MARGARET LAUTERBACH on mon 20 mar 06

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Amy, if I were you, I wouldn't remove all of those low branches. Just =
the lowest. You can use lead fishing weights for the branches or if =
something heavier is needed, you can make that up. Alas, I would not =
let it fruit this year (pinch off the tiny fruits). It's fruit or root. =
Margaret L
----- Original Message -----
From: Amy of M.G.
To: OGL@LSV.UKY.EDU
Sent: Monday, March 20, 2006 9:18 AM
Subject: Anna Apple dwarf tree help, please

Last Feb. I planted a dwarf Anna Apple at my house in La Mirada =
Zone 10. I read ant article that was suggested in another list on =
growing in Orange County w/o much chill. It said to prune all branches =
off that are below "30 inches which at this point would be about a half =
of the tree. It does have a couple about 12" from the bottom. I think =
it's on 111 root stock. It also said to put weights on the branches so =
they go horizontal to the main branch of trunk. Do I really need to go =
to that trouble and expense of buying weights to put on it? Also this =
year it is LOADED with beautiful flowers (there is an apple tree in the =
yard behind). The article said to not allow it to fruit so that the tree =
itself would get the energy to grow for another year or so. I looked =
yesterday and there are a couple of apples forming. Should I pull them =
and any others that for! m off, ya' know, I hate to do it.

on the good side, those apple flowers are so large and =
gorgeous!!!

I did get about 3 Pomegrantes growing on my 'Sweet' Pomegrante =
last year which is also very young

Amy of Marvelous Gardens
Zone 10 or Sunset zone 23
http://home.earthlink.net/~marvelousgardens/

--- On Mon 03/20, Tony and Moira < tomory@XTRA.CO.NZ > wrote:

From: Tony and Moira [mailto: tomory@XTRA.CO.NZ]
To: OGL@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 20:07:04 +1200
Subject: Re: fruit tree help, please

----- Original Message -----
From: "Alice Halbeisen"
To:
Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2006 4:18 AM
Subject: Re: Re: fruit tree help, please

> Margaret, I'm aware that trees need another variety as =
pollinator, even
> so-called self-pollinating ones. I was hoping that this tree =
would at
> least give me just one fruit since it's labeled as such. =
Yes, I think
> Raintree does have the pollinating schedule on their sight =
to aid
> customers
> in their tree choices. In fact, I bought my trees from them. =
Good
> company.

Alice
As I explained in a previous posting, while many fruit trees =
cannot set with
their own pollen there are indeed a few pears which can do the =
job alone. I
have a European pear called Conference which can do this and =
set teriffic
crops most years.indeed when it was young almost every year a =
branch would
simply crack and fall spontaneously under the weight of the =
crop. This
happened several times when my kids were small and I accused =
them of pulling
at the unripe fruit which the strenouusly denied. Eventually I =
actually saw
a stem give way spontaneously while I was watching and had to =
apologise! The
tree is a good bit older now and has not had heavy enough =
crops to cause
cracking for many years

Plums are as awkward as pears about pollination , but apples =
are much more
obliging and there are very few which cannot manage without a =
partner.

Moira

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Amy of M.G. on mon 20 mar 06

--EXCITEBOUNDARY_000__e94d0a9bc6dacca674dfeb5a16beaab6

Last Feb. I planted a dwarf Anna Apple at my house in La Mirada Zone 10. I read ant article that was suggested in another list on growing in Orange County w/o much chill. It said to prune all branches off that are below "30 inches which at this point would be about a half of the tree. It does have a couple about 12" from the bottom. I think it's on 111 root stock. It also said to put weights on the branches so they go horizontal to the main branch of trunk. Do I really need to go to that trouble and expense of buying weights to put on it? Also this year it is LOADED with beautiful flowers (there is an apple tree in the yard behind). The article said to not allow it to fruit so that the tree itself would get the energy to grow for another year or so. I looked yesterday and there are a couple of apples forming. Should I pull them and any others that form off, ya' know, I hate to do it. on the good side, those apple flowers are so large and gorgeous!!! I did get about 3
Pomegrantes growing on my 'Sweet' Pomegrante last year which is also very youngAmy of Marvelous GardensZone 10 or Sunset zone 23http://home.earthlink.net/~marvelousgardens/--- On Mon 03/20, Tony and Moira < tomory@XTRA.CO.NZ > wrote:From: Tony and Moira [mailto: tomory@XTRA.CO.NZ]To: OGL@LSV.UKY.EDUDate: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 20:07:04 +1200Subject: Re: fruit tree help, please----- Original Message ----- From: "Alice Halbeisen" To: Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2006 4:18 AMSubject: Re: Re: fruit tree help, please> Margaret, I'm aware that trees need another variety as pollinator, even> so-called self-pollinating ones. I was hoping that this tree would at> least give me just one fruit since it's labeled as such. Yes, I think> Raintree does have the pollinating schedule on their sight to aid > customers> in their tree choices. In fact, I bought my trees from them. Good > company.>AliceAs I explained in a previous posting, while many fruit trees cannot set
with their own pollen there are indeed a few pears which can do the job alone. I have a European pear called Conference which can do this and set teriffic crops most years.indeed when it was young almost every year a branch would simply crack and fall spontaneously under the weight of the crop. This happened several times when my kids were small and I accused them of pulling at the unripe fruit which the strenouusly denied. Eventually I actually saw a stem give way spontaneously while I was watching and had to apologise! The tree is a good bit older now and has not had heavy enough crops to cause cracking for many yearsPlums are as awkward as pears about pollination , but apples are much more obliging and there are very few which cannot manage without a partner.Moira

--EXCITEBOUNDARY_000__e94d0a9bc6dacca674dfeb5a16beaab6

Last Feb. I planted a dwarf Anna Apple at my house in La Mirada Zone 10. I read ant article that was suggested in another list on growing in Orange County w/o much chill. It said to prune all branches off that are below "30 inches which at this point would be about a half of the tree. It does have a couple about 12" from the bottom. I think it's on 111 root stock. It also said to put weights on the branches so they go horizontal to the main branch of trunk. Do I really need to go to that trouble and expense of buying weights to put on it? Also this year it is LOADED with beautiful flowers (there is an apple tree in the yard behind). The article said to not allow it to fruit so that the tree itself would get the energy to grow for another year or so. I looked yesterday and there are a couple of apples forming. Should I pull them and any others that for! m off, ya' know, I hate to do it. on the good side, those apple flowers are so large and gorgeous!!! I did get about 3 Pomegrantes growing on my 'Sweet' Pomegrante last year which is also very young Amy of Marvelous Gardens Zone 10 or Sunset zone 23 http://home.earthlink.net/~marvelousgardens/ --- On Mon 03/20, Tony and Moira < tomory@XTRA.CO.NZ > wrote: From: Tony and Moira [mailto: tomory@XTRA.CO.NZ] To: OGL@LSV.UKY.EDU Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 20:07:04 +1200 Subject: Re: fruit tree help, please ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alice Halbeisen" To: Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2006 4:18 AM Subject: Re: Re: fruit tree help, please > Margaret, I'm aware that trees need another variety as pollinator, even > so-called self-pollinating ones. I was hoping that this tree would at > least give me just one fruit since it's labeled as such. Yes, I think > Raintree does have the pollinating schedule on their sight to aid > customers > in their tree choices. In fact, I bought my trees from them. Good > company. > Alice As I explained in a previous posting, while many fruit trees cannot set with their own pollen there are indeed a few pears which can do the job alone. I have a European pear called Conference which can do this and set teriffic crops most years.indeed when it was young almost every year a branch would simply crack and fall spontaneously under the weight of the crop. This happened several times when my kids were small and I accused them of pulling at the unripe fruit which the strenouusly denied. Eventually I actually saw a stem give way spontaneously while I was watching and had to apologise! The tree is a good bit older now and has not had heavy enough crops to cause cracking for many years Plums are as awkward as pears about pollination , but apples are much more obliging and there are very few which cannot manage without a partner. Moira

Amy of M.G. on wed 22 mar 06

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Thank you Moira. I can't imagine what someone with a whole orchard does to straighten out the branches. I'll try the pegging bit.I read the article on apple trees here from the Certified Rare Fruit Growers newsletter. It was quite interesting.Another thing he said is if the tree doesn't lose all its' leaves, to pull them off and that would send it into dormancy enough to make it fruit. http://www.inlandempire-crfg.org/pics_index/Growing_Apples.pdf Amy of Marvelous GardensZone 10 or Sunset zone 23http://home.earthlink.net/~marvelousgardens/--- On Tue 03/21, Tony and Moira < tomory@XTRA.CO.NZ > wrote:From: Tony and Moira [mailto: tomory@XTRA.CO.NZ]To: OGL@LSV.UKY.EDUDate: Wed, 22 Mar 2006 09:28:06 +1200Subject: Re: Anna Apple dwarf tree help, please----- Original Message ----- From: "Amy of M.G."> Last Feb. I planted a dwarf Anna Apple at my house in La Mirada Zone 10. I > read ant article that was suggested in another list on growing in Orange > County w/o
much chill. It said to prune all branches off that are below > "30 inches which at this point would be about a half of the tree. It does > have a couple about 12" from the bottom. I think it's on 111 root stock. > It also said to put weights on the branches so they go horizontal to the > main branch of trunk. Do I really need to go to that trouble and expense > of buying weights to put on it? Also this year it is LOADED with beautiful > flowers (there is an apple tree in the yard behind). The article said to > not allow it to fruit so that the tree itself would get the energy to grow > for another year or so. I looked yesterday and there are a couple of > apples forming. Should I pull them and any others that form off, ya' know, > I hate to do it. on the good side, those apple flowers are so large and > gorgeous!!! I did get about 3> Pomegrantes growing on my 'Sweet' Pomegrante last year which is also veryAmyIf they want you to raise the
crown of the tree eventually, you could start this year by taking off just those two lowest branches, but I would leave the rest for a while, taking off maybe just the two or three lowest each time you give it its yearly prune until you reach the suggested level. By taking off branches before they get very big you avoid having to make large wounds in the trunk. Incidentally, when you remove these branches don't cut them quite flush with the trunk, but half an inch or so out. There may be a slight swelling at the base of each branch and if so you cut just outside this. The base of any side branch has inside a layer of potential bark cells called the collar (Often marked by a bit of a swelling) which if the branch is lost can close over the wound below the surface much before any bark can grow across from the sides.Many folks seem to have a real difficulty with pruning of unwanted branches. They either cut completely flush (which widens the wound and removes the collar
encouraging rots), or more commonly they leave a stub of several inches. This can result in one of two undesirable outcomes. If it is long enough to include buds it may simply grow again and not just as a single stem but as a whole bush of branches, exactly what you want for a hedge but not otherwise. If you cut it just too short to have a bud the stem ceases to have anything to draw the sap up and it will be sealed off by the collar cells and soon die remaining as an ugly and useless appendage until it finally rots.For weighing down the branches I can't see why they suggest weights. What I wonder is wrong with putting pegs in the ground and attaching strings (Provided the string at the branch end is attached to a wide loop of fabric or similar so it does not cut into the bark).As to the setting of crop. In spite of having so many flowers it will probably not set a large crop this year as it does not yet have enough roots to sustain them, but if it should do it will be like !
a
little girl having a child while much too young and its further development may be jeopardized so that it never grows a sturdy framework. However I don't suppose bearing one apple would stress it too much just to let you see what it can do (Alice, I guess you could do the same with your new pear).The main thing to understand about fruits you remove, it is best done as soon as the tiny fruits can be seen and should never be done by pulling (which could lose you a valuable future spur), but you can pinch them off with a thumb and finger as someone else suggested, or snip them off with fine scissors.In general, you need to always be careful with picking apples and pears to protect their long-living spurs. If really unripe fruit must be picked for some reason always cut carefully through the stalk. A spur once gone is gone forever.Moira

--EXCITEBOUNDARY_000__6b32afe120e5e1c8140fe252db1714af

Thank you Moira. I can't imagine what someone with a whole orchard does to straighten out the branches. I'll try the pegging bit. I read the article on apple trees here from the Certified Rare Fruit Growers newsletter. It was quite interesting. Another thing he said is if the tree doesn't lose all its' leaves, to pull them off and that would send it into dormancy enough to make it fruit. http://www.inlandempire-crfg.org/pics_index/Growing_Apples.pdf Amy of Marvelous Gardens Zone 10 or Sunset zone 23 http://home.earthlink.net/~marvelousgardens/ --- On Tue 03/21, Tony and Moira < tomory@XTRA.CO.NZ > wrote: From: Tony and Moira [mailto: tomory@XTRA.CO.NZ] To: OGL@LSV.UKY.EDU Date: Wed, 22 Mar 2006 09:28:06 +1200 Subject: Re: Anna Apple dwarf tree help, please ----- Original Message ----- From: "Amy of M.G." > Last Feb. I planted a dwarf Anna Apple at my house in La Mirada Zone 10. I > read ant article that was suggested in another list on growing in Orange > County w/o much chill. It said to prune all branches off that are below > "30 inches which at this point would be about a half of the tree. It does > have a couple about 12" from the bottom. I think it's on 111 root stock. > It also said to put weights on the branches so they go horizontal to the > main branch of trunk. Do I really need to go to that trouble and expense > of buying weights to put on it? Also this year it is LOADED with beautiful > flowers (there is an apple tree in the yard behind). The article said to > not allow it to fruit so that the tree itself would get the energy to grow > for another year or so. I looked yesterday and there are a couple of > apples forming. Should I pull them and any others that form off, ya' know, > I hate to do it. on the good side, those apple flowers are so large and > gorgeous!!! I did get about 3 > Pomegrantes growing on my 'Sweet' Pomegrante last year which is also very Amy If they want you to raise the crown of the tree eventually, you could start this year by taking off just those two lowest branches, but I would leave the rest for a while, taking off maybe just the two or three lowest each time you give it its yearly prune until you reach the suggested level. By taking off branches before they get very big you avoid having to make large wounds in the trunk. Incidentally, when you remove these branches don't cut them quite flush with the trunk, but half an inch or so out. There may be a slight swelling at the base of each branch and if so you cut just outside this. The base of any side branch has inside a layer of potential bark cells called the collar (Often marked by a bit of a swelling) which if the branch is lost can close over the wound below the surface much before any bark can grow across from the sides. Many folks seem to have a real difficulty with pruning of unwanted branches. They either cut completely flush (which widens the wound and removes the collar encouraging rots), or more commonly they leave a stub of several inches. This can result in one of two undesirable outcomes. If it is long enough to include buds it may simply grow again and not just as a single stem but as a whole bush of branches, exactly what you want for a hedge but not otherwise. If you cut it just too short to have a bud the stem cease! s to have anything to draw the sap up and it will be sealed off by the collar cells and soon die remaining as an ugly and useless appendage until it finally rots. For weighing down the branches I can't see why they suggest weights. What I wonder is wrong with putting pegs in the ground and attaching strings (Provided the string at the branch end is attached to a wide loop of fabric or similar so it does not cut into the bark). As to the setting of crop. In spite of having so many flowers it will probably not set a large crop this year as it does not yet have enough roots to sustain them, but if it should do it will be like a little girl having a child while much too young and its further development may be jeopardized so that it never grows a sturdy framework. However I don't suppose bearing one apple would stress it too much just to let you see what it can do (Alice, I guess you could do the same with your new pear). The main thing to understand about fruits you remove, it is best done as soon as the tiny fruits can be seen and should never be done by pulling (which could lose you a valuable future spur), but you can pinch them off with a thumb and finger as someone else suggested, or snip them off with fine scissors. In general, you need to always be careful with picking apples and pears to protect their long-living spurs. If really unripe fruit must be picked for some reason always cut carefully through the stalk. A spur once gone is gone forever. Moira

william evans on wed 22 mar 06

WHy buy weights when a bucket of rocks, or other old container filled w/
water/rocks could do the same. Or stake/tie it down and use old water
hose to soften the grip on the branch end.

bille.
expense

Tony and Moira on wed 22 mar 06

Amy
If they want you to raise the crown of the tree eventually, you could start
this year by taking off just those two lowest branches, but I would leave
the rest for a while, taking off maybe just the two or three lowest each
time you give it its yearly prune until you reach the suggested level. By
taking off branches before they get very big you avoid having to make large
wounds in the trunk. Incidentally, when you remove these branches don't cut
them quite flush with the trunk, but half an inch or so out. There may be a
slight swelling at the base of each branch and if so you cut just outside
this. The base of any side branch has inside a layer of potential bark cells
called the collar (Often marked by a bit of a swelling) which if the branch
is lost can close over the wound below the surface much before any bark can
grow across from the sides.

Many folks seem to have a real difficulty with pruning of unwanted branches.
They either cut completely flush (which widens the wound and removes the
collar encouraging rots), or more commonly they leave a stub of several
inches. This can result in one of two undesirable outcomes. If it is long
enough to include buds it may simply grow again and not just as a single
stem but as a whole bush of branches, exactly what you want for a hedge but
not otherwise. If you cut it just too short to have a bud the stem ceases to
have anything to draw the sap up and it will be sealed off by the collar
cells and soon die remaining as an ugly and useless appendage until it
finally rots.

For weighing down the branches I can't see why they suggest weights. What I
wonder is wrong with putting pegs in the ground and attaching strings
(Provided the string at the branch end is attached to a wide loop of fabric
or similar so it does not cut into the bark).

As to the setting of crop. In spite of having so many flowers it will
probably not set a large crop this year as it does not yet have enough roots
to sustain them, but if it should do it will be like a little girl having a
child while much too young and its further development may be jeopardized so
that it never grows a sturdy framework. However I don't suppose bearing one
apple would stress it too much just to let you see what it can do (Alice, I
guess you could do the same with your new pear).

The main thing to understand about fruits you remove, it is best done as
soon as the tiny fruits can be seen and should never be done by pulling
(which could lose you a valuable future spur), but you can pinch them off
with a thumb and finger as someone else suggested, or snip them off with
fine scissors.

In general, you need to always be careful with picking apples and pears to
protect their long-living spurs. If really unripe fruit must be picked for
some reason always cut carefully through the stalk. A spur once gone is gone
forever.

Moira

Amy of M.G. on wed 22 mar 06

--EXCITEBOUNDARY_000__77be7449fe8a314fc2ce0300d330a38a

Old water hose, right, I was thinking of panty hose, thanksAmy of Marvelous GardensZone 10 or Sunset zone 23http://home.earthlink.net/~marvelousgardens/--- On Wed 03/22, william evans < williamevans@COX.NET > wrote:

From: william evans [mailto: williamevans@COX.NET]To: OGL@LSV.UKY.EDUDate: Wed, 22 Mar 2006 06:13:00 -0800Subject: Re: Anna Apple dwarf tree help, pleaseWHy buy weights when a bucket of rocks, or other old container filled w/water/rocks could do the same. Or stake/tie it down and use old waterhose to soften the grip on the branch end.bille.-----Original Message----- Do I really need to go to that trouble andexpense> of buying weights to put on it?

--EXCITEBOUNDARY_000__77be7449fe8a314fc2ce0300d330a38a

Old water hose, right, I was thinking of panty hose, thanks Amy of Marvelous Gardens Zone 10 or Sunset zone 23 http://home.earthlink.net/~marvelousgardens/ --- On Wed 03/22, william evans < williamevans@COX.NET > wrote: From: william evans [mailto: williamevans@COX.NET] To: OGL@LSV.UKY.EDU Date: Wed, 22 Mar 2006 06:13:00 -0800 Subject: Re: Anna Apple dwarf tree help, please WHy buy weights when a bucket of rocks, or other old container filled w/ water/rocks could do the same. Or stake/tie it down and use old water hose to soften the grip on the branch end. bille. -----Original Message----- Do I really need to go to that trouble and expense > of buying weights to put on it?

Alice Halbeisen on wed 22 mar 06

Valuable information. Thank you, Moira! I don't think I've come across
this bit about the spurs in any reading material on raising fruit trees.

Alice