# Pear and apple trees



## bishs (Aug 30, 2000)

I have planted more than a dozen apple tree. They are all enclosed in wire. I have lost all but 8. From early frost, deer ect.
Can anyone give me some apple varities, that are hardy fast growing ect. I have picked up my trees here and there, and its been a "crap shoot". Ideally I would like types that have ripened fruit at different times in the fall.

What about pear trees? I know deer love them. I am under the impresssion that they are slow growing? Any advice would be appreciated.


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## mike hartges (Jun 9, 2003)

Bishs, I bought my trees from Hilltop Nursery. They have a website. They offer a deer package with 3 varieties of apples that ripen at different times of the season. Many of my trees have died because I can't be there to water them when they need it. I once talked to an apple grower and they told me that each of their trees gets 50 gallons of water per week. Since we've had some rain this summer, we're finally growing some apples. I used tree shelters on all my apple trees at the time of planting. When they outgrow the tree shelters, I put cages around them. I believe Hilltop Nursery is located in Hartford, Mi.


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## bishs (Aug 30, 2000)

Thanks, I bought there apple packet about 6 years ago. The remaining trees I have left are from there packet. I tried buying more trees at Meijers ect, when they were on sale, and have lost most. One of the trees from Hilltop, is actually a crabapple tree, with large yellow crabapples. I have discovered that some apple orchards use them to cross pollinate there trees. I could not find Hilltop orchards website, I didn't know if they still have the packets. But I found there number. I will call them. 

Putting straw around the trees a few inches thick, helps conserve moisture. "I have never watered my trees". But plan on it when I move out there.

I am going to put in some pears, they grow slower, but deer love them. I believe they are "hardier" than apple trees. They also grow well on dry sites. They don't seem as water dependent. But again, I am just learning. They also live for many years, and contnue dropping more and more fruit.

Response From a Nursery:

As for the pears there are 3 varieties that may work for you.
Beurre Bosc ripens in late Sept, comice pear ripens in early Oct, and the keiffer ripens in mid Oct.
Thanks.


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## bishs (Aug 30, 2000)

I have been getting a few apples, for a few years. But they need maintenance. Last year, one tree had a small bunch of apples. The weight was too much for the limb, and split the top of the tree in half. I cut the tree back and it did ok. I was out there last weekend, and the tree is completely covered with tent caterpillars, and all leaves are brown. I need to keep a better eye on them.


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## mike hartges (Jun 9, 2003)

Bishs, pear trees sound like a good idea. Now, if only I can find the time to plant some.


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## johnhunter (Jun 17, 2000)

I have a number of older pear and apple trees scattered around my farm, various different varieties, and have planted some pear trees.

IMHO, apple trees are over-rated for deer, from a cost/benefit standpoint.
- They are labor-intensive to establish, and you may need to build a fortress around each one. Probably a heavy wire cage, and they need to be regularly inspected. The plant is a HIGHLY preferred browse. An ordinary plastic tree-tube shelter is inadequate.
- They are not highly nutritious
- Transplant success is only average, and they will require a lot of attention
- Even if you are successful, my experience with my apple trees is this: when you get a heavy crop, you look at all those apples with excitement, for all the deer you'll soon attract. Then, one day, they ripen completely, you get a good wind that evening, and the apples hit the ground nearly at once. Then, the apples are GONE within 24 hours. If you happened to be at work on that date, you missed that season's apple rush.

Now, perhaps if you had the time and inclination, you could establish a small orchard with a variety of apples which would ripen at different times, which would encourage the deer to visit more frequently. However, that is a BIG job, and I would rather deploy my limited resources differently.

If you want to do fruit trees, I think pears are a better way to go. Easier to establish, not as preferred a browse species. As far as deer preference goes, they seem to me to be every bit as preferred as apples, if not more. 

I planted some hybrid pears, which I purchased from Oikos Tree Crops, out west of Kzoo, in 1999. They were the tiny "paper pot" type stock. I used 4ft. tree tubes on them. A couple have begun to flower this year. Survivability has been pretty good. 

Incidentally, early this spring, I broadcast a bunch of 19-19-19 around several of my apple and pear trees, and this year's crop looks like my best ever. Could be the fertilization, could be the favorable weather, or something else entirely unknown. However, I've seen enough to convince me to keep on fertilizing them in future years.


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## mike hartges (Jun 9, 2003)

farmlegend, I too am in Hillsdale county. I fertilize my apple trees every year. I also have more apples this year than I normally do. I think it's mainly from the rainfall we've received. I have fertilized them twice in one year and still had poor results in the past. I've used tree shelters around all of my apple trees. As they grew larger, I removed the shelters and made 5 foot tall cages that go around the trees.


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## NATTY BUMPO (May 12, 2001)

Just a note on the apple crop this year. Its the best we've had in four years. Probably a combination of good rains and no late frosts. 

BTW, "rehabing" old apple trees has been worth it for us. Some of ours may be 50 yrs old and completely overgrown. But clearing out the brush, pruning and ferilizing these old trees has produced remarkable results. Some of the trees are really loaded this year. A real deer magnet when the fruit ripens and falls.

Natty B.


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## trout (Jan 17, 2000)

I'd look into crabapples, or Haws


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