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Apple/Pear Trees

Well, we got a ton done the last two days before the really cold air hit. Headed back home now to beat the snow coming towards w central IL. Got 17 trees put in the ground (skid steer w auger).
7 Bartlett pear, 4 Arkansas black apples, 3 red fugi apples, and 3 red jewel crabapple. Staked and fenced as well.
New box blind and tower put up. Made a small water hole we had three times bigger (skid steer).
Rented forestry mulcher and created a new food plot as well.
Who says habitat improvement can’t happen in early January haha.
 
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I think you did the right thing getting them in the ground. Weather has me looking out the window, only doing chores that have to be done.
 
JNRBRONC said:
I think you did the right thing getting them in the ground. Weather has me looking out the window, only doing chores that have to be done.
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Hope so. Guess time will tell when I see how many make it. Hoping that over the next 90 days of dormancy that the air pockets in the holes/soil will settle with the rain & snow over that time.
 
Haven’t ever had crabapple before. Do the deer eat the small berries on this type of species? I’m told they are a great pollinator so that was main reason I planted them but I’m interested to see how the deer prefer them or not.
 
northcedar said:
I saw those blinds online. Almost got one. What's your initial thoughts?
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Amish built in northern Michigan. Mostly cedar. We like them. Time will tell but for $700 they’re hard to beat. Can’t hardly buy the lumber much less the time to build one for that.
The windows from this particular seller we bought it from are too narrow for bowhunters though, so we are going to put a bigger/taller one in them when the weather warms up.
 
Rous14 said:
Amish built in northern Michigan. Mostly cedar. We like them. Time will tell but for $700 they’re hard to beat. Can’t hardly buy the lumber much less the time to build one for that.
The windows from this particular seller we bought it from are too narrow for bowhunters though, so we are going to put a bigger/taller one in them when the weather warms up.
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Whats your tree spacing? What rootstock?
 
Rous14 said:
We were 13-15’ spacing
Dont know on the rootstock
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I would try to find out from supplier if possible. Rootstock will dictate the size of the tree. The size of the tree will dictate the spacing you want. I realize they are in the ground already but going forward I would say it is really importatant to pay attention to.
 
IowaBowHunter1983 said:
I would try to find out from supplier if possible. Rootstock will dictate the size of the tree. The size of the tree will dictate the spacing you want. I realize they are in the ground already but going forward I would say it is really importatant to pay attention to.
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Good info, thank you. Can they be spaced too far apart within reason? If a guy went 20’ or even 25’ apart to be safe is there a downside?
 
Rous14 said:
Good info, thank you. Can they be spaced too far apart within reason? If a guy went 20’ or even 25’ apart to be safe is there a downside?
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Not really a downside other than you might be missing out on available space for more trees. I order all my apples on EMLA 111. It has the least amount of dwarfing creating a bigger tree. We planted them 18-20' apart
 
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