Elena Hawranick on fri 10 nov 06

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Gloria C. Baikauskas on fri 10 nov 06

There are many instances where raised beds are a bad idea. It sounds
like where you are may be one of them.=20

As far as the apples lots of folks didn't get fruit this year because
of the climate in their area. Here it was the drought, as well I
suspect of the proper insects not being around when the flowers on
the fruit trees needed pollinating. I did get Asian pears, but
something ate many of them before I got to harvest them. I don't
have an apple tree here.=20

With the fungus in the trenches/soil....you could spread
horticultural corn meal in those areas to stop that. One of my
organic gardening books says that 20 pounds per 1,000 sq. feet of
cornmeal is very important to growing apples for proper soil health.=20

Potassium bicarbonate, or baking soda would also work mixed with
water and drenched on the soil..usually one Tablespoon to a gallon of
water when sprayed on plants. I am not sure of the exact measure
when working with soil in this way. I would go with the cornmeal
myself because it is easier...and recommended for apple growing.=20

We have talked before about planting cover crops on the soil in
orchards...things like comfrey, for instance, or clovers to name
two. I think your apples would benefit from this, Elena. I know
there is at least one more that was recommended, but my poor stopped
up head can't think of it at the moment. Maybe
someone else will pop in with it, or another recommendation.=20

Gloria, Texas
US zone 8a

--- In GardeningOrganically@yahoogroups.com, Elena Hawranick
wrote:
them do you think is the culprit ?
> =20=20=20
> 1. I pulled out weeds around the apple trees in spring and put
some wood mulch on top of the ground around the trees. May it be that
I damaged the roots, or that the apple trees just didn't like that
mulch. Do you usually mulch apple trees ?
> =20=20=20
> 2. We had powdery mildew this summer due to improper agriculture
(I tried to make raised beds by digging some trenches in between the
rows). The consequences were dramatic as in the trenches there
started growing fungus and the powdery mildew was terrible...
> =20=20=20
> Now I have filled those trenches with soil again, and hope the
agriculture is going to improve next growing season... By the way, do
you think the powdery mildew will go away with the proper land
structure ?

Becky Leach on sat 11 nov 06

<of the climate in their area. Here it was the drought, as well I
suspect of the proper insects not being around when the flowers on
the fruit trees needed pollinating. I did get Asian pears, but
something ate many of them before I got to harvest them. I don't
have an apple tree here. >>

My trees are young but they *were* due for some fruit this year, but I didn't get any, either. I'm attributing it to a solid week of high winds that literally blew all the blossoms off.....and certainly deterred the pollinators. :-(

~~Becky~~

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