Backyard Orchard

[StephiLou]

OK. *I posted on the General page that we bid on a house the other day. *The bid was accepted and we are just waiting for the title work to be done.

The house is great but the yard is WONDERFUL!......for in-town ;) *We had originally been looking for a farm, but had to change plans due to DS's (son's) health. *

Anyway, the yard is 305 ft by 200 ft......and there is not a thing in it except one very large pin oak up next to the house.

I would like to start a small orchard in addition to the garden next year. *I am planning on mostly dwarf or semi-dwarf trees. *Here is my list:

4 apple - semi-dwarf
2 peach - dwarf
2 pear - dwarf
1 pie cherry - dwarf or semi (depending on the variety)

Would also like to plant :
2-4 blueberry
2-4 cranberry
raspberry
strawberry
blackberry
2-4 gooseberry
rhubarb
2 -3 grapes - concord

Does this plan seem feasible to anybody here, or am I trying to put in too much. *I would like to make plans right away. *We have a friend who owns a nursery and he will be ordering soon. *I can get a HUGE discount if I order when he does....I just have to know what I want. *:)

Any ideas would be great. *I will keep on searching the web, and post any good sites that I come across.

Thanks!

Steph

P.S. *As soon as I get possession of the property, I will try to post pics. *The backyard is just an oasis of grass awaiting my garden! *:)

[StephiLou]

Also, would this be too small of an area for a bee hive?

Is there such a thingas a "small"hive?

Thanks!

Steph

[leera]

StephiLou;

Just remember if you are going to plant blueberries,you need TWO diferent types,like Elliot and one other for proper pollination.

Your yard will be very crowded,but if that's all you're going to use the yard for.......go for it,why not?

What's the worst that could happen?

For strawberries,I think I would build one of those raised strawberry tiers,you still get lots of plants,and berries,but won't need as much space.

For grapes,make sure you get both male and female plants......they usually are packaged together as pairs,but not always.........if you find plants that are packaged singly,leave them and shop around.

Good luck..........keep us posted.

[Cassie]

Stephi: I have that much and more.... No you can manage it just fine..... The dwarf tree's are the way to go.... They are selling some apple tree's cherry tree's and plum tree's with more than one variety grafted on...I put in some suckers two summers ago of rasberries they filled in a 25 ft row real quick.... This next spring I'm getting just 3 black berry bushes that should fill just fine as well.... You just need to make sure they are the planted adequately spaced for the height of the tree at maturity and make sure you clean up and destroy fallen fruit..... diseases and pest lurk in the fallen fruit... keep the grass short and keep the tree area's clean... Good adequate sunlight is key to good crops.... And make sure you keep the grapes on arbors, and cut so they don't go crazy up your fruit trees..... I've pick more concord grapes out of my pear tree than I care to discuss.....Cassie ;D

[bookwormom]

of course you can also train the grapes to a couple of wires between a couple of fenceposts. I think I would pass on the bees, not in town, what if a neighbor gets stung and heaven forbid, is allergic, why not get two or three chickens instead, they do not need a rooster you know, so their is not much noise, and you get a couple of eggs every day and they eat all your garbage.