Advice about starting orchard - Ask Extension
I want to start an orchard and was hoping to get some advice. I do not have much experience and am still looking for a site. I was hoping I could spea...
Knowledgebase
Advice about starting orchard #875712
Asked July 02, 2024, 5:07 PM EDT
I want to start an orchard and was hoping to get some advice. I do not have much experience and am still looking for a site. I was hoping I could speak with an expert who could give me some advice about getting started.
Yitzi Kaltmann
<personal data hidden>
Franklin County Ohio
Expert Response
Greetings,
I will do my best to assist with knowledge on your orchard project. I think your best chance of success will be to fully research the establishment of an orchard before you get started, including why you want one in the first place? Is this to start a business or for personal use? That will guide your starting space requirements. I found a fact sheet from PSU that should be helpful. Always add the word Extension to your search terms to get research based information. I maintain a page on Growing Franklin that has information for growers, including new farmers that will help you get started. Our OSU South Centers houses a great deal of our fruit information to review. Also, there is a Franklin Co. Food Business Portal that assists residents start new food businesses if that is your intent. Keep in mind if you email into the portal about starting an orchard it will just come to me so reply to me via my email below.
Finding land to grow can be a challenge. You need to do the legwork on that just like finding any other property. Unfortunately we do not keep a listing of available property or realtors.
Thanks,
Tim
I will do my best to assist with knowledge on your orchard project. I think your best chance of success will be to fully research the establishment of an orchard before you get started, including why you want one in the first place? Is this to start a business or for personal use? That will guide your starting space requirements. I found a fact sheet from PSU that should be helpful. Always add the word Extension to your search terms to get research based information. I maintain a page on Growing Franklin that has information for growers, including new farmers that will help you get started. Our OSU South Centers houses a great deal of our fruit information to review. Also, there is a Franklin Co. Food Business Portal that assists residents start new food businesses if that is your intent. Keep in mind if you email into the portal about starting an orchard it will just come to me so reply to me via my email below.
Finding land to grow can be a challenge. You need to do the legwork on that just like finding any other property. Unfortunately we do not keep a listing of available property or realtors.
Thanks,
Tim
Thank you very much for your response.
I want to start the orchard not as a business but as a personal pursuit.
Is there a specific type of soil I should be looking for in a site?
Also is access to water required on the site?
Thank you,
Yitzi Kaltmann
Greetings,
Ideally find soil appropriate for agriculture that has not been heavily disturbed. Consider a soil test prior to buying and planting. You will want water close by as trees require irrigation for the first two years to get established. Check out the links that I provided as they contain all of that detail plus much more to guide you in establishing an orchard.
Ideally find soil appropriate for agriculture that has not been heavily disturbed. Consider a soil test prior to buying and planting. You will want water close by as trees require irrigation for the first two years to get established. Check out the links that I provided as they contain all of that detail plus much more to guide you in establishing an orchard.
I just wanted to thank you for all your info!
Good evening,
I have 2 questions I’d like to ask about my garden.
1. In the spring I plant an apple tree
The leaves have been struggling for a while, please see the attached pictures.
I water it almost every day and I have treated it with copper sulfate twice and I am wondering what else I can do?
2. A few days ago I planted a blueberry bush. When I planted it there was no brown on the leaves but now I’m seeing some brown. Please see the attached pictures. I was wondering if I should be worried about the browning of the leaves and if there is anything I can do about it?
(With both the tree and the bush I have put in more fertile dirt in the hole when I planted them.
I’m also attaching a picture of the dirt in my yard)
I appreciate any help you can provide,
Yitzi kaltmann
I just wanted to thank you for all your info!
Greetings,
Making a diagnosis from pictures can be difficult. For your apple tree I suspect apple scab. CLICK HERE for a fact sheet on it. If you want a definitive diagnosis you can submit a sample to our plant and pest diagnostic clinic. For the blueberries, they may have a little transplant shock from the process and the extreme hot weather. I do not have any future predictions on what will happen to the plant. OSU has a blueberry factsheet to provide guidance on growing them.
Tim
Making a diagnosis from pictures can be difficult. For your apple tree I suspect apple scab. CLICK HERE for a fact sheet on it. If you want a definitive diagnosis you can submit a sample to our plant and pest diagnostic clinic. For the blueberries, they may have a little transplant shock from the process and the extreme hot weather. I do not have any future predictions on what will happen to the plant. OSU has a blueberry factsheet to provide guidance on growing them.
Tim
Thank you very much for this information
