Rye - your picture shows a system that is highly regimented - excessively so for fruit production - if you want to do it to admire and enjoy, go ahead - be aware that many of these highly manipulated systems use Golden Delicious or some other variety with an agreeable growth habit - try to do that with Northern Spy or somesuch and you will experience frustration -
otherwise, give yourself plenty of room and work with the tree - much better for fruit production - D On Feb 19, 2011, at 2:16 PM, ducn...@aol.com wrote: > > Hello, newbie here. > > I am planting a small high density orchard. I have bareroots on order on m9 > nic-29. Due to arrive in the next week or three. I'm planting with 6 foot > in-row spacing and looking to maintain a tree height of about 7-9 feet on 4 > (or 5 if they look like they want to grow to 9 feet) wire trellises for a > hedgegrow with the main branches latticed similar to this photo: > > http://resources.cas.psu.edu/TFPG/apple_trellis/images/slide33.gif > > Two ways I can think to accomplish this: > > 1) after planting, cut the scion to about 22 inches (from ground level) and > train two leaders to grow 45 degrees North and South respectively. > 2) initially plant trees at a 45 degree angle, leaning to the North, training > a low shoot to grow 45 degrees to the South. > > I lean towards option 1) but being a newbie I'm hesitant to cut them so > short. However, that's what it looks like was done in the photo. Can a newly > planted bareroot handle being cut to 22 inches? Also they will be in grow > tubes to protect from the critters. Just wanted to mention that if it > matters that only about 3 inches of wood will get a full day's sun initially. > > Thank you so much for your consideration. > > Rye Hefley > Future Farmer's Market Vendor > Private orchard in So. Cal. > _______________________________________________ > apple-crop mailing list > apple-crop@virtualorchard.net > http://virtualorchard.net/mailman/listinfo/apple-crop
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