Editor’s Note: Last week, we covered sustainable, organic ways to grow your own orchard. Now it’s time to start planning! Here is a checklist organized by months to get your orchard growing. We also have this available in a pdf, so you can just print it off. Click here to get the pdf.
January:
__Order bareroot trees
__Inspect for pests
__Start seeds indoors
__Order orchard tools
February
__Begin dormant bench grafting
__Clean tools
March
__Prune apples, pears, and plums
__Clear remaining fruit
__Prune damaged limbs
April
__Plant trees at thaw
__Apply dormant oil spray
May
__Plant perennials
__Apply holistic spray after petal drop
__Prune cherries, peaches, and apricots
__Start training limbs
June
__Thin fruit
__Clear fallen fruit weekly
__Use holistic spray weekly after petal fall
July
__Harvest cherries
__Hang apple maggot fly traps
August
__Harvest plums, apples, peaches, and apricots
__Add fresh mulch
__Prune apple trees
September
__Harvest apples, peaches, and pears
October
__Continue harvest
__Remove tree trainings
__Remove fly traps
November
__Put shredded leaves under trees
__Apply last spray
__Pull back mulch
December
__Protect trees from voles, rabbits, and deer
Remember! This checklist is a guide. Your orchard’s needs may vary depending on your climate. Click here to find our tried-and-true planting and harvesting tools to help you along your way.
I have a mcintosh apple tree that i have had planted for about 5 years, but it has only flowered the first year i planted it is there something else i need to do to get it to flower,