Planting apples in Maine (trees, winter, work)

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by arctichomesteader

Hey FB, are there any actually healthy butternut trees around you? They're almost all dead here, from butternut canker...

I have not seen any around here.

[Zymer]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

I was given two butternut bare-root trees today.

The lady who gave them to me does really good with her apples and peaches. I asked her about how to stop animals eating them. She insisted the only cure is 6 foot tall chicken-wire fencing.



It was a part of a deal we had bartered in exchange for me spending a day helping her mend fences. With the snow load on her fences, she loses about half of her fence posts each winter. Last week I dug up 20 fence posts that had snapped off as the posts rotted, and we replaced them.

My back still hurts.

Any one want 2 butternut trees?

A while ago I was reading that commercial butternut production has dropped and that butternuts are a desirable commodity fetching good prices. I was considering acquiring some butternut trees...but I see you already have a willing taker...

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

I have not seen any around here.

That's what I was afraid of...

[starwalker]

Originally Posted by Zymer

A while ago I was reading that commercial butternut production has dropped and that butternuts are a desirable commodity fetching good prices. I was considering acquiring some butternut trees...but I see you already have a willing taker...

Neither of us is likely to see any profit from the trees.. they won't start bearing for 20 years. But I am collecting trees, in general, as my 4 acres pretty much has none and we need a wind break. If, at some point, they make nuts for someone, cool.

[elston]

Originally Posted by starwalker

Neither of us is likely to see any profit from the trees.. they won't start bearing for 20 years. But I am collecting trees, in general, as my 4 acres pretty much has none and we need a wind break. If, at some point, they make nuts for someone, cool.

Your attitude about the butternut trees reminded me of one of the best memories I have of my father. We moved a lot when I was a kid....and everywhere we went he always planted several nut trees....he must have planted over 25 nut trees over the years....some in MA, some in RI, some in Ohio, and some in Dexter, Plymouth, Eastport, Portland Maine. When I was a kid i realized that we would never be around to harvest any nuts from all these trees and I asked my Dad why he kept planting them. He told me that when he was a boy....he used to go with my grandfather and gather butternuts near his house on Stevens Ave...in Portland.

He said his father told him that the those trees had been planted by people who were long gone.....but they had left them a gift of sweet nuts....so the trees he planted were for little boys who would come after him with their fathers...to gather nuts.

By now some of those trees must be bearing.....I hope boys and girls with their mom's and dads are reaping the harvest of his vision....its all about continuity.

[starwalker]

Originally Posted by elston

By now some of those trees must be bearing.....I hope boys and girls with their mom's and dads are reaping the harvest of his vision....its all about continuity.

It's been that way with me and asparagus. I have planted asparagus roots in every garden I have had... and as much as I have moved, I never stayed around long enough (until here!) to see a harvest. One garden -- I think it must have been the one in back of the house we bought in WI, which had been owned by an old woman who had lived there a long time -- came with a few plants and several berry bushes.

[Maine Writer]

Originally Posted by starwalker

Neither of us is likely to see any profit from the trees.. they won't start bearing for 20 years. But I am collecting trees, in general, as my 4 acres pretty much has none and we need a wind break. If, at some point, they make nuts for someone, cool.

I'm going to pull balsam seedlings again very soon so that I can replant them with room to grow as Christmas trees. If you'd like some I can pull them and we'll figure out how to get them to you. Maybe meet up in Lincoln? I have comfrey and horseradish to share too if interested, and possible tamarack seedlings.

I was restless a couple of days ago and couldn't concentrate on work so I poked around in the trails through the woods. There's a new apple tree growing just inside the tree line in an open space browsing goats and cattle opened years ago. I'm going to prune around it so that it has room to grow. It's about 3' tall and in great shape so far.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by Maine Writer

I'm going to pull balsam seedlings again very soon so that I can replant them with room to grow as Christmas trees. If you'd like some I can pull them and we'll figure out how to get them to you. Maybe meet up in Lincoln? I have comfrey and horseradish to share too if interested, and possible tamarack seedlings.

I was restless a couple of days ago and couldn't concentrate on work so I poked around in the trails through the woods. There's a new apple tree growing just inside the tree line in an open space browsing goats and cattle opened years ago. I'm going to prune around it so that it has room to grow. It's about 3' tall and in great shape so far.

Did you put your horseradish in containers? We did. We have two 30" diameter planters both with horseradish in them.

It is my understanding that they can become invasive if not contained.

[Maine Writer]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

Did you put your horseradish in containers? We did. We have two 30" diameter planters both with horseradish in them.

It is my understanding that they can become invasive if not contained.

They're in the ground. It's spreading slowly. I'll dig all the plants soon and leave the broken pieces to regenerate.

[starwalker]

Originally Posted by Maine Writer

I'm going to pull balsam seedlings again very soon so that I can replant them with room to grow as Christmas trees. If you'd like some I can pull them and we'll figure out how to get them to you. Maybe meet up in Lincoln? I have comfrey and horseradish to share too if interested, and possible tamarack seedlings.

I was restless a couple of days ago and couldn't concentrate on work so I poked around in the trails through the woods. There's a new apple tree growing just inside the tree line in an open space browsing goats and cattle opened years ago. I'm going to prune around it so that it has room to grow. It's about 3' tall and in great shape so far.

Yes, I would love to have some of just about any kind of tree and some more horseradish. My comfrey was doing great last year (thank you!) and I believe it will make an appearance again soon.

DM me meet-up info. Lincoln will work if no one is coming any closer.

I have only found 2 of the little trees that you gave me previously that didn't make it. I was walking the ditch line before this rain started and making notes of where I need to beat back the redbud, etc. to give them more room now.