Spring Tree Planting

KDM

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Well this year we are planting a couple parker pear trees to use as pollinators for our luscious pear trees along with a few more cherry, plum, and apple trees (varieties to be determined). We tried some off the wall bushes last year as well. We planted Honey Berries, which I had never heard of before and am so far, very happy with their performance. Of the 15 we planted last year, all of them are leafed out and on the move already. They are zone 2 plants, so I have high hopes for these things. Might plant a few more of these if I can find them. Haven't tried the fruit yet as the birds are much faster than I am, but I have hope for this year. The final picture for our annual planting is always a mystery, but it never fails that I end up feeling like a gopher due to the number of holes I seem to dig every year. LOL!! Happy Planting!
 


DirtyMike

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We have a pretty small yard and the back yard is dominated by a big oak tree. So, that leaves me with one option to plant a tree, in the front where the previous owners had a bush or something. Either way, there's a good dent in the front lawn that I've decided to either plant a tree or fill in with black dirt and plant grass. I'd like to do a tree/bush/something and edge it out with blocks and such. But, I'd really like to do a flag pole there as well. Any hardy trees you recommend in the bismarck area? There's someone down the block with a big apple tree (not sure what kind), and I'd really like to have some sort of fruit tree. Usually, don't you have to plant them in pairs with varying species for pollination?
 

KDM

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To me, fruit trees are like doritos. I can't just have one. With that in mind, most fruit trees for zone 3 or below do very well here. It's pretty hard to beat a good apple tree when considering our "normal" winter conditions. Plums do just fine as well, but they are a bit more prickly and less yard friendly I would say. Especially when you have little ones running around. Hunting through a plum patch is guaranteed to relieve you of some of your hide before you're done. Our pear trees manage to stay alive, but the jury is still out on the fruit producing end of that deal. Cherries are fast growing, but take a bit of pruning as they grow. Deer, Rabbits, and other critters must take a special pride in destroying cherry trees though, as just about everything out at my place wants to eat'em, strip'em, rub'em, or otherwise remove them from the landscape. Hope this helps................
 

fullrut

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Won't receive my trees and shrubs until the end of the month. I ordered 3 apple trees, 4 plum, 2 june berries, 2 currants, 5 standard raspberry, 5 black raspberry and one peach tree for the wife (supposed to be self pollinating). Already have 2 apple trees, chokecherries, goose berries, canadian cherries. Going to try and transplant some asparagus this spring as well as rhubarb. I'll be digging holes for awhile too.
 

KDM

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We have some goose berries too, but the darn chickens get all the berries. Are they any good?? What do you do with them??
 


DirtyMike

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I need to try to transplant some rhubarb. In the end, I only plan on being in this house for a few years. Then hopefully find a spot out of town a bit.
 

fullrut

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We have some goose berries too, but the darn chickens get all the berries. Are they any good?? What do you do with them??

I've yet to try them. Dad told me his mom used to make jelly with them.

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I need to try to transplant some rhubarb. In the end, I only plan on being in this house for a few years. Then hopefully find a spot out of town a bit.

I spent almost half my life mowing down rhubarb at my dad's place trying to kill it. Never cared for it until the wife found a recipe for rhubarb bread. Kind of like banana bread with a fruity flavor. I transplanted a bunch of horse radish last fall. Still waiting to see if it takes.
 

DirtyMike

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My mom makes a rhubarb jelly, syrup and pie. I've threatened my wife with violence if she touches my rhubarb syrup. just joking. kind of. My other favorite would be choke cherry jelly/syrup. My brothers in laws have miles of choke cherry bushes (trees?) that we try to get to before the birds do.

Have you made your own horse radish before? I remember walking(stumbling) around the tailgating area before a bison football game when I was in college. I stopped by to talk to a friend who's from the Napoleon area. After a bit, the older gentleman manning the grill handed me a cracker with horse radish on it. I put the whole damned thing in my mouth without hesitating. As the crowd erupted in laughter, I began to feel the sinus-clearing qualities of the side dish. Those qualities quickly turned into, drain all face fluid qualities. Tear gas was easier to take. It all ended in good fun because he let me drink some of his beers. Those damn Germans from napoleon country can make some food.
 

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fullrut

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My mom makes a rhubarb jelly, syrup and pie. I've threatened my wife with violence if she touches my rhubarb syrup. just joking. kind of. My other favorite would be choke cherry jelly/syrup. My brothers in laws have miles of choke cherry bushes (trees?) that we try to get to before the birds do.

Have you made your own horse radish before? I remember walking(stumbling) around the tailgating area before a bison football game when I was in college. I stopped by to talk to a friend who's from the Napoleon area. After a bit, the older gentleman manning the grill handed me a cracker with horse radish on it. I put the whole damned thing in my mouth without hesitating. As the crowd erupted in laughter, I began to feel the sinus-clearing qualities of the side dish. Those qualities quickly turned into, drain all face fluid qualities. Tear gas was easier to take. It all ended in good fun because he let me drink some of his beers. Those damn Germans from napoleon country can make some food.

Made it myself last fall for the first time. Soak and scrub the roots clean, cut into manageable sized pieces for the blender. Add enough vinegar to get the texture you want and get into jars as fast as you can. I was told to make sure to use a blender/food processor with a glass container as it will discolor the plastic. I've heard a variety of other ways and more ingredients, but haven't tried it yet myself.

I was at a pot luck at one of the local watering holes and a RRV pollack had some homemade ground mustard. Damn that was good.
 

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gst

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kdm, My parents started a pretty good sized orchard years ago and we are continuing their traditions of planting new trees each year. Mom was into grafting for a while so we have apple trees with multiple varieties on them.

Have you tried any apricot trees? They are very good. We have one that is about 8 years old. We have had two varieties of pear trees that are about 10 years old. One grows larger fruit but the other is sweeter. Last year with all the rain the pears were the largest ever. We got about 3 5 gallon buckets off the two trees. I will have to ask what varieties as I can't remember that stuff. I'm just the hole digger. The apples produced twice as much as normal. The apple press and dehydrator ran none stop for two weeks.

We planted both blueberries and black berries in our high tunnel last year and both made the winter. They produced a handful of fruit last year the first year. If they continue to grow I told the wife I'll build another high tunnel and fill it with both of them.

Have you ever messed with blue berries or black berries?

We are currently in the process of making syrup from tapping box elder trees. Long process but pretty good end results.

We make jelly out of the goose berries, alright, but not my favorite.
 


KDM

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Hey GST. Welcome aboard!! Promise to play nice and you might be able to stay, LOL!!! Yep, we tried blueberries, but I think our soil is to heavy. We have a massive amount of clay in our soil and I don't think the blueberries like that at all. Never tried blackberries, but who knows. Maybe we'll shove a few of those in the ground too. We haven't tried apricot trees yet. Taking baby steps with our orchard and pear is the next on the list. My Uncle used to say "You plant a tree for the kids, not yourself." and he was sooooo right. If we keep raising chickens, I doubt we will ever see enough gooseberries to do anything with but say "Oh, look, a gooseberry!" LOL!
 

Fisherman25

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I need to get going on some tree planting this year too, specifically fruit trees. I have a nasty corner on my land to mow that I think I may put a bunch of bush type trees, maybe juneberry and things like that.
 

SupressYourself

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There's someone down the block with a big apple tree (not sure what kind), and I'd really like to have some sort of fruit tree. Usually, don't you have to plant them in pairs with varying species for pollination?

It depends on the variety of apple tree. Some are self-pollinating. Also, if others in the area have apple trees, or even crabapples, you probably wont have any trouble with pollination on a single tree. I wasn't sure, so last year I got a honeycrisp and a sweet sixteen and planted them about 20 feet apart. Since the growing season is about 2 months around here, I might even get an apple in another 5 years...
 

fullrut

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I just picked up my trees and bushes today. For those of you in or near Walsh county, the soil conservation office in Park River is having an auction of excess fruit trees. Sale times are 10-6 this Friday and 9-Noon on Saturday.
 

raider

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just planted about 125 trees and bushes by a slough for habitat... planted native cottonwood, caragana, amur chokecherry, russian olives, buffaloberry, and false indigo... we planted along the edge of a slough with a nice slope coming down from a hill in farm land... can pump water from the slough for watering if it is dry...

questions... we have some big stumps to grind and am thinking about hauling the chips up to put around the trees for moisture hold and weed control... worth it??? also, how much water how often???

thanks all...
 


KDM

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If you have the equipment, I would water just enough to keep the soil damp. The trees need to be stressed a bit to put down a good root system. If they get all the water and nutrients they need with the root system they have, they won't have the roots they need when the times get a bit tough. As far as the wood chips, I would avoid them. Dead wood attracts lots of insects that will have no problem eating your new trees as well. There is a disease question as well. Rotting wood has several fungi that could prove problematic for your new young trees. I would go and get some of that roll weed barrier and put a 3 foot square around each tree and pile some dirt on it. That will keep the grasses at bay without attracting problems. Check the trees often as one or two pocket gophers can really ruin your day as can one or two young bucks when horn rubbing season rolls around. It's kind of ironic that the very animal (deer) you are planting cover for are the worst pests for killing that same cover. Good Luck!!!
 

MT11

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I planted both current trees and buffalo berry trees with surprising good results a few years ago thanks to the last really bad winter which really knocked down the gopher population. Before that the gophers killed the trees in short order. Wish I could get Russian olive trees going but thanks to a Montana law that species is off limits as it's considered non native which makes it illegal to plant. I guess the bunny huggers in MT never seen sharpies and pheasants live off the Russian olive trees durning the winter.
 

Lycanthrope

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Well this year we are planting a couple parker pear trees to use as pollinators for our luscious pear trees along with a few more cherry, plum, and apple trees (varieties to be determined). We tried some off the wall bushes last year as well. We planted Honey Berries, which I had never heard of before and am so far, very happy with their performance. Of the 15 we planted last year, all of them are leafed out and on the move already. They are zone 2 plants, so I have high hopes for these things. Might plant a few more of these if I can find them. Haven't tried the fruit yet as the birds are much faster than I am, but I have hope for this year. The final picture for our annual planting is always a mystery, but it never fails that I end up feeling like a gopher due to the number of holes I seem to dig every year. LOL!! Happy Planting!

Honeyberry are easy to propagate from cuttings, just FYI...

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Blueberries dont like alkaline soil, which pretty much rules out growing in most areas of ND, in the ground at least. They can do well in containers tho, but would need to be protected in the winter from extreme temps. I have several going in buried containers that have been doing ok, but havent taken off like I hoped. I planted them in a mix consisting of primarily peat moss, Im thinking about digging them up and remixing the soil using some organic fertilizers and a bunch of perlite to keep it from compacting so much.

BTW if anyone in the bismarck area has "NorthBlue" blueberries, I would really like to snip a few branches to try to root them....
 
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fullrut

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A couple years back some of you guys were growing Goji trees. Wife informed me last night that she had ordered 4 "gallon sized" trees that are supposed to be ok for our zone. I don't know the variety. Any advice?
 

Fisherman25

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Anyone ever plant Japenese lilacs? I've been looking at putting s few in the front yard and the local nursery carries them. Just curious on experiences.
 


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