They are in better condition than some of the ones on my own trees, lol. I think the isolation of these trees really helps them avoid the common apple pests. I've run across other apple trees like that, too. Apple foraging can pay big dividends! Maybe it's even easier than growing them myself, lol.
I can appreciate that design. It is more like a diverse forest. I do think scale matters, too. In this abandoned orchard, there are 4 apple trees still alive, all next to each other. But there aren't any other apple trees within a few miles, with that distance full of 100 foot tall Douglas-Fir trees, lol. Apple maggots and other tiny insects would have a hard time getting to these apple trees.
Down in the Willamette Valley, where I live, there are apple trees and other fruit trees, all over - yard after yard, neighborhood after neighborhood. Separated by other trees, but not a towering wall like the Douglas-Fir forest. So winds alone move those insects all over the area.
I'm an advocate of finding the resistant varieties! I'm amazed how some varieties are so much less susceptible to disease or pests.
They are in better condition than some of the ones on my own trees, lol. I think the isolation of these trees really helps them avoid the common apple pests. I've run across other apple trees like that, too. Apple foraging can pay big dividends! Maybe it's even easier than growing them myself, lol.
Are you familiar with the Holistic orchard? They feel very strongly about never planting the same kind of tree next to each other....
I can appreciate that design. It is more like a diverse forest. I do think scale matters, too. In this abandoned orchard, there are 4 apple trees still alive, all next to each other. But there aren't any other apple trees within a few miles, with that distance full of 100 foot tall Douglas-Fir trees, lol. Apple maggots and other tiny insects would have a hard time getting to these apple trees.
Down in the Willamette Valley, where I live, there are apple trees and other fruit trees, all over - yard after yard, neighborhood after neighborhood. Separated by other trees, but not a towering wall like the Douglas-Fir forest. So winds alone move those insects all over the area.
I'm an advocate of finding the resistant varieties! I'm amazed how some varieties are so much less susceptible to disease or pests.
yes!! And good soil and supportive plants. But we can't control what the neighbors do :(