Member
- Posts: 34
- Joined: Fri Feb 12, 2016 7:11 am
Prune out dead wood. Build a ring of bark mulch from six inches away from the trunk of your trees out to their drip edge. Water at least weekly. And by watering plan on 40 to 50 gallons per tree per watering. If that means using a bucket to find out how long to run the hose then do that.
Trees get most of their nutrition from mushrooms already growing in garden soil. The lack of an annually applied mulch has helped starve your trees.
Trees get most of their nutrition from mushrooms already growing in garden soil. The lack of an annually applied mulch has helped starve your trees.
Trees need to be fed and pruned at the right time of the year.
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=539
https://cesonoma.ucanr.edu/files/27164.pdf
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=539
https://cesonoma.ucanr.edu/files/27164.pdf