Orchard care: tools, management

[Lazy Gardener]

I want to buy a pruning saw. Want decent quality, don't want to spend more money than necessary. Any suggestions?

 

[Beekissed]

We like to use those little folding hand saws they sell for hunters...I've found they sell the exact same kind for working orchards but they are much more expensive when bought for THAT purpose.

Here's a great little Fiskars we've found to be extremely sharp and affordable, from Walmart:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Fiskars-...TB7aWyxXL-YmHzilkalQlcqKRfaEyM7QaAlVcEALw_wcB

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Same tooth count? That sounds like a good option. I only have 2 apple trees to prune. Of course, as the orchard grows, my pruning chores will be greater. It's my goal to keep those standard trees at a height that I can easily work them.

I didn't want a folding saw, b/c I consider the folding joint to be the weak spot of the saw. But, it sure would be nice to be able to tuck it in my pocket.

 

[Beekissed]

Same tooth count? That sounds like a good option. I only have 2 apple trees to prune. Of course, as the orchard grows, my pruning chores will be greater. It's my goal to keep those standard trees at a height that I can easily work them.

I didn't want a folding saw, b/c I consider the folding joint to be the weak spot of the saw. But, it sure would be nice to be able to tuck it in my pocket.

Usually that folding feature locks into place, so for just what you want it to do, it will be perfect and last you many years. Now, if you were sawing with it every day and exerting a lot of pressure on bigger stuff, it may be a weak point...don't know?

Mom uses ours many times a year and we haven't had any problems with it thus far.

Trust me on this....they are so very sharp you'll come to love that fold away feature. I've cut myself on it several times already by being too casual with how I grasp it.

 

[Chic Rustler]

Silky

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Thank you both for your replies.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Cane fruit: I've been plagued by raspberry cane borers. It appears that more vigilance is in order. And, if I do better at noting girdling, I can eradicate the damage in my cultivated berry patch, even though there are wild berries all around. I think this is the reason why it's recommended to cut all new growth back 6" every fall.

UNH extension re cane borers

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Here's a nice article with accompanying videos re: raspberry management.

https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/2066e/

 

[Lazy Gardener]

My most recent grafting appears to be successful. I started an apple tree from a seed. That seedling spent several years in the garden. Winter of 2017-18, a mouse girdled the seedling, but, it sent up a new branch from below the girdle. This spring, I grafted 2 scions of Liberty onto that seedling. It will remain potted throughout most of the summer, and get planted either this fall when the rains come, or I may even hold it over till spring of 2020 before planting it.

I'm having fun with my grafting experiments. A pile of seeds sitting on the windowsill, waiting to get planted this season, with intent of grafting them as soon as they put on enough size. May even use an apple seedling as root stock for pear.

My pear seedling with Sekel grafts (2018) needs to be pruned to select for strongest graft. I may even graft an other variety onto that tree when it gains some size.

I would like to try starting some root stock from root cuttings. Or even get seedling stock from some of the many wild and apparently hardy apple trees in the area.

 

[Britesea]

That's so cool! I've always been interested in grafting, but never had the gumption to actually do it.