cross pollinators

Discussion in 'Fruit and Nut Trees' started by mort, Jan 24, 2008.

  1. mort

    mort Active Member

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    I have just come from our nursery with a bare root anjou pear tree and a rainier cherry tree. I am wondering how close I need to plant these to my existing pear and cherry trees to achieve good cross pollination. As well, space is somewhat limited and I am unsure how much soil depth and root spread I will need to prepare for. Any ideas are appreciated.
     
  2. Ottawa-Zone5

    Ottawa-Zone5 Active Member

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    Fruit trees cross pollination can take place even if the pollination trres are two or three neighbour houses away. The closer the better. If you are planting these in your backyard then any sunny location will be fine. You might have noticed that many people have just one apple tree which get cross pollinated by trees in neighbourhood.

    I am interested in Rainier Cherry mysel and the only nursery in Canada I found that show Rainier nursey on their fruit list is DINTER nursery in Duncan near Victoria but they do not ship. Yesterday they also told me that they have not yet received Rainier Cherry bare-root trees and will be receiving these in mid February (both Standard rootstock and Gisela dwarf).
    Which nursery in Victoria did you buy these from? Is this a mail order nursery?
    I will appreciate any helping information
    .
     
  3. mort

    mort Active Member

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    Thanks for the info, it sounds like anywhere in our yard would be fine for these trees then. The Rainier cherry was purchased from Le Couteau Farms, they have an extensive list of bare root trees available in Victoria, but I am not sure if they ship them. you can email them at: farms@lecoteau.com .

    Any suggestions on root spread and depth? We live on a rocky site with patches of soil varying from none to a couple of feet.
     
  4. Ottawa-Zone5

    Ottawa-Zone5 Active Member

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    Personally I prefer to dig a hole at least 18" deep at the centre where the tree is to be located and then slanting edge ending at lease 20" diameter at the ground level with the tree at the centre. It looks like a bowl, with 20" outside diameter, with slanting edges slating from the outside paremeter to a depth of 20" at the centre. Then fill it up with home prepared or commerical composte+soil leaving a hole in the middle for potting the tree ( or you may just dig 18" diameter, 18" deep hole. I usually dig bigger hole). The hole has to be of a size so that when the tree is potted, the graft has to be above the general gound level otherwise the top portion will start rooting later thus losing the benefit of the rootstock. To plant the bare-root tree, make a mound at the proper level in the ground, spread the bare roots over the mound uniformly in all directions if possible. Cover the roots with soil and water properly making sure that that no air pockets are left. Adjust the soil level around the trunk for watering for the first few years.
    I had written to Lecoteau and they told me that they are not mail order nursery (the same as Dinter Nursery at Duncan, Victoria Island.
     
  5. mort

    mort Active Member

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    Thanks for the planting information. I will have to go around the yard with a piece of rebar to see how much soil we have before I dig! I may also augment the area that seems best with more topsoil.

    Dinter's and LeCouteau are two very good nurseries here. It is unfortunate that they do not ship and you are having difficulty obtaining a Rainier cherry tree. I am not surprised though, as Vancouver Island is generally a shipping destination itself. Our wet climate here is a bit marginal for cherries in my experience, the best cherry growing region in BC is in the Okanogan where the weather is dryer and hotter. Perhaps a nursery in Kelowna or Penticton would be a better place to try. Good luck. I even checked the classified section of Gardens West Magazine for you but nothing there.
     

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