Hello All
I am brand new to this forum, this is my first post! I bought a house last fall that has 4-5 apple trees and 3 pear trees. I am located a bit southwest of Cleveland. I have absolutely no experience with either. I wasn't able to ask the elderly couple I bought the house from anything about the trees. When I was moving in the fruit was just past the point when you would want to pick it I believe. The trees appear to need some TLC they seem overgrow and not really cared for anymore. I've started doing some reading on pruning them. I am interested in any advise on how to care for them, how to figure out what type of apples and pears they are, and a non-toxic way to keep the bugs under control. Thanks in advance for any help!
there are dormant oil's you can buy or make for scale insects. There are pheromone traps to trap other pest bugs. For now you'll want to get a pair of anvil pruners and a saw. Ideally your trees should have dead wood pruned out, most of the water-shoots** pruned out, and trees opened enough so that you could shoot a basketball through the tree. A few minutes with a real basketball helps in this regard.
The single biggest thing that helped my trees was to prune low open so that I could mow, and to keep the ground under trees raked up so that no drops or litter remained under my trees.
There are pest bugs that will eat fruit and drop off of grounded fruit to pupate. If fruit is kept raked up their life cycle is interupted (a good thing).
Scale insects are the barnacles of trees. They suck the life out of your trees. Spray early in the spring.
Water shoots are larger vigorous virticle branches. Let your tree grow slower, keep them pruned out.
The single biggest thing that helped my trees was to prune low open so that I could mow, and to keep the ground under trees raked up so that no drops or litter remained under my trees.
There are pest bugs that will eat fruit and drop off of grounded fruit to pupate. If fruit is kept raked up their life cycle is interupted (a good thing).
Scale insects are the barnacles of trees. They suck the life out of your trees. Spray early in the spring.
Water shoots are larger vigorous virticle branches. Let your tree grow slower, keep them pruned out.
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applestar
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When temps get to be 45 to 50's during the day and night time lows are hovering around 30's it's time to start thinking about pruning. You don't want to cut frozen branches so wait until mid day or afternoon to prune.
Make sure your tools are sharp.
While you figure out the type of apples -- there are some variations in pruning cuts depending on cultivar due to how the fruiting spurs grow -- you can start with the obvious cuts.... Broken or crossing branches and watersprouts (branches growing straight up); any that are hanging too low could be candidates too. Any root suckers need to go as well.
Get some compost and mulch to spread under the trees. You can also use grass clippings.
I find that growing beneficial insect attracting plants near the fruit trees help. Also encourage spiders (meaning don't kill them) and other predators like praying mantis. Hang some bird houses and create a water feature or set up a birdbath.
Make sure your tools are sharp.
While you figure out the type of apples -- there are some variations in pruning cuts depending on cultivar due to how the fruiting spurs grow -- you can start with the obvious cuts.... Broken or crossing branches and watersprouts (branches growing straight up); any that are hanging too low could be candidates too. Any root suckers need to go as well.
Get some compost and mulch to spread under the trees. You can also use grass clippings.
I find that growing beneficial insect attracting plants near the fruit trees help. Also encourage spiders (meaning don't kill them) and other predators like praying mantis. Hang some bird houses and create a water feature or set up a birdbath.