If you have a large amount of land that you have not used, you can consider planting an orchard. If you've had previous experience planting and maintaining trees, that's another reason why you'd be perfect for orchard maintenance. This may seem like an overwhelming thing, but it's actually quite simple. It just takes some determination.
If you have never grown a tree on your property, you may not want to invest the time and money in buying a bunch of trees. If you're inexperienced, you'll want to start with just one or two trees to get a feel for the growing process. Once you've successfully seen one tree all the way to maturity, you're probably experienced enough to handle multiple trees. However, you should never plant so many trees that you are overwhelmed. Only bet what you can handle.
In general, if you're starting with a large number of trees, you'll want them all to be the same type. If they all require the same amount of water and nutrients, you won't have to spend as much time feeding each tree individually. Another advantage is that you will become very familiar with the process of growing this particular tree. You won't be overwhelmed by many different types, but instead become a master of that specific type.
If you already have a tree growing on your property that you have nurtured since childhood, then you know that the soil is acceptable for this type of tree and similar soil. Since you've gone through the process of growing this type of tree before, you should have no problem testing all the soil to make sure it's similar to the segment you've already planted. Then it's just a matter of growing more trees and making the process the same as before. Since you've dealt with the same problems in the past, you probably have a good idea of how to deal with any pests that may appear during the growing season.
Generally in an orchard, trees are planted in a row and then pruned into a two-dimensional shape. This is known as a fan shape or espalier. In the center there is one main branch that is completely vertical, then several branches that go to the side. If the lateral branches are horizontal, it is called an espalier. If they are tilted, it is called a fan. Generally these 2 shapes are used in sets because they are compact. Using them allows you to have many more trees in a certain area. However, if soil conservation isn't an issue or you don't want to be efficient, you should probably stick with the traditional tree shape.
To help water your trees, you should install either a sprinkler system or a sprinkler system. Sprinklers require more maintenance, but if you're digging an irrigation ditch, then it's really easy to run the faucet for a few minutes each day and get to all the trees. It's just a matter of what you prefer.
Once your tree collection begins to produce a large amount of fruit, you may want to consider starting a fruit stand or participating in a farmer's market. Instead of letting the fruit go to waste or trying to eat it all (which can lead to nasty stomach aches), you can let the rest of the world enjoy the product of your intense labor. If you become a popular seller, you can even get a decent return on your investment. However, you cannot count on making a lot of money. Establishing an orchard should not be a capitalistic investment. You should only start one if you have a passion for trees.
You must be logged in to post a comment.