Hunting Forum

I hunt land in northern Minnesota and was going to try and plant a dozen or so apple trees to make an apple tree food plot. Been doing alot of research andI know I will need to fence them off for the first couple years. I found a couple website that sell 5-6 foot trees at a resonable price and I think that will jump start the plot, intead of seed. I plan on getting a few different kinds for pollination purposes because some trees can be self steril. Anyone done this before or have any adivice?

My dad is thinking of doing the same thing as you, so keep us updated on how it goes

My dad is thinking of doing the same thing as you, so keep us updated on how it goes!

I have two delicious..one red and one yellow, two Keifer pears and two high bush blue berries going in a plot I've been working a few years...today I go down and weed kill...then next week I plant the trees ...I'm putting in a four foot square 6ft high fence around each....putting in enough space.between fences to get the disc and drag around....will be laying down alfalfa in this field...also positioning them so I have good shot angles past the trees when they are mature to other parts of the field...so need to estimate canopy width...they will be close to a shooting house I have in the wood line for bow season...pic shows part of field infront of shooting house and then the house it's self














  

Planted two apple trees in my front yard about five years ago. The thought was that someday I would see deer in my front yard. Well the trees are doing great and the deer eat them in the dark. This last summer we had about a dozen apples each. Not very many when you consider five years of growing. Yesterday we planted a necterine and a pear tree in the center food plot behind my house. Some day we will get fruit from them. The two trees in the front yard are not fenced in,but have rabbit guards on them . The two new trees are fenced in just because. I think you would be better on planting something else for a food plot. Do you own this land?
Joe Termite

Joe, Yes I do own. Being in growing zone 3 there are not alot of other options for fruit plants. We already grow brassicas and plant clover and have plenty of standing oaks. A big part of doing it is the enjoyment of doing the land managment stuff, hopefully it pays off as well. Do you know what kid of apple trees you planted? As in Dwarf, semi dwarf/ or standard?

Badger, thanks for the advice I will deffinatly apply what I can.

we believe they are two dawrfs, What is growing zone 3?
Joe

If you want apples for late bow and rifle season put in a few Northwest Greenings or other greening varieties that may be out there. In the UP of Michigan some apples are still hanging on the trees into December if we do not shake them off. Also a couple varieies of Delicious, like Badger said. If you want to eat some yourself you cannot beat a Sweet 16 for flavor.  Mine hold fruit into early October. Steer clear of planting dwarf trees unless you plan to keep them fenced forever and tossing apples outside for the deer. Dwarfs produce earlier but even in my back yard the deer killed my trees within two years of removing my fences. Semi-dwarf might work but a few full sized trees will guarantee they outgrow the deer at some point, although they will take longer to produce fruit. Plant them in full sunlight, on good soil, and water the heck out of them the first year or so and they should do well. Don't forget the weed and rodent control and fertilize yearly. As for fencing, concrete reinforcing wire works really well and it is relatively inexpensive. It is quite self supporting and I have found that two, or better yet three, metal posts are enough.

Oh yes, got many bears in the area? They love to rip and tear limbs trying to get to sweet ripe apples. Don't ask me how I know!

Not to much of an update but, I got 5 trees coming, 2 honey crisp, 2 wolf rivers, and a whitney crabapple to help with pollination, should have them in the ground within the week.

My trees are in and Knock on wood....doing great!...I put a short section of 8" drain pipe around the bases for mice control ...then a large circle of fencing staked for deer browsing protection....I added composted goat manure to the soil and mulched with the same to help with water retention...we are in a RED alert here do to drought...I'm storing several milk jugs of water at the shooting house so when I go down to work I'll have water for them if needed....waiting for winds to stop and I will spray again then disc and plant the alfalfa....rest of area will be planted in annuals and in June

Looking good...out of the four trees...two Keiffer and the Delicious ...just one red Delicious has sprouted leafs...but we'll see some times you can get a late leaf out on some bare roots....hoping...planted all the same and in same area....any hoo just went down yesterday and planted the Alfalfa/ clover seed...the fruit tree cages will act as seclusion cages for that...I no sooner got done seeding and the rains hit...on and off all night and clouding today

I have 14 apple trees planted here in SC along with 12 Acorn and 3 pear trees, and fescue planted around the fruit trees, the only problem we have with the deer is that the bark on the fruit trees are soft and they like that for rubbing the velvet off and that in turn kills the younger trees. i have also installed 3ft tall wire around my trees and this has solved the problem. As Yooper said, be sure and water them well and fertilize yearly, but dont over fertilize or they will burn up. Half of my field is set up so I can rotate what I plant during the year, i have also planted various bushes along the edge to help the deer feel more secure and secluded for a sanctuary effect and this has worked very well. I have been very selective of what I shoot or when in this area and in turn I have some very nice bucks on film that have moved into the safety of this area, they have food, bedding on the edge and a pond within 25 yards of the fruit trees and they seem to love it. Good luck and good hunting.

Who ever would have thought that there would be 2 TWolf's on the same site. It has been a long time since I have been on here but I have been a member since July 2003. When the site messed with my number of posting's and a few other things, I quit coming here as often as I did.

Just seems funny that there are 2 of us here.

well I have tried to plant tree's several times, but just have too many deer and bears, that will cruch a fence to get at them


But I don't know if you did any looking at hybred apple tree's
they have tree's now that will make apples twise as fast and grow faster(so they claim)

they might cost a little more, but if they produce a lot faster, the added cost might be worth not having to wait so long.

and I also would look at pear tree's they always seemed hardier for me

plus looking into harvest drop average times on fruit

trying to plan so that different species of fruit drop at different times, so to keep the plot active on useage , rfather than all the tree's being the same and dropping fruit the same time


I tried planting them ONCE in a clover plot, to keep feed there all the time, but it did seem to lead to harder more agressive attacks on the tree's
but again, I have a deer herd that is way too high
but in lower deer population area's I think this is a great idea, to get the most out of your site then!