# Some of my tree plantings



## huntall

I have been planting oak and fruit trees on my place the last few years.
I've got  sawtooth planted in an orchard style planting and also a fruit orchard. I thought it would be cool to start a thread of my work
at my place 
of tree plantings and   habitat improvement.
I have planted about every kind of oak in either bare root or from a pot.
Tree planting is addictive!
I will start with last years green up in the spring.
I have three boys and the two older boys help out a lot!
Sawtooth with my son





Sawtooth









Another sawtooth


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## huntall

This is a dwarf chinkipin oak.




This is one of many pear trees.


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## huntall

We did a lot of pruning of the lower limbs on the sawtooth the other day.


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## huntall

This is a pear





I always like to rough the roots up a little














Then it's ready to plant.


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## Milkman

Great looking plantings you have there !!!   You and those boys will see results soon. 

I see you are putting cages around them. Good idea, those bucks will kill your trees by rubbing them if you dont.  I have also used the black plastic drain pipe for the same purpose. I just split it and place it around the tree trunk.


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## huntall

I have 3 Japanese persimmon already planted and planted another.


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## huntall

This is a few from before last year green up.
Japanese persimmon




Japanese persimmon
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## huntall

Milkman said:


> Great looking plantings you have there !!!   You and those boys will see results soon.
> 
> I see you are putting cages around them. Good idea, those bucks will kill your trees by rubbing them if you dont.  I have also used the black plastic drain pipe for the same purpose. I just split it and place it around the tree trunk.



Thanks...to us it's just as fun driving around or walking around checking out the growth of the trees after green up as the actually hunting is.
My boys are learning the rewards and the joy that comes along with the
Work you put into something.

I'm trying to protect as many trees as I can afford.
Protecting trees cost big money when planting large areas.
I protect what I can and let the rest be.


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## huntall

This along with many trees I bought on clearance in June.
This is a dunstan chestnut.
It's huge and was not rootbound. 
It will definitely get protected from deer.




Just got it planted


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## Triple C

Huntall…The beginning of a great thread.  We've done the same and continue to plant more each year.  Planted our our 1st sawtooths last year and 5 more pear trees.  Keep a log at the farm of what, when and where we planted.  We've got a bunch of pears and a few apples we've put out over the past 3 years.   Planted 10 bare root crabs 3 weeks ago I bought from the GFC.  Thought they were a little big for bare root so not real confident all of them will make it.  Also like planting virginia pine for cover and leading into fields.

What part of the state is your property located and what else do you do for habitat improvement?


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## huntall

Triple C said:


> Huntall…The beginning of a great thread.  We've done the same and continue to plant more each year.  Planted our our 1st sawtooths last year and 5 more pear trees.  Keep a log at the farm of what, when and where we planted.  We've got a bunch of pears and a few apples we've put out over the past 3 years.   Planted 10 bare root crabs 3 weeks ago I bought from the GFC.  Thought they were a little big for bare root so not real confident all of them will make it.  Also like planting virginia pine for cover and leading into fields.
> 
> What part of the state is your property located and what else do you do for habitat improvement?


Thanks triple c
I'm actually in central Mississippi and yall have a great forum over here and hope yall don't mind my  joining in.

I hinge cut one area last year and am going to do another this year.


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## Triple C

Welcome bro!  Great place to hang out.  Finally drank the kool aid on the benefits of hinge cutting myself.  Did my 1st hinge cutting 3 weeks ago and more last weekend.  After seeing what it looks like I'm going to continue the process in a couple more areas and then see how it thickens up over the next year.  Here's after day 1 of my 1st hinge cutting.  The pines you see in the background are now 14 yrs old and pretty much canopied.  On the other side of the pines is our largest food plot.  I'm in what we call the North Draw which is a beautiful hardwood draw that runs from the south of our property almost to the north end.  A perpendicular draw runs out of the north draw and behind the pines.  I hinged at the junction of these 2 draws which has been a great bedding area but is now more open.


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## huntall

Nice triple c!


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## oldfella1962

Those dunstan chestnuts are the best mast producing trees on the planet. Deer prefer them to almost anything else, and they produce a good crop every year, unlike oaks. 
They are amazing trees, and pretty fast growing.


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## huntall

oldfella1962 said:


> Those dunstan chestnuts are the best mast producing trees on the planet. Deer prefer them to almost anything else, and they produce a good crop every year, unlike oaks.
> They are amazing trees, and pretty fast growing.



I don't know much about dunstan chestnut, but I have seen them mentioned on here before and figured I would give them a try.
I'm on the lookout at wal-mart for a few more.


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## Triple C

Huntall…Looking at your pics it looks like you have awesome habitat.  Lots of native browse in the pics.  Tell us a little about your property.  How many acres, your land, family farm, your efforts, etc.


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## huntall

The original property was mostly owned by my grandfather along with a few other pieces of property i bought.
Ever since I was a little kid comeing to my grandpa's on weekends and such ....I wanted to own some land one day myself.
I have never had a lot of money , but knew if I started young and started small that I could make it happen.

At 19 I bought 5 acres that joined my mom's inherited 40 acre.
Two years later I got it payed off and bought a  20 acre block that was inheraited to my uncle. It was also joining the other property.
Then came kids and about ten years pass and the land next to us came up
for sale. I had been wanting to buy this land for many years.
I was able to purchase the last block of property to put us at like 85 acres.
I know to some thats not much, but I'm proud of every inch!
My boys are gonna have something one day!


My dream was to have my own land to hunt without being in a club.
To be able to work our land and plant or cut or do as I see fit to do.
The year I purchased the last block was when I said it was time to give up the club and hunt my land.   
It has been great!

I would love to pick up another property one day, but if not I'm still happy!


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## huntall

I remember my grandpa talking about how hard he had to work to get his land.       To know I worked just as hard to purchase some of my grandpa's land from my uncle makes me even more proud to own it.


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## huntall

This is a picture of the part of my land that I'm planting trees. The back half I left alone for the pines to regrow. I have been planting the front half.


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## Pro Hunter 1971

We have been busy planting 100 Fruit Trees since last week. Will post some pictures later today. We are Planting Keiffer pear, Fugi Apples, Honey Crisp Apples, and Japanese Persimmons .


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## Tucaway

huntall....you are right....tree planting is addictive....and it is just as much fun checking out the new growth of the trees as the actual hunting is. 
Had my small place since 2001(I too had a dream of owning land since I was young) and started planting fruit trees in 2002. Took my inventory yesterday afternoon after planting  4 more trees and came up with 97 apple trees, 10 pear, 4 chestnut and 7 sawtooth oaks. About 3/4s of the fruit trees produce even though I really don't live in a great area for apples. 
Last few years I have concentrated on wild crabapples that I graft from 2 wild crabs that are producers. One being not far from the square in LaGrange that my grandfather planted and I used as     sling shot ammunition as a kid and one from a farm north of me.
Not really needing any more  trees doesn't seem to be helping with the tree planting addiction.....so I guess I will keep on planting them when and where I can.
Continued success to all who have the tree planting addiction.


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## huntall

Tucaway....I have had terrible luck with apple's.    I only have a few apples and 7 crabapples.  I do have over 30 pear trees planted now.
Deer love pears as much as anything I think.
I have a few I planted as a kid and I put a game camera on it every year
Just before the pears ripen. I get lots of pic of deer eating the pears.
I have a lot of sawtooth planted.(probably 80 sawtooth)
I have about ten acres that I set out in oaks
from bare root trees to container trees.
The oaks are a large variety from nuttall, willow oak, chinkipin, dwarf chinkipin, water oak, Scarlett oak, shumard, northern red oak, live oak,
Cherrybark oak white oak, swamp chestnut ,and Southern red oak.

I also have a few hybrid oaks planted.

I'm about done planting unless it will be a couple here and there or a replacement tree or something like that.


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## huntall

This is another I got on clearance in June. I took care of it at home during the hot months and planted it this weekend. Good looking pear tree!












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## roll tide

There is a guy at Smileys flea market just south of Macon with some great deals on fruit trees. 5 for $20 and they are all about 6-7 feet tall. Just planted about 50 of them this year.


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## hpurvis

Pendergrass Flea Market usually have lots of trees for 5 each and up


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## huntall

Thanks....I will have to check the local flea market and see if they have any.
I will go back in a week and a half and try to finish my planting.
I will also try to finish my cages up too.


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## huntall

I have 22 shumard oaks that I grew from acorns in 3gal pots.I also have 4 or 5 fruit trees to plant this weekend.  I have called a few Wal-Marts in my area and they don't have dunstan chestnuts in yet.  I wish they had them in.
I would have liked to get some dunstan planted this weekend.


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## huntall

This is the shumard.


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## huntall

We have been starting a lot of our trees from acorns in 3gal pots.
We have great luck doing this.this is a sawtooth we grew.
Planted them out Saturday.


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## huntall

This is some more I grew from acorns. This picture is from  before winter in the fall. Sawtooth
.





Mainly shumard and swamp chestnut


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## huntall

We planted 250 willow oaks today.
I got them for free from someone that ordered too many.
Couldn't pass that up.


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## huntall

I had a busy weekend! I fertilized a bunch of trees. I did a little walking and inspected most of the trees.  

 Just a reminder to y'all about the orange flagging needs to be always be put on trees loosely if you flag your trees.
I pulled most of the flagging off this weekend to prevent damaging the trees.
I re flagged a few that needed flagging.
I don't walk some of this when it gets hot cause I don't like the area that I have run across a few snakes regular in the bottom with the wet area.
That's why I always inspect my trees real good now in the bottom instead of when it gets warmer.
I know.....I'm chicken, but I hate snakes!

Now just ready to see the trees wake up and come alive.


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## Deerhead

Your place is awesome!  You have a great plan and will reap the rewards soon.  Good luck – I grew up hunting in MS. Those deer will love your place!    However in a couple of years when these trees start producing your neighbors will not know what happened.  All the deer will disappear from their land and will be camped out on your land.


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## huntall

Deerhead said:


> Your place is awesome!  You have a great plan and will reap the rewards soon.  Good luck – I grew up hunting in MS. Those deer will love your place!    However in a couple of years when these trees start producing your neighbors will not know what happened.  All the deer will disappear from their land and will be camped out on your land.



Thanks....we have been having a lot of fun fixing this place up!
I keep telling my boys how nice it's going to be and how the work is going to pay off.


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## huntall

I had been putting off doing the cages around my trees this year and finally got some made last weekend.
This is a couple of the caged trees.



I still would like to put some straw around them.


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## Triple C

Now that is a cage!!!  Looks fantastic.  Keep us updated as the year progresses.  Great looking trees.


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## shakey gizzard

Cool! x2 on the mulch!


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## huntall

shakey gizzard said:


> Cool! x2 on the mulch!



Y'all use wood mulch or straw?  I think I'm going to put straw this time.
I have used both before, but thinking about using only straw from now on.
What's yalls thoughts on it?


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## huntall

Well....I just now put mulch around my trees that I planted this year. At least I got it out before the hot summer.
I had a busy weekend for sure. I put straw this time. 
I also worked on weed control some too. 
Now just maybe this summer will not be too hard on them.
I was tired after yesterday. I came home this morning and took about a 2 hour nap at lunch time.   10 years ago.....I'd be still running wide open !


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## Crakajak

huntall said:


> Y'all use wood mulch or straw?  I think I'm going to put straw this time.
> I have used both before, but thinking about using only straw from now on.
> What's yalls thoughts on it?


I put landscape fabric and mulch around my trees. I cut a 4 ft square and fold it  up2 times and cut the quarter circle,unfold and cut a slice into it.
I then place it around the  base and cover with 4-6 " of mulch without leaving it piled against the tree base.
I then stake a cage and secure the tree.
We are in W.central Ga and have red clay. The soil gets pretty warm and dry in the late summer. I have found the mulch/landscape fabric combo works great to keep moisture in the ground and keeps the soil temps lower in the late summer.
It also helps with weed control so I get max. benefit of my fertilizer.


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## dtala

Dunstan Chestnut in front of my house with heavy duty wire enclosure made of 4X4 hog panels. I use the heavier wire because I have found some lighter wire enclosures bent and ripped by bucks rubbing them.


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## huntall

Crakajak said:


> I put landscape fabric and mulch around my trees. I cut a 4 ft square and fold it  up2 times and cut the quarter circle,unfold and cut a slice into it.
> I then place it around the  base and cover with 4-6 " of mulch without leaving it piled against the tree base.
> I then stake a cage and secure the tree.
> We are in W.central Ga and have red clay. The soil gets pretty warm and dry in the late summer. I have found the mulch/landscape fabric combo works great to keep moisture in the ground and keeps the soil temps lower in the late summer.
> It also helps with weed control so I get max. benefit of my fertilizer.


That sounds good. I have been mulching, but not using the fabric. That's got to help keep the sun from baking the ground around the roots!
What size roll of the landscaping fabric come in?


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## huntall

Good looking tree dtala!


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## Crakajak

huntall said:


> That sounds good. I have been mulching, but not using the fabric. That's got to help keep the sun from baking the ground around the roots!
> What size roll of the landscaping fabric come in?



I used the 4 ft wide. I cut it to make a circle. but you don't have to do that.  I forgot to say that I put a tree protector on the tree and then mulched.


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## huntall

Crakajak said:


> I used the 4 ft wide. I cut it to make a circle. but you don't have to do that.  I forgot to say that I put a tree protector on the tree and then mulched.



Thanks a lot!


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## huntall

Well.....I can not believe that come next week I will own another 15 acres.
A week ago today my uncle called and wanted to sell me the last block of land from my grandpas old homeplace. I am able to work it out to go ahead
Buy it. 

I will have to make a few sacrifices to afford it. 
One main sacrifice will be to limit the amount I spend on habitat and foodplots. I will still do some, but not as much as before.
I have got my place in great shape with my tree plantings so it's time mainly for upkeep like grass controll and such around the trees.

The new block of land needs nothing at all. It's going to be a small sanctuary, because it's in between two of my blocks of land.
I am so blessed to get this last bit of land. 
Even if you start small like I did ....it can happen.
Land ownership is rewarding!


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## shakey gizzard

Hardwood mulch will last longer! Cypress mulch is also suppose to repel insects. You have proven to be a good steward of your land!


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## Dr. Strangelove

That's cool, your sons will remember planting those with you long after you've passed.


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## huntall

I stopped by my place today and looked at my trees.  Man....the rain has really put a jump on the trees!  My phone was in my truck, so no pictures today.

I am excited after finding the first acorns trying to form on the dwarf chinkapin oak. This is on a three year old tree. That's a good feeling!
If it goes on to make acorns without loosing them prematurely then I will try to grow some from seed if they don't get eat first.
Keeping my fingers crossed!


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## strutlife

To all you tree planters. Want to see trees grow healthy quick? Don't know if you guys know this or not, if you can find someone who pen raises rabbits off the ground and use that manure to plant your trees in, you will see a substancial difference. I planted some bradford pears in regular soil and potting soil. Had an Uncle plant his in rabbit manure around same time. His are now 5 times the size of mine. Just thought I would throw this out there.


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## lampern

I've planted some wild plum but the weeds took them over.

Some nice trees folks have planted.


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## huntall

3yr old dwarf chinkipin got acorns this year.


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## huntall

Sawtooth looking good


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## huntall

Pear tree loaded


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## huntall

This is a scarlet oak that is supposed to do well in rocky soil.
This hill has a lot of rock and some gravel so I planted some scarlet oaks to see how they do.



I think it likes it!


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## huntall

This is a dwarf chinkipin oak


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## Crakajak

Looks like your hard work is paying off.


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## huntall

Sawtooth.


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## huntall

This is some young sawtooth


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## huntall

Got some Japanese persimmon, one big Sawtooth, and some willow oaks going in the ground now.


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## huntall

This is Sawtooth.


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## Kawaliga

Good stuff  huntall. I'm doing the same thing, planted four pears, two apples, two peaches, two plums and six blueberries last year.Last Friday, I planted one more apple, two peaches, two pears, two figs, and two more blueberries. If I can find some Dunstan Chestnuts, I will find a place for them. I did the same thing you did, and bought 41 acres that had been in my wife's family years ago. It was hard paying for it, but now it's paid for, and I love to go up there and spend the day.


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## huntall

Kawaliga said:


> Good stuff  huntall. I'm doing the same thing, planted four pears, two apples, two peaches, two plums and six blueberries last year.Last Friday, I planted one more apple, two peaches, two pears, two figs, and two more blueberries. If I can find some Dunstan Chestnuts, I will find a place for them. I did the same thing you did, and bought 41 acres that had been in my wife's family years ago. It was hard paying for it, but now it's paid for, and I love to go up there and spend the day.



Sounds good! Sounds like you got it going good!


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## huntall

My oldest son has taken a big interest in the tree planting. He is 15 now and has probably planted a few thousand by now. He loves to go back and walk through after good green up has started and see what kind of spring growth the trees are getting.


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## fireman32

Great job, I've planted a double handful of trees with my boys on some family property.  They don't realize it yet, but it's quality time that will last.  Keep after it, you've made a wise investment.


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## huntall

fireman32 said:


> Great job, I've planted a double handful of trees with my boys on some family property.  They don't realize it yet, but it's quality time that will last.  Keep after it, you've made a wise investment.



Thanks a lot!


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## huntall

This is a swamp chestnut I grew from acorn.
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## huntall

This is a live oak.
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## huntall

The next few pictures is Dunstan chestnut.
.


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## huntall

.


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## huntall

Looks like they should be pollinating 

.


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## huntall

Pears coming in good.
.


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## Kawaliga

I need to spray my apples and peaches ASAP. Went up there yesterday, and insects had eaten a lot of the leaves off one apple. I also need rain bad there; it's in western Macon county. May have to start hauling water soon.


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## SGaither

I don't know how I've missed this thread til now. Keep up the tree planting and care.


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## huntall

SGaither said:


> I don't know how I've missed this thread til now. Keep up the tree planting and care.



Thanks. ...im more on the side of tree care than tree planting now. About to run out of room . lol


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## huntall

Kawaliga said:


> I need to spray my apples and peaches ASAP. Went up there yesterday, and insects had eaten a lot of the leaves off one apple. I also need rain bad there; it's in western Macon county. May have to start hauling water soon.



Good luck with your trees and maybe you will get timely rains this summer.


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## huntall

Had a good day working on my place again. I cleaned up around my transcendent Crabapple trees. 

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.


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## huntall

Now the after pictures.
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## huntall

These crabapple was just a little whip when I planted them three years ago and seemed like they didn't grow the first 2 years, but now they made a big jump this year so far.
.


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## huntall

I am really excited about this pear! It's a sugar pear, and I was about to give up on it because it looked terrible last year. It's leaves was a pale yellow tint and never had any green leaves. I  poked three holes in the ground with my Dibble tool about 2 feet away from tree and put triple 13 in each hole.
I said I was going to kill it or make it grow like crazy! Well....this year I fertilized again and this spring it came out with dark green leaves and is looking great. It also has fruit this year for the first time this year.
The sugar pear is supposed to be about the best eating pear, but this is the first time I had seen one when I bought this one.
.


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## Canuck5

Nice, lots of hard work there!!!!!


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## huntall

Canuck5 said:


> Nice, lots of hard work there!!!!!



Thanks! As far as the hard work goes......it's been plenty all day weekends 
of multiple  day working getting it to this point and even some vacation days as well . The boys have put there share in also. It's really enjoyable to see the results now. 
We always find time to at least  stop and check on a few trees when I'm at my place for the weekend.


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## Gaswamp

huntall said:


> Thanks! As far as the hard work goes......it's been plenty all day weekends
> of multiple  day working getting it to this point and even some vacation days as well . The boys have put there share in also. It's really enjoyable to see the results now.
> We always find time to at least  stop and check on a few trees when I'm at my place for the weekend.



nice work...what county?


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## huntall

Gaswamp said:


> nice work...what county?



Thanks, it's actually in central Mississippi . I stumbled upon this great forun and decided to join.  A lot of good information!


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## MrBull

Thanks for posting this thread. This is something that I have been trying to do on my place.


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## huntall

MrBull said:


> Thanks for posting this thread. This is something that I have been trying to do on my place.



No problem man.....good luck with yours


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## Buckstop

Great thread. I like the variety. After a couple years getting our plots going, we're planning on planting several small groups this winter. Its encouraging to see your before and after.

Any idea what your overall survival rate is?


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## huntall

Buckstop said:


> Great thread. I like the variety. After a couple years getting our plots going, we're planning on planting several small groups this winter. Its encouraging to see your before and after.
> 
> Any idea what your overall survival rate is?


I'd say survival rate is probably close to 90 percent, but that's just a guess. That's only because the first year planting was a real dry summer and I lost some bare root oaks.   As far as fruit trees go.....it would be even higher survival rate.
Probably because I make sure to keep an eye on the young fruit trees more so than oaks.  I guess since fruit trees cost more then they get a little extra care.


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## huntall

I have been growing oaks from acorns several years. I grow them in 3 gal pots,  and I don't have many at all die when I plant them out. I grew most all my sawtooth from acorns(probably 100 sawtooth)
I have grown probably 50 shumard from acorns.
probably 50 swamp chestnut  oak
I'm growing dwarf chinkipin and sawtooth right now.
I've got about 25 dwarf chinkipin in pots.

I may have to clean me up a little spot for the DC OAKS, because they need to be in an opening away from full size tree competing for sunlight. 
I might make me a spot planted orchard style. I think that would work out great.


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## Buckstop

huntall said:


> I'd say survival rate is probably close to 90 percent, but that's just a guess. That's only because the first year planting was a real dry summer and I lost some bare root oaks.   As far as fruit trees go.....it would be even higher survival rate.
> Probably because I make sure to keep an eye on the young fruit trees more so than oaks.  I guess since fruit trees cost more then they get a little extra care.[/QUOT
> 
> Thats great. I'd be very happy with 90%. We have been thinking of doing the fruit trees in the three gallon size and going with the bare root seedlings in sawtooth and maybe dunston chestnuts. Seems hard to beat the price of the sawtooth seedlings in bulk.


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## huntall

Yep bare root oaks are cheap, and you can buy large order to get price break and split order with your buddies.


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## huntall

Had a good day working on my place again. I cleaned up my  young sawtooth orchard style planting.
I have 6 rows of young sawtooth planted about 25x30 spacing. I will start fertilizing these trees come spring. These trees have not had any fertilize. You can tell in the leaves they are a pale green.
next yr they will be dark green. 60 trees here. The sawtooth are behind the first row. The first row is crabapple.
Before pictures
. 



. 



New after pictures.
. 

[/QUOTE]


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## huntall

Another picture of the newly cut around sawtooth trees.
.


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## huntall

This is one from my older sawtooth planting. I counted 31 sawtooth  in this planting.
It was planted the end of January 2011.
Fertilizer has the older sawtooth looking good.
Lots of new growth.
.


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## southernman13

*Sawtooths*



huntall said:


> This is one from my older sawtooth planting. I counted 31 sawtooth  in this planting.
> It was planted the end of January 2011.
> Fertilizer has the older sawtooth looking good.
> Lots of new growth.
> .


Have any of these 11' trees made a crop yet


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## huntall

southernman13 said:


> Have any of these 11' trees made a crop yet



Not yet, but I'll bet it will not be long. I can't believe how well they are doing.


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## southernman13

That's great. We planted 50 or so last year theyre 6-7' now. We planted another 90 this year and I have them in tubes. Some have grown 8-9" I. A little over a month. Can't wait till they get bigger. I'd post some pics but normally it won't let me.  I can send a text or email if you want to see them. Have a good one!


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## huntall

southernman13 said:


> That's great. We planted 50 or so last year theyre 6-7' now. We planted another 90 this year and I have them in tubes. Some have grown 8-9" I. A little over a month. Can't wait till they get bigger. I'd post some pics but normally it won't let me.  I can send a text or email if you want to see them. Have a good one!



Ok..pm sent


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## snipe stalker

Those trees are really taking off! I'm encouraged to see some trees pick up after looking rough for a year or two. Our tree project definitely has a few individuals lagging behind as well. Somewhere i heard that year 1 they sleep, year 2 they creep, and year 3 they leap! Keep those pics coming man!


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## huntall

snipe stalker said:


> Those trees are really taking off! I'm encouraged to see some trees pick up after looking rough for a year or two. Our tree project definitely has a few individuals lagging behind as well. Somewhere i heard that year 1 they sleep, year 2 they creep, and year 3 they leap! Keep those pics coming man!



Thanks man. After seeing how they are growing now really reaffirms that I'm on the right track. This kinda got me in action  to clean up the young orchard and start them on same fertilizing as the others have been getting.


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## huntall

Another picture that you can see size comparison next to side by side. 
.


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## huntall

This a 3 yr old mahaw. It was planted as a 12 inch bare root. It's planted out behind the old homeplace  (Our weekend home) iv got pears, native and jap persimmon here also.
I don't know a thing about mahaw trees, but looks to be growing very fast to me.
I have never seen a mahaw except this one that I know of but I have heard plenty about mahaw jelly. LOL
.


----------



## huntall

I checked my dwarf chinkipin oak this evening. It had 3 acorns last yr at 3 yrs old and this yr it has a good many on it.
Not bad for a 4yr old tree.
.




.


----------



## Kawaliga

Looking good. What's that old saying? The best time to plant a tree was last year.


----------



## huntall

Kawaliga said:


> Looking good. What's that old saying? The best time to plant a tree was last year.



I know right! I would have loved to got all my tree planting done the first year.  Kinda nice to spread the planting out a few years for time and money reasons.


----------



## huntall

I tried to buy at least 10 of every kind of tree I planted and planted them in groups. I did this kinda thinking that if planted together and that kind of tree was loaded with acorns ....then you could hunt that group of oaks then another when they had acorns loaded .
Some oaks I planted way more than groups of ten. (50-250)


----------



## huntall

This is a northern red oak. I only planted a group of ten of these.
All ten are about the same size. They are growing really good, but need to remove the competing vegetation around them.
.


----------



## huntall

This is a list of the trees I have planted. I'm  sure I will forget some.
diversity  was my goal on my place

Chinkipin  oak.
Dwarf chinkipin oak
Water oak
Pin oak
Willow oak
Nuttall oak
Shumard oak
Scarlett oak
Swamp chestnut oak
Chestnut oak
White oak
Southern red oak
Northern red oak.
Cherry bark oak.
Live oak
sawtooth oak
7 kinds of hybrid oaks (from native nursury ) total of 12 trees

Dunstan  chestnut only 4

Japanese persimmon 5
Kifler pear20
Orient pear2
Barlet pear2
Sugar pear1
Moonglow pear2
Wild deer pear7
Transcendent  crabapple 5
Southern crabapple 4
Calloway crabapple 1
2 apple trees I can't remember 
Chikasaw plum4
Mahaw1

Cypress on the creek
Dogwood 
pines


----------



## SakoL61R

huntall said:


> This is a list of the trees I have planted. I'm  sure I will forget some.
> diversity  was my goal on my place
> 
> Chinkipin  oak.
> Dwarf chinkipin oak
> Water oak
> Pin oak
> Willow oak
> Nuttall oak
> Shumard oak
> Scarlett oak
> Swamp chestnut oak
> Chestnut oak
> White oak
> Southern red oak
> Northern red oak.
> Cherry bark oak.
> Live oak
> sawtooth oak
> 7 kinds of hybrid oaks (from native nursury )
> 
> Dunstan  chestnut
> 
> Kifler pear
> Orient pear
> Barlet pear
> Sugar pear
> Moonglow pear
> Wild deer pear
> Transcendent  crabapple
> Southern crabapple
> Calloway crabapple
> 2 apple trees I can't remember
> Chikasaw plum
> Mahaw
> 
> Cypress o  n the creek
> Dogwood
> pines



Man, that is awesome.  Great variety and numbers!


----------



## huntall

SakoL61R said:


> Man, that is awesome.  Great variety and numbers!



Thanks! I only have large numbers in the oaks.
I added the fruit tree numbers ahove to the best of my memory.
I love pear trees, and so do the deer!!!
Not counting the wild deer pears I only got one pear tree not producing fruit.
I'm having a slow start on my Japanese persimmon trees. Verdict still out on the Japanese persimmon trees.


----------



## Triple C

huntall...Love this thread!  Nothing you can do to improve you habitat long term that surpasses tree planting.  Your diversity is off the charts!  We simply don't have enough open land to add much more in the way of trees.  But...I have a timber harvest scheduled to start this month and will soon be able to add more trees of my liking.

Thx for the updates!  Keep em coming.


----------



## snipe stalker

Huntall, which trees have seemed to be the fastest growers/hardiest? If you only had room for 5-10 trees what would you choose? Thanks for the updates as your place is looking awesome and I'm sure the wildlife agrees!


----------



## huntall

Triple C said:


> huntall...Love this thread!  Nothing you can do to improve you habitat long term that surpasses tree planting.  Your diversity is off the charts!  We simply don't have enough open land to add much more in the way of trees.  But...I have a timber harvest scheduled to start this month and will soon be able to add more trees of my liking.
> 
> Thx for the updates!  Keep em coming.


Thanks triple c! It sure is addictive....I had no idea it would turn into this 4 years ago.  It's hard to believe, but I think I enjoy fooling around on my place equally if not more than hunting. That is saying a lot because I truly love hunting.

I just think about how it's gonna look in 5 yrs....10yrs...and  so on. and I always tell my 3 boys that I'm fixing this place up for them. They have put sweat and tears in this place also. They love it also.  
My boys are now 15,12, and 6.  They have done it all.
from collecting acorns, planting sprouted acorns in pots, planted potted trees out, and bare root with Dibble tool to flagging trees  and removing competing vegetation .
My 6 yr old helps plant the acorns in the pots, but he knows  and been around it all.


----------



## huntall

snipe stalker said:


> Huntall, which trees have seemed to be the fastest growers/hardiest? If you only had room for 5-10 trees what would you choose? Thanks for the updates as your place is looking awesome and I'm sure the wildlife agrees!


Thanks snipe stalker! 

Well.....as far as a tree that are hardiest and fastest growing  ...it would be sawtooth hands down. I don't think you can kill one. It has to be trimmed around and  clean  from competing vegetation for it to grow best and to produce good acorn crops.

Willow oak, and water oak are a couple of the fastest growing and hardiest regular oak trees.

As far as fruit trees go it would be kifler pears no question!


----------



## huntall

Triple c We simply don't have enough open land to add much more in the way of trees.  But...I have a timber harvest scheduled to start this month and will soon be able to add more trees of my liking.

Thx for the updates!  Keep em coming.[/QUOTE said:
			
		

> Don't go giving me no ideas about future tree harvest to create more area! Lol


----------



## Kawaliga

huntall, keep posting, this interesting. I am doing the same, but am way behind you.


----------



## bradb

Just a heads up on those Jap Persimmons that have been mentioned. I found out after I planted a bunch that the fruit does not drop. So unless you are practicing Quality Coon Management you might want to consider something else. They are great to eat and the deer kill the ones on low branches but they just do not drop.


----------



## huntall

bradb said:


> Just a heads up on those Jap Persimmons that have been mentioned. I found out after I planted a bunch that the fruit does not drop. So unless you are practicing Quality Coon Management you might want to consider something else. They are great to eat and the deer kill the ones on low branches but they just do not drop.



Thanks for the info.  I had heard that before.  I would think you could knock  some out of tree when ripe. Like maybe  a long cane pole or something.
What you think? Either way I'm cool with it.


----------



## huntall

Kawaliga said:


> huntall, keep posting, this interesting. I am doing the same, but am way behind you.



I hear you....take a bunch of pictures to show your progress.


----------



## bradb

Well I had to beat a bunch of pears off my trees last week so I guess it would work for the persimmons. I have never seen a pear crop like I have this year and it is breaking the heck out of my trees.


----------



## GASeminole

This is a great thread.

I am similarly interested in some crabapples and persimmons I got from the GFC/planted a few years ago

It is rewarding to know that future wildlife and hunters will directly benefit from what you are doing now. Making your own place better is priceless, and when you take into the account the history you have with your family and how you personally acquired the property, it really makes it your own piece of heaven on earth. I know your family, both past and present, are proud


----------



## huntall

Thank yall for the kind words! It is a special place to us, and I remember as a kid on some of my first hunts walking beside my grandfather kicking up rabbits or  shaking a vine to try to run a squirrel out to shoot .
I'm doing the very same thing with my kids here now.
From Planting a tree  to setting traps on the creek and everything in between.
It's all good!


----------



## huntall

Great news!!! I checked my sawtooth trees and some sawtooth trees have acorns  for the first time. Even a three yr old tree has acorns.
Can't belive that they are making acorns at 3 and 4 yrs!
The 3yr old tree has more acorns than most of the 4 yr old trees.
The 3 yr old was planted in an old rotten  log pile that I spread out with tractor.   Real rich soil. Some 4 yr old got a handful and others have nothing.
Next yr should even look better!
.


----------



## huntall

Another sawtooth picture 
.


----------



## southernman13

That's awesome. Is that three years old that you've had them in the ground or three years of its entire life. I have some that implanted that will be two years in the ground 2/16   I got them as bare root in 2/14 so I figure they were probably a year old when I got them. So I'm hoping some will nut up next year.  Man im confusing ain't I hehe


----------



## huntall

The youngest to produce acorns is actually 3 and a half yrs total age.
I planted in 3 gallon pot from acorn. Three and a half yrs from acorn to producing tree I unreal! I guess this tree is a super tree.
It was planted in some of the richest dirt i have. I spread the old log pile out and planted it where the pile was originally at.  Nothing but black dirt.

The ones I call 4yr is the ones that have been in ground for 4yr( well actually 4 and a half now) and was bare root when planted


----------



## huntall

My 4yr old dwarf chinkipin oak that had a good many acorns on it has prematurely dropped it's acorns. I think this is probably normal in a young tree just starting to produce.  I know I have seen fruit trees do this before.


----------



## huntall

Just got back from looking at my sawtooth trees again, and after further inspection I found a good many acorns  I missed the first time I looked.
Very excited now!


----------



## huntall

I got some bushhogging to do around  this row of hybrid oaks.
.


----------



## huntall

The hybrid oaks are growing real slow.
.


----------



## SakoL61R

Your trees are looking great!

Planning to visit my slice-o-paradise tomorrow and do some "decompression" work.  Looking forward to seeing how my fruit trees are doing and what the fruit load is at this point.  Going to plant a late summer plot as well.
Still have a bunch of fireblight to cut out of my pears and, as always, several months of other "work" I'd like to do.

Stand install/move/maintenance
Trimming
hinge or kill sweetgums
Mowing
Road maintenance
Firewood
build range
..and more....


----------



## huntall

SakoL61R said:


> Your trees are looking great!
> 
> Planning to visit my slice-o-paradise tomorrow and do some "decompression" work.  Looking forward to seeing how my fruit trees are doing and what the fruit load is at this point.  Going to plant a late summer plot as well.
> Still have a bunch of fireblight to cut out of my pears and, as always, several months of other "work" I'd like to do.
> 
> Stand install/move/maintenance
> Trimming
> hinge or kill sweetgums
> Mowing
> Road maintenance
> Firewood
> build range
> ..and more....



Thanks,  and yes always something to do ain't it.


----------



## huntall

This is a Nuttall and my youngest boy says this is his tree and he claimed this stand and this plot and the tree is in his plot so this is his tree. lol
.


----------



## southernman13

Looking good. I'm doin similar as you know. I only wish I could've had this property and planted 30 years ago when I was 30 hehe. Oh well I'm enjoying it now and I tell my boys they have it made and just don't quite realize it yet. 30 years will sneak up n a hurry!! I love watching em grow


----------



## huntall

southernman13 said:


> Looking good. I'm doin similar as you know. I only wish I could've had this property and planted 30 years ago when I was 30 hehe. Oh well I'm enjoying it now and I tell my boys they have it made and just don't quite realize it yet. 30 years will sneak up n a hurry!! I love watching em grow



I know...I always can't wait to jump on the side by side and go check on the trees.

I was 39 when I started planting this area of my property. I'm 43 now, and like you wished I could have had a younger start.

I do have some fruit trees like a bunch of pears that I planted 25 yrs or so ago back on the original home place that we still own. They are loaded most years. That is where I usually put a few trail cams out about this time of year to get pictures of deer under the pear trees.


----------



## huntall

I planted some cypress at my pond,  and on my creek.  
I think cypress are a cool tree. 
.


----------



## huntall

I planted some trees in the back yard of the old homeplace.  Some fruit trees and some acorn trees.


----------



## huntall

This is a couple of sawtooth trees above our pond.
.


----------



## huntall

I haven't had much updates lately with it being the lull  time of the year for habitat and tree maintenance for me, but I am going this weekend to see how the trees are making it with the heat and drought . 

Last time I looked I had a couple persimmon trees that I thought was dieing that
actually look like they might make it through the summer stress. I'm sure I'll know this weekend if they make it or not.

Cost is clear most of the time if they make it through the first year of summer stress.


----------



## Triple C

huntall...Always enjoy your tree planting/progress updates!


----------



## huntall

Triple C said:


> huntall...Always enjoy your tree planting/progress updates!



Good....I enjoy fooling around on the place checking on everything


----------



## SakoL61R

Good stuff there huntall. 

How old is your cypress tree?


----------



## huntall

SakoL61R said:


> Good stuff there huntall.
> 
> How old is your cypress tree?



I think the cypress are 3 and a half yrs old. I'm pretty sure that's right. They are not any older than that for sure.


----------



## SakoL61R

huntall said:


> I think the cypress are 3 and a half yrs old. I'm pretty sure that's right. They are not any older than that for sure.



Looks like it's put on good growth in a short amount of time.  I'm contemplating planting a few around my pond as well.
How big was it when planted?


----------



## huntall

SakoL61R said:


> Looks like it's put on good growth in a short amount of time.  I'm contemplating planting a few around my pond as well.
> How big was it when planted?


Probably 24"-30" bare root.    Pretty big to be bare root. Only about pencil size around though.   I got them at one of the arbor day tree give aways


----------



## shakey gizzard

Lookin good! Like the cypress too!


----------



## huntall

shakey gizzard said:


> Lookin good!



Thanks. ....im already ready to see how much growth I get on all my trees going into next spring and into summer. 
First yr or two they really didn't grow a lot, but I think they was getting their roots established good then they really grew like crazy every yr after.
Next yr will be 5 yrs on my older trees.
I'm expecting big results the next yr.

Just need some rain right now to get them through the summer.


----------



## shakey gizzard

huntall said:


> Thanks. ....im already ready to see how much growth I get on all my trees going into next spring and into summer.
> First yr or two they really didn't grow a lot, but I think they was getting their roots established good then they really grew like crazy every yr after.
> Next yr will be 5 yrs on my older trees.
> I'm expecting big results the next yr.
> 
> Just need some rain right now to get them through the summer.



1st year they sleep,2nd yr they creep, 3rd yr they leap!


----------



## huntall

This one was a freebe because it just came up in the middle of one of my openings and I have kept it cleaned around. After several years I was kinda thinking I would just cut it down because I was thinking it must be a male persimmon. Well...today I noticed it finally has fruit. Now that I know it is a fruiting female I will give it some extra care.
.


----------



## huntall

Another picture 
.


----------



## huntall

I planted some Dwarf Chinkipin Oaks in 3 gallon pots this past spring.
I had 22 of them sprout.  I planted 8 this weekend.
.


----------



## huntall

I put some tomato garden rinds over the trees for a little  temporary protection from deer.  Haven't done this before,  but it's better than nothing for sure.
.


----------



## shakey gizzard

Nice! Don't forget to mulch!


----------



## huntall

shakey gizzard said:


> Nice! Don't forget to mulch!



Yep...I need to do that soon or I'll forget about it.  I'm probably going to plant most of my other various trees after deer season is over, but at least I got a handful in the ground already.


----------



## huntall

It's time to be putting together my game plan for this spring.
I already started stocking up on fertilizer tree spikes,  
I'm  concentrating on about 125 trees on fertilizing heavy .  And
Then after that I will fertilize what I can get done.  Can't fertilize everything.
but nice to get some of them a good boost to get going strong.


----------



## huntall

Right now I have on my trees to plant list for 2016 is

pears.  Don't know how many but at least 6 more. 

Mahaw. ..I found some real nice looking mahaw trees at my local farm store I hope to plant 3 or 4 mahaw  trees

Dolgo crabapple.  Got two right now ready to plant but probably get couple more.

mulberry. ..I really want to get a few of these trees. I still got to locate witch source I will use to get the mulberry's from

quince tree. I'm not sure if a quince is worth planting or not but I got one on clearance so I said I'd try it.  I like trying new trees to me

Dwarf chinkipin. ..I have just guessing maybe 14 in 3 gallon pots that I grew from seed that will be planted soon.

Sawtooth. ..probably only 12 more that I grew from seed in 3 gal pots

Pluss I'm sure many spur of the moment tree purchase along the way

To me this is the fun time of the year coming up.lol


----------



## huntall

This is when I also prune the sawtooth to the form u like. I like sawtooth in a tree form and not a scrub bush form.  I prune all my sawtooth pretty heavy on the lower limbs.  And if two branches  are competing for main trunk then the curvy...twisted all the wrong direction  branches gets pruned off and the other one will now do great.

Sawtooth can b pruned very heavy without any problems. 
Also sawtooth can handle  more fertilizing than lots other trees.


----------



## Kawaliga

Huntall, I learned the hard way that sawtooths need full sunlight to do well, or even survive, for that matter. Years ago, when they first became available, I planted 75 in various places; in the woods on ridges and some in open bottoms. I saved 6 or 8 and planted them on field edges. The ones I planted in the woods had about a 5% survival rate. All of the ones on field edges made it. Experience is the best teacher.


----------



## huntall

Kawaliga said:


> Huntall, I learned the hard way that sawtooths need full sunlight to do well, or even survive, for that matter. Years ago, when they first became available, I planted 75 in various places; in the woods on ridges and some in open bottoms. I saved 6 or 8 and planted them on field edges. The ones I planted in the woods had about a 5% survival rate. All of the ones on field edges made it. Experience is the best teacher.


Thanks  for that reminder.....im sure that tip could really save someone a major headache  down the road.
Yep...I hear a lot of people say that their sawtooth is real tall and lanky and 15 years old and never produced an acorn. Then they tell me they planted them in a wooded area.

I planted 4 or 5 from the free tree give away deals that they have when I was a kid and did not clean around them. They are still alive and really tall
And not many limbs. The trunks are not even as big as my wrist after many years. My 4 and 5 year old trees planted in open orchard style planting looks 100 percent better than the old ones grown in thicket.


----------



## Kawaliga

A friend of mine that is a registered forester told me that any oak that grows in a semi-closed canopy woods puts most of it's energy growing it's crown, meaning as you stated in your above post "real tall and lanky". This situation will add years to the first acorn or nut crop. Lots to learn about fruit and nut trees. I never knew to paint the first 18 inches or so of apple trees until saw in another members thread that he does that. I suppose it cuts down on borer infestation to your fruit trees.


----------



## huntall

I bought 4 red mulberry trees in 3 gallon pots about 4 or 5 ft tall and one more dolgo crabapple about 6 ft tall.
I had to just leave....the longer I stayed the more trees I thought i needed. lol


----------



## southernman13

*Oaks*



Kawaliga said:


> A friend of mine that is a registered forester told me that any oak that grows in a semi-closed canopy woods puts most of it's energy growing it's crown, meaning as you stated in your above post "real tall and lanky". This situation will add years to the first acorn or nut crop. Lots to learn about fruit and nut trees. I never knew to paint the first 18 inches or so of apple trees until saw in another members thread that he does that. I suppose it cuts down on borer infestation to your fruit trees.


So does that mean they should be planted in the open with full sun or what


----------



## GAGE

I have 10 6 foot+ dunstan chestnuts, and that is it.


----------



## Kawaliga

Southernman, As near full sun as possible. If in the woods, the area needs to be pretty open, because if they do survive, they will just grow tall with a small crown, and won't produce nearly as fast.


----------



## huntall

Well...it's been a while since any habitat work been going on. It's getting tree planting time . I have always heard about mulberry and mayhaw trees.
Mahaw jelly is supposed to be among the best jelly made

Lots of small game eat mulberry and mayhaw fruit. So these trees are going to serve as much for me as for the wildlife.

I planted 4 mulberry trees and 2 mayhaw trees yesterday. These were in 3 gallon pots about 4 or 5 ft tall. I've never seen any mulberry or mayhaw growing, but they do grow in my area. I'm really excited to see how they turn out.


----------



## huntall

I have had a good weekend working at my place . I got 6 fruit trees in 3 gal pots planted and also got about 30 oaks in 3 gal pot planted. 
I got a lot of pruning done and cleaned out unwanted weeds from cages and tree tubes.

This pic here is an ant bed in a 4 ft tube. 
.


----------



## huntall

I can't believe I already have a mahaw that has a few blooms. 
.


----------



## Kawaliga

I need to fertilize and get ready to do some spraying. Time is getting on by me.


----------



## Triple C

huntall...Good stuff!  Those grow tubes are worth the money.  I've got about 30 sawtooth/chestnut bare roots potted cause I can't plant them til the timber harvest is finished.  Tubes are in the shop just waiting on me to plant.  Thanks for updating!


----------



## southernman13

Yes the tubes a great. They reall promote upward growth but they don't don't good on protection. I hav 3 or 4 that a buck attacked anyway. He pulled one completely off and tore the trees up in two more. Crazy stuff. He even tore off a couple of my 2x4 wire cages I had in some other sawtooths. I just pruned all my sawtooths that are in wire cages. This is the beginning of the second season they are doing very good. Can't wait to see them at end of this summer. Hope we get decent rain this year


----------



## southernman13

Also had 3 or 4'of the tubes with 4' tall ant mounds inside the tubes. I shook them around and sprayed in and outside of them. They kind got away from me. Hopefully it won't hurt them. We'll see I reckon


----------



## huntall

We pulled the cages off the fruit trees and cleaned and pruned what was needed. This is a Japanese persimmon that my son cleaned around. 
.


----------



## Kawaliga

Huntall, do you depend on rainfall to water your orchard? I don't have a well at my place, and have been carrying water in 5 gallon buckets occasionally. I'm thinking about buying one of those 295 gallon "Totes" and taking water up there that way.


----------



## huntall

Kawaliga said:


> Huntall, do you depend on rainfall to water your orchard? I don't have a well at my place, and have been carrying water in 5 gallon buckets occasionally. I'm thinking about buying one of those 295 gallon "Totes" and taking water up there that way.



I totally depend on rainfall. I do not water. I do a lot of my plantings in the fall so the roots get extra time to get settled and take hold before the next summer drought and heat that usually hit in the south.  Believe it or not. ..I don't lose many.
I hardly lose an oak and only an occasional fruit tree, but not many.
It just seems like it would be too overwhelming to think I could even think about watering enough to make a difference. 

Only time I water would be at planting time to settle the dirt and make sure it's no air pockets around roots and that would be mainly  fruit trees or maybe chestnut . Mainly cause they cost more.lol


----------



## huntall

Kawaliga said:


> I need to fertilize and get ready to do some spraying. Time is getting on by me.



I need to be fertilizing also...will do it really soon.
Trying to spread my money out so it's not a buy everything at one weekend type thing.
I have most trees already bought so that part is out of the way for the most part.


----------



## southernman13

*Plantings*

Here's one of my 2 year old sawtooths. Not sure if pic gonna show up here. Can't see all of it but it's about 7' tall


----------



## huntall

Looks good southernman.  Sawtooth grow amazingly fast, and they still amaze me how fast they grow.


----------



## huntall

This is a pear that that was on clearance  that I planted and obviously it must have got stressed out and the top died back  so I cut the dead wood back and I think it's gonna do fine.
. 



.


----------



## huntall

Sawtooth still holding their leaves. 
.


----------



## huntall

This is a willow oak that I planted in my first group of tree planting  I need to cleanout around them 
.


----------



## huntall

This is another one of the willow oaks. I'm going to wait till next year and clean around them.
.


----------



## huntall

I did a lot of walking and my Nuttall trees are doing great. Also saw some above average swamp chestnut and cherry bark oaks. Didn't get pictures of everything


----------



## huntall

Well....I found some dead trees in the 60 acres of timber. They had bugs Looks like we might clearcut about 5- 8 acres and thin about 45 more acres to a 70 basal thinning.
Fixen to be big changes on the original 60 acres. We probably still have 10-15 acres of hardwoods untouched.


----------



## GAGE

With yesterdays beautiful weather, I was able to finish this years tree project, and get the tubes installed.  My property is pretty steep.


----------



## huntall

GAGE said:


> With yesterdays beautiful weather, I was able to finish this years tree project, and get the tubes installed.  My property is pretty steep.


Nice. ..what u got in tubes...dunstan?


----------



## GAGE

huntall said:


> Nice. ..what u got in tubes...dunstan?



Yes, these are all 3 gallon dunstans.


----------



## huntall

That's gonna he a pretty sight when they get a little size on them.
My 4 , 2yr dunstans are settled in and ready to jump in size now.
I ended up planting 2 more dunstan . One was a 7 gal and one was a 3 gallon.  I have been caging  mine since most of mine have been 7 gallon.


----------



## huntall

Iv seen a many a sunset while ending my day working around my trees and such. I take time to enjoy everyone I can!
.


----------



## aaron batson

Pic of a 4 year old dunstan chestnut -


----------



## huntall

aaron batson said:


> Pic of a 4 year old dunstan chestnut -



Dang....that looks good.


----------



## huntall

Pears putting on really good!
.


----------



## huntall

Another one
.


----------



## GAGE

Your trees are looking great! My pears are loaded with fruit this year, but unfortunately blight has set in as well.
I do not know what I am going to do now, just going to wait and see.


----------



## aaron batson

GAGE said:


> Your trees are looking great! My pears are loaded with fruit this year, but unfortunately blight has set in as well.
> I do not know what I am going to do now, just going to wait and see.



Blight is on one of my older pear trees also - lots of black leaves right now, no fruit either... Any ideas? May trim it way back this winter....?


----------



## huntall

aaron batson said:


> Blight is on one of my older pear trees also - lots of black leaves right now, no fruit either... Any ideas? May trim it way back this winter....?


That's what I would do. Cut back past any black or infected limbs and be sure to burn the limbs. And make sure not to use trimmers on other pear trees until trimmers are cleaned.


----------



## GAGE

huntall said:


> That's what I would do. Cut back past any black or infected limbs and be sure to burn the limbs. And make sure not to use trimmers on other pear trees until trimmers are cleaned.



I trimmed them hard a few weeks back when I first noticed, but it has really taken off the last two weeks.


----------



## Triple C

huntall...This has been and continues to be a great thread to follow.   Like others, I'm having issues with blight in some of our pear trees.  And, seems late frost always gets the majority of my pear trees.  Frustrating!  Got more this year than any year in the past 3 but not near the fruit I would have expected by now.  Makes me want to focus more on native persimmons and crabs.


----------



## huntall

I wouldn't give up on pears ! Maybe try couple more types and u might just find what works for you on your farm.


----------



## huntall

I was at my local walmart and they had dunstan chestnuts 75% off.
I had been watching them to see when the would mark them down. 
I think the people here in my area of mississippi don't really know what they are and they had a bunch left. Back in the spring I told my wife I would wait till they marked them down to about 75 % off and buy about a hundred
Dollars worth.
Well...I was with my wife in her suv and this is what it looked like. lol
.


.


----------



## huntall

Now I'm trying to plan my orchard planting. 
I have 8 planted on one end of my sawtooth oak orchard .
I'm thinking of either adding onto the other orchard or starting 
Another with just these dunstan chestnuts.  The ones I just bought was 12 or 13 trees (can't remember ). Either way.....just these would make a good stand alone orchard.
I'm gonna keep them in Simi shaded  area untill i plant them in about october when we have plenty moisture and cools off a bit .


----------



## huntall

This is the size of the few dunstan chestnuts that's been in the ground for 2 years. The wire is 5 ft tall.
.



They have chestnut spurs on them.
.


----------



## huntall

I had always heard my grandparents talk about a quince tree. I found one on clearance and got it just to try. May have little wildlife value but I have never seen one and just going to see how it does.
.


----------



## huntall

I can't wait to see this sawtooth orchard in a few years down the road. 
.


----------



## huntall

I'm really happy about this tree, and hope it keeps growing good. 
I have had the worst luck with Japanese persimmon trees. I think I have planted 6 or 7 over the last 5 years and only 2 are still alive.  This one was planted over a year ago it was planted in late fall of 2014. 
.


----------



## huntall

This is a close up of the Japanese persimmon Fruit. 
.


----------



## Kawaliga

Looks good. That one is bearing early, it seems.


----------



## huntall

Kawaliga said:


> Looks good. That one is bearing early, it seems.



Thanks. ..about time one of my Japanese persimmon start out good. I was almost to give up on them. I don't know why my luck has been bad on them.


----------



## huntall

These sawtooth trees are loaded.
.


----------



## huntall

.Another. 
.


----------



## aaron batson

Looking very good


----------



## GAGE

Huntall, are you watering at all?
 I am watering my dunstans (planted this past February) every week.  I have lost one, but the rest are holing their own.


----------



## huntall

GAGE said:


> Huntall, are you watering at all?
> I am watering my dunstans (planted this past February) every week.  I have lost one, but the rest are holing their own.


No.....my place is over an hour away and I do not water. I just try to plant all my potted trees in the fall so I don't have to water. I did have one dunstan chestnut tree that all is dead except one shoot.  It was looking fine. 
Don't really know what happened.  It was in ground 2 years. I don't always get all my trees planted in fall, but I try to.


----------



## aaron batson

Watered my 24 newly planted dunstans yesterday. All still alive and looking rather good even in very dry conditions. Some deer browsing - even over the 5 foot cages - ugh.


----------



## huntall

aaron batson said:


> Watered my 24 newly planted dunstans yesterday. All still alive and looking rather good even in very dry conditions. Some deer browsing - even over the 5 foot cages - ugh.



I'd love to be near enough to water my new trees regular . 
Pine straw helps hold the moisture but I have been so busy that I haven't mulched many this year. 
Haven't had time for nothing. 

I'm trying to sell my house in the city and trying to buy 12 and a half acres out in the country with an old farmhouse on it and a nice 3 acre pond.
It's fenced in and has 4 big pecan trees that are loaded with little young pecans on them. This place even has a foodplot in the back with fruit trees planted in the plot.  The house is a fixer upper but I'll make enough off my house to do what is needed.  Iv got a contract on It but I have got to sell mine.
If I get it then I'll be doing more tree planting in the back half. It's mostly pasture with mainly pines around it.


----------



## aaron batson

huntall said:


> I'd love to be near enough to water my new trees regular .
> Pine straw helps hold the moisture but I have been so busy that I haven't mulched many this year.
> Haven't had time for nothing.
> 
> I'm trying to sell my house in the city and trying to buy 12 and a half acres out in the country with an old farmhouse on it and a nice 3 acre pond.
> It's fenced in and has 4 big pecan trees that are loaded with little young pecans on them. This place even has a foodplot in the back with fruit trees planted in the plot.  The house is a fixer upper but I'll make enough off my house to do what is needed.  Iv got a contract on It but I have got to sell mine.
> If I get it then I'll be doing more tree planting in the back half. It's mostly pasture with mainly pines around it.


Sounds very nice - good luck with the plan


----------



## huntall

aaron batson said:


> Sounds very nice - good luck with the plan



Thanks....I have trees in pots just waiting till we sell our house and hope it all works out.  I'm really ready to move out of the city.


----------



## huntall

Pears are absolutely loaded this year. This is from last time I was at my place.
.


----------



## huntall

Another 
.


----------



## huntall

.


----------



## Kawaliga

huntall, get your wife to make you a big pear cobbler. It is great!!!


----------



## huntall

Kawaliga said:


> huntall, get your wife to make you a big pear cobbler. It is great!!!



I will sure have to do that. Sounds good!


----------



## GAGE

This was the first year my trees had pears, and the squirrels and raccoons have eaten every one.


----------



## huntall

2 years ago the squirrels really worked on my pears also. I hadn't  noticed that before then but they stayed on them.


----------



## aaron batson

All 24 of my dunstans have survived thru this summer - hope they can hang in there til cooler temps


----------



## GAGE

Now my loaded calloway crabapple is stripped clean of any fruit.


----------



## aaron batson

Got my first Dunstan Chestnut this year - on a 4 year old planted tree....only one pod, but it is a start....no pic, was on the tractor plowing when I noticed it way up there.


----------



## huntall

aaron batson said:


> Got my first Dunstan Chestnut this year - on a 4 year old planted tree....only one pod, but it is a start....no pic, was on the tractor plowing when I noticed it way up there.



Mine are a little slow about producing chestnuts also, but as long as I'm getting good growth while they are young is all that matters to me


----------



## aaron batson

Pics of a three year old Dunstan's first nuts


----------



## huntall

That's nice! Should see some big time difference in next couple years. 
Iv got the ones I bought on clearance back in may or June that I'm still caring for in my back yard that I'm going to plant in about a month from now.      Just waiting on a little cooler weather  and some more moisture.


----------



## GAGE

Nice work Aaron.  With this years drought, I am lucky to have leaves much less a nut.


----------



## lgpjr49

Huntall, do you use just wire cages or tree tubes, or both to protect your new trees? Im planning on getting some pear and crabapple trees planted in the coming months, and wanted to see what you used to protect them. Because whatever your doing seems to be working.


----------



## southernman13

*Protection*



lgpjr49 said:


> Huntall, do you use just wire cages or tree tubes, or both to protect your new trees? Im planning on getting some pear and crabapple trees planted in the coming months, and wanted to see what you used to protect them. Because whatever your doing seems to be working.


Not sure what he does but obviously correct. We have some of each. Started out with wire cages and they work fine. Made them from 1"x2"x48" wire and cut 10'' sticks of .50 conduit in half to make the cage supports.  The last batch of sawtooth oaks we used the tree tubes. Some of the trees in the tubes have grown like crazy but the bucks have even rubbed the tubes and broke some of the trees. I planted 10 leconte pear trees and the bucks destroyed all but two of them. I didn't protect them with anything.  I won't do that again. These trees are 2 years old.  Some are now 10' or so tall and big around as a 32 oz Gatorade bottle


----------



## southernman13

*Trees*

Another pic. I'll get some tomorrow of the ones in tubes. Have only been in tubes for 1 1/2yr and some are 7-8'. Don't know the caliper of them because I can't see them but I'm impressed. I think the tubes will out grow the caged tree plus you don't have to trim them. But tubes are
Like 5.00 each.


----------



## huntall

lgpjr49 said:


> Huntall, do you use just wire cages or tree tubes, or both to protect your new trees? Im planning on getting some pear and crabapple trees planted in the coming months, and wanted to see what you used to protect them. Because whatever your doing seems to be working.



Any kind of fruit trees I mainly  use wire cages.  Deer will eat tender fruit tree growth down to a woody trunk. They will eat young fruit tree growth when the probably would walk right by most other young trees. I found out about  long time ago the hard way. 
If I was going to plant oaks in small numbers then I usually would tube them but large plantingsI just protect what I can afford. 

I also cage any expensive tree like dunstan chestnuts just to fully protect my more expensive smaller plantings from any chance of harm for few years.
Hope this helps


----------



## huntall

southernman13 said:


> Not sure what he does but obviously correct. We have some of each. Started out with wire cages and they work fine. Made them from 1"x2"x48" wire and cut 10'' sticks of .50 conduit in half to make the cage supports.  The last batch of sawtooth oaks we used the tree tubes. Some of the trees in the tubes have grown like crazy but the bucks have even rubbed the tubes and broke some of the trees. I planted 10 leconte pear trees and the bucks destroyed all but two of them. I didn't protect them with anything.  I won't do that again. These trees are 2 years old.  Some are now 10' or so tall and big around as a 32 oz Gatorade bottle



Some reason deer just really  target pear trees more than any other in my experience.  It don't matter if it's eating them to a stub or rubbing and breaking them bad enough to kill them.


----------



## huntall

My dunstans  trees produced a few chestnuts this year. Only had a hand full so we roasted them and ate them. My boys wanted to try them. They tasted great. My son is now put his self in charge of making sure the dunstan trees are doing good and watering them when he can.
.


----------



## huntall

My young Japanese persimmon tree had a half dozen persimmon on and they are almost ripe.
.


----------



## huntall

Took my youngest son squirrel hunting for the first time. We found a hornets nest.
.




.


----------



## huntall

My youngest sons first squirrel. 
He woke me up at 4 am to see if it was time to go hunting that day.
.


----------



## southernman13

That's cool man. Keep that picture and the memories. Priceless !!


----------



## huntall

southernman13 said:


> That's cool man. Keep that picture and the memories. Priceless !!



Thanks. ...he's my last of 3 boys. It's been a blast and I'm enjoying it while it last. It's more fun teaching them anything from scouting,  hunting all the way to planting trees and caring for our tree plantings and identifying different trees. One of these days they probably think it's not so cool being with ole pops...be hunting another kinda deer lol


----------



## Canuck5

Well, you are certainly creating a lot of memories for him!!


----------



## huntall

Canuck5 said:


> Well, you are certainly creating a lot of memories for him!!



That's what I have been focusing on.
Now I got new mainly clearcut area that need some more tree plantings.


----------



## huntall

Ok...here is new planting groind.
.


----------



## huntall




----------



## huntall




----------



## huntall

They have hauled out 80 loads so far. Still got lot more to cut


----------



## southernman13

How many acres to get the 80 loads? They're supposed to be here cutting mine this week.


----------



## Kawaliga

huntall said:


> They have hauled out 80 loads so far. Still got lot more to cut



Hope they clean off the loading decks for you. The dozer would do it for you.


----------



## huntall

southernman13 said:


> How many acres to get the 80 loads? They're supposed to be here cutting mine this week.



We probably getting between 50-60 acres cut, but not sure exactly the acres I flagged off and they are well past half way .


----------



## huntall

Kawaliga said:


> Hope they clean off the loading decks for you. The dozer would do it for you.



Yep,  I have already talked to them about that and my roads also


----------



## huntall

Mainly trying to figure out how I want to set up the tree planting like maybe plant bottom in oaks and pine elsewhere


----------



## huntall

Well...now that we have finally started getting some moisture back into the ground I have to start getting my container trees in the ground.  I'd much rather plant container trees now so roots get settled in and start growing before the  next year's drought that usually comes. Survival rate has been much higher for me by doing this


----------



## Kawaliga

I lost two of my Arkansas Black apples to the drought. I got careless in hauling water up to my place during the late summer. Pears seem to be the most hardy fruit tree, will almost make it through anything.


----------



## huntall

Kawaliga said:


> I lost two of my Arkansas Black apples to the drought. I got careless in hauling water up to my place during the late summer. Pears seem to be the most hardy fruit tree, will almost make it through anything.



Yep....I love planting pear trees. They do great


----------



## shakey gizzard

huntall said:


> Well...now that we have finally started getting some moisture back into the ground I have to start getting my container trees in the ground.  I'd much rather plant container trees now so roots get settled in and start growing before the  next year's drought that usually comes. Survival rate has been much higher for me by doing this



Soil temps are also more stable in the ground. A cold winter will take its toll on trees still sitting in containers!


----------



## SakoL61R

huntall said:


> Yep....I love planting pear trees. They do great



Yes, they do!  In the process of finalizing a Wildlife Group pear tree order this week.  Dixies, Bectons, and Warrens are on the menu for my 2017 plantings.


----------



## Bow hunter 1928

Just found this thread and have read every post love it. Just got off the phone with my brother and we are going to start planting a few trees on our family farm. And I'll take the info you guys have put out to help us along.


----------



## huntall

Bow hunter 1928 said:


> Just found this thread and have read every post love it. Just got off the phone with my brother and we are going to start planting a few trees on our family farm. And I'll take the info you guys have put out to help us along.



That's great, but u better be careful. ...it adictive!  Lol
Also be sure to take plenty of pictures.  Before and after.  Neat to look back at progress happening


----------



## huntall

Well..after buying the new 39 acres that I will live on, I decided to plant trees in a couple of the fields. I really didn't need all the fields and will cut down on some of the bushhogging of these fields. I'm going to leave 1 field that is probably 3 acres for a foodplot and I think I'm going to plant a couple long rows of fruit trees on each side of plot. Or a few sawtooth. 

I'm going to plant nutall, water oak, and willow oak in the fields that I'm doing away with.


----------



## huntall

I love the planning stages of a place after buying a property. 
Main thing I noticed on the new place was could have little less opening and convert that into cover. So that's the tree planting project I'm going to do. At least on this project I can plant some in the evening after work and not do like I had to do on my other place. I had work daylight to dark to get my bare root trees in the ground.

I think it's going to work out nice having projects I can work on couple hours here and there. 
I'm really looking forward to moving on my new place.


----------



## southernman13

Sounds nice. My place is a work in progress as well. I'm fixin to clear some more area and go heavy on fruit trees in that section. I'm beginning to like this more than the hunting part hehe


----------



## aaron batson

Planted 9 AU Buck IV Chestnuts this past Saturday...Hope they come on strong come spring.


----------



## huntall

aaron batson said:


> Planted 9 AU Buck IV Chestnuts this past Saturday...Hope they come on strong come spring.



That's one tree I have not planted


----------



## southernman13

Never heard of them. Any info available I'd like to see what they're about. Thanks


----------



## aaron batson

AU Buck IV – Blight resistant, large nut, medium producer, grafted. Latest droppping chestnut typically starting around October 10th and lasting well into November. Got mine from www.wildlifegroup.com


----------



## aaron batson

The others that I have growing are all dunstan chestnuts


----------



## huntall

I just got confirmation on my order of 1000 bare root seedlings.
I requested delivery for January 25. All I have to do is bushhogg the field grass down low. I'm already to get started. 

I have a meeting with soil and water monday to see what area of my new property would be more suitable for a pond site.  Last thing I want is to go through all the work of planting trees and then have them pushed up to build a pond.


----------



## aaron batson

huntall said:


> I just got confirmation on my order of 1000 bare root seedlings.
> I requested delivery for January 25. All I have to do is bushhogg the field grass down low. I'm already to get started.
> 
> I have a meeting with soil and water monday to see what area of my new property would be more suitable for a pond site.  Last thing I want is to go through all the work of planting trees and then have them pushed up to build a pond.


That is a lot of diggin


----------



## huntall

aaron batson said:


> That is a lot of diggin



I worked a deal out with my teenage boys....I been helping them cut and sell firewood and letting them get all the money.  They said when the trees come in that it will be their time to help me. We shall see...lol


----------



## aaron batson

I got 50 bareroot sawtooths coming and need to borrow them


----------



## huntall

aaron batson said:


> I got 50 bareroot sawtooths coming and need to borrow them



Lol them boys helped me plant a couple thousand when they was 7 or 8 yrs old and can flat out plant some in a hurry.  My oldest can plant 25 to 30 3 gal potted  trees per hour. And I'm talking about planting them right too.
Checking for root circling and everthing.  He got to where he can work circles around me. He is 16


----------



## southernman13

I used a bulb auger on a cordless drill to plant bare root sawtooth oaks. It was just too easy.  U can plant one in about a minute if the ground ain't dry an hard. Of course it takes a little more time to cage them or install tubes (which I recommend for bare root) but getting them in the ground is easy!


----------



## aaron batson

Planted my 50 sawtooths add grow tubes/stakes on the all.


----------



## TJay

There are some American Chestnutt's in the park where I walk and last fall I picked up some of the nuts and packed them in peat moss and put them in the fridge.  I am going to try and get them started in a container.  When should I start them?


----------



## aaron batson

Inside a basement type enviroment with some lights - now. Then move the outside once spring sets in good, baby them all summer and transplant them once they go dormant next fall.


----------



## huntall

aaron batson said:


> Inside a basement type enviroment with some lights - now. Then move the outside once spring sets in good, baby them all summer and transplant them once they go dormant next fall.



Good advice. If you dont have light setup  you could also wait till spring and plant in pots outside and baby them through summer or direct plant and protect from squirrel digging them up


----------



## huntall

Started planting my new place this evening. This is the 39 acres that I'm going to be living on shortly.  I'll be planting off and on for probably a week or two.  I have 300 Nuttall,  500 willow oak,200 water oak, 14 dunstan , 6 dwarf chinkipin,  30 sawtooth oak and probably 15 to 20 fruit trees. Putting cages on all the dunstan and fruit trees.
Dang.......im tired just thinking about this project!  Lol


----------



## Triple C

huntall...You got it going on with the trees brother!  We planted n tubed bout 25 sawtooths n chestnut whips last weekend.  Funny thing is on our farm I swear it's hard to find a place to plant another tree.  Prolly need to start dropping a few water oaks and plant some chestnuts n such but just hate to take a chainsaw to a big oak.  Got 7 B 118 root stocks we'll be grafting horse apple and yates to in March.  Gonna plant those in the corners of the big plot we clear cut additional acreage out of last year.  The LLC is coming down to do the grating from scions off of his trees.  That guy can sure nuff grow some apple trees.  Love your thread!


----------



## spencer12

Where do you guys get those grow tubes from?  I have 50 sawtooths coming in Thursday and I'd like to give them the best start.  

So short of ordering them where can you find these?  Wal Mart, Lowes, Home Depot, Nursery?


----------



## huntall

spencer12 said:


> Where do you guys get those grow tubes from?  I have 50 sawtooths coming in Thursday and I'd like to give them the best start.
> 
> So short of ordering them where can you find these?  Wal Mart, Lowes, Home Depot, Nursery?



Is there a forester supply  near you. They have them


----------



## Triple C

spencer12 said:


> Where do you guys get those grow tubes from?  I have 50 sawtooths coming in Thursday and I'd like to give them the best start.
> 
> So short of ordering them where can you find these?  Wal Mart, Lowes, Home Depot, Nursery?



Order mine from www.treepro.com.  Get the 60 inch regardless of where you get them.  Deer can't browse the top out of a 60" tube.  If you're trees are coming in Thursday you could probably order online and have your tubes by then.


----------



## spencer12

Triple C said:


> Order mine from www.treepro.com.  Get the 60 inch regardless of where you get them.  Deer can't browse the top out of a 60" tube.  If you're trees are coming in Thursday you could probably order online and have your tubes by then.



Thanks for the info.

Another question I have regarding the tubes, do you want the seedling "down" in the tube with no excess sticking out.  Or do you want the top of the seedling above the edge of the tube?

The seedlings im getting will probably be about 1-1.5ft when I get them.  I ordered them here from the local forestry dept.


----------



## southernman13

Down in it they'll reach for the top quickly. Had some grow like 4' fist year and pop out the top


----------



## huntall

I have my new orchard well underway.  This one is equally for my family and wildlife.  Been so busy so no pictures yet. Here is what I have so far.
3 granny smith apple
2 arkansas black apple.
1 elberta peach
2 bell of Georgia peach
2 mulberry trees
2 cowart muscidines( purple )
1 Higgins muscidine(  bronze    )
1carlos muscidine(bronze )
2 climax blueberries 
1 brightwell blueberrie
1 premier blueberrie
1 Beckyblue blueberrie
1 tifblue blueberrie 
2 Santa Rosa plum 
2 brown turkey fig
3 ? Figs that I bought at plant sale the agriculture class sprouted from my son's school 
13 dunstan chestnuts that are planted spaced out in wide open that is far enough from fruit trees so will not shade them out.
Some are already in ground and the rest of them will get planted tomorrow


----------



## huntall

I'll try get some pictures tomorrow


----------



## Canuck5

Wow!!!!!!!  That's quite a list!!!!!!  You've got it all!!


----------



## Triple C

You gonna be a busy man today huntall!  Post up pics when you finish.


----------



## guido5221

Got my orchard started a few weeks ago with crabapple, pear, and persimmon


----------



## huntall

guido5221 said:


> Got my orchard started a few weeks ago with crabapple, pear, and persimmon



That's going to be an awesome setup!


----------



## huntall

This is some I bought yesterday. 
.


----------



## huntall

.


----------



## huntall

.


----------



## huntall

I'll post more tomorrow.  I found hog tracks on my place and been trying to get my tree cages ready. Just got this place back in November and first sign of hogs. I found bunch of tracks and pulled my camera card. 
.


----------



## aaron batson

Huntall - that is awesome...cept the pig, he needs gone


----------



## huntall

aaron batson said:


> Huntall - that is awesome...cept the pig, he needs gone



Thanks. ...and we going to try to take care of some pigs!


----------



## huntall

Work getting done!
.


----------



## huntall

.


----------



## huntall

Ended up getting all but 3 of  the trees caged and straw around each one.
Also picked up another plum and apple tree that we planted and caged this weekend.  Big job to do at one time but my boys was a great help!


----------



## huntall

I've never ordered trees from starkbros.com but my buddy swears by them.
I figured I'd give them a try. I ordered 2 desirable pecan,  1 Lakota pecan, and 1 Pawnee pecan. These grafted pecan trees say that they will be bearing nuts in 5 to 7 years. That is amazing


----------



## huntall

huntall said:


> I've never ordered trees from starkbros.com but my buddy swears by them.
> I figured I'd give them a try. I ordered 2 desirable pecan,  1 Lakota pecan, and 1 Pawnee pecan. These grafted pecan trees say that they will be bearing nuts in 5 to 7 years. That is amazing


my pecan trees came in and they look really good. Got them planted about 38 ft apart in a single row in a wide open field. They should really do good.
This is my first try at pecans


----------



## southernman13

What do pecan trees cost and what size/variety are they. We're thinking of planting a few dozen. Thanks


----------



## huntall

Anywhere from $15 to over $50 
I bought faster producing variety that would  pollinate each other. 
I also wanted large pecans so look at size pecan, years to produce and then pollinators that would work together.  Like I said...this is my first try at pecans but that's what iv been looking at


----------



## huntall

Well......lost all the pictures due to photo bucket. 
Chestnuts and sawtooth are loaded. I have cut around my orchard about twice this summer.  Not done too much, because I have been working on my new 40 acres. Thiso 40 I live on and been  workin on a lot


----------



## southernman13

That's too bad. I hear a lot of people saying that. I have a few sawtooth with acorns on them. This is the first year they have had them. Not to many on there but it's really cool. Hopefully next year they'll really load up. I planted several dunstan and Chinese chestnuts this year. I'm sure it'll take a while for them to produce.


----------



## huntall

southernman13 said:


> That's too bad. I hear a lot of people saying that. I have a few sawtooth with acorns on them. This is the first year they have had them. Not to many on there but it's really cool. Hopefully next year they'll really load up. I planted several dunstan and Chinese chestnuts this year. I'm sure it'll take a while for them to produce.


My sawtooth had just a few that first year that they produced then really   loaded the next. Same thing with dunstans.....they are really surprising me this year.


----------



## southernman13

That's cool man. It's nice to see the fruits of your labor. It's very rewarding it also very upsetting when you loose a tree that you've been tending to for several years much less loosing 20 of them. Oh well it happens and I'm glad for the survivors hehe. I'll continue to plant. Some of the dunstans I have in the tubes have really shot up. They're probably 18" or more out the top. They're bending over actually. I'm thinking I may need to add support to straighten them out.


----------



## spencer12

huntall said:


> My sawtooth had just a few that first year that they produced then really   loaded the next. Same thing with dunstans.....they are really surprising me this year.



How old were the sawtooths when they produced?


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## southernman13

Some of mine are producing this year. We planted them from bare root in February 2014. They're not loaded by any means but a few have acorns.  Really cool. Next year should be really good. They're really growing with all the rain this year


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## huntall

spencer12 said:


> How old were the sawtooths when they produced?



I had some produce that I grew from acorn and fertilized and babied in 4 years from seed to producing acorns. It's incredible how they do if you give them room, plenty of sun, keep grass away from around them , mulch and fertilize .


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## huntall

southernman13 said:


> Some of mine are producing this year. We planted them from bare root in February 2014. They're not loaded by any means but a few have acorns.  Really cool. Next year should be really good. They're really growing with all the rain this year


Good to hear they are doing good


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## XJfire75

Any updates?! 

Loved going through the thread, just wish the pics worked...stupid photobucket. 

Im going to get started on a micro orchard in my backyard this summer and I’ve been doing research and skimming threads on here. Love planning a little deer sanctuary in my own backyard with some fruit and nuts for my family! 

Plan is to plant 2-3 chestnuts, 4 persimmons, a couple pear and apple trees and an oak or 2 in a 1/3 acre opening along with a small food plot around the trees early on.


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## bhouston

*Small orchard*

Sounds good, but some things to keep in mind. 

Pears:  if planting pears, be sure to plant 2 or 3 varieties so as to have pollinators in your orchard.  So, if you plant a Moonglow, be sure to plant an Orient.  Lots of info on this site and internet on pear pollinators.

Apples:  same as pears - need cross pollination to produce fruit.  Most crab apples are good pollinators for most apples.  Look for blight resistant varieties.  Fire blight seems to be getting worse each year. 

Persimmons:  great deer attractor - but must have female to get fruit.  The male and female look the same, but only the female will produce fruit.  Also, need a male nearby for pollination.  Most nursery bought persimmons are males - so be sure to but several with at least 1 or 2 guaranteed as females (grafted) or you can search this site for grafting technique. 

Good luck and have a blast.


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## southernman13

I planted some keifer pears I think they are. Last year and so far this year I have 1 pear hehe. I’m pretty sure the nursery said I don’t need variety with this type. I believe I put out 10 or them. Had 10 or so year before but I didn’t cage them and the Deer rubbed and broke every one of them.


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## huntall

XJfire75 said:


> Any updates?!
> 
> Loved going through the thread, just wish the pics worked...stupid photobucket.
> 
> Im going to get started on a micro orchard in my backyard this summer and I’ve been doing research and skimming threads on here. Love planning a little deer sanctuary in my own backyard with some fruit and nuts for my family!
> 
> Plan is to plant 2-3 chestnuts, 4 persimmons, a couple pear and apple trees and an oak or 2 in a 1/3 acre opening along with a small food plot around the trees early on.


That's what I thought I would do. Do about 25 or so soft mast and some chestnut trees and sawtooth and all them years later I'm still planting when I can.lol


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## huntall

Last year I planted my first mulberry trees and both tripled in size. One turned out to be male and the other turned out to be female. 

At my new home orchard iv got 5 good Muscadine Vines Going and got post and cable with turnbuckle on each end of the row so I can tighten cable if needed over time.


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## spencer12

huntall said:


> Last year I planted my first mulberry trees and both tripled in size. One turned out to be male and the other turned out to be female.
> 
> At my new home orchard iv got 5 good Muscadine Vines Going and got post and cable with turnbuckle on each end of the row so I can tighten cable if needed over time.



On one of my properties we have more wild muscadine vines than I've ever seen, last year I trimmed all the brush they were clinging to and this year I fertilized the vines.  Theyre thicker than kudzu now.  Last year they were raining muscadines, but after fertilizing them this year we should have twice as many. Deer love them.


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## huntall

The rains should really be good on the trees.
Most of my dunstans has spurs. My sawtooth has plenty acorns coming on nicely also


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## southernman13

How old are your dunstans?


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## huntall

southernman13 said:


> How old are your dunstans?


Some are 3 years planted, but the ones that I was referring to that most of them had good many spurs this year has only been planted one yr. I think they were probably 4 ft when I planted.


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## southernman13

What are you referring to when you say spurs? I have some I planted feb17. Some are nearing 8-10’ that are in tubes not sure if they have spurs


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## huntall

southernman13 said:


> What are you referring to when you say spurs? I have some I planted feb17. Some are nearing 8-10’ that are in tubes not sure if they have spurs


I'm just calling the spiky nut shell spurs...not sure what they really called but most trees are forming them this year.  They will *****  you like a needle


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## aaron batson

I planted three more dunstans that I had in pots this past weekend. I also plowed around some 2-3 year old trees to keep the areas around them cleaner. They are all doing great and some older ones have nuts. I probably have close to 200 chestnut trees in the ground now....Sorry for the bad pics.


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## DJPineHillFarms

Man that's some awesome work! Im sure that place is going to be amazing in 10 years!!


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## Jack Ryan

I have 4 Dunstans I got from Rural King. I planted them 3 years ago and two died so I they replaced those. Now 2 are 3 years old and 2 are 2 years old, but I noticed ONE nut on one of them last year and I just looked after reading this thread. One of them has ONE nut on it this year.

I know where there are a few OLD mature trees producing crap tons of nuts and I picked up bucket loads last year just to try all the different ways of eating them. I should have been planting them, I might have had seedlings to put out this year. I won't make that mistake again.

I've put out cypress that I have in stages now from 6 feet tall to 30 feet and peacans, hicans, butternut, white oak, persimmons. I've only got about 11 acres so I can't go at the scale the OP has but I can back him up on "don't put them too close together". You are better off with ONE good tree every 30 -40 feet than 3 trees 10 feet apart. 

Those quince shrubs are also called Japonica around here. I dug up 4 starts of those last spring and 3 of the four are looking pretty good. I did water the tallest one I planted though, it is closest to the house.

One thing I've started this year is making wraps out of milk jugs instead of buying those tubes. Those dang tubes were costing me more than the tree they were on. I read on their web site the tubes were essentially the same plastic used in mild jugs and that light a bulb for me. I only wish we drank more milk now, I don't get enough of them.


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## glynr329

My trees are kinda disappointing. I have 1 tree out of about 12 trees 1 has spurs. Some are twice as big 15 feet nothing.


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## huntall

Nice work guys and they are good tasting roasted to me too so don't feel too bad about eating some.lol


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## huntall

glynr329 said:


> My trees are kinda disappointing. I have 1 tree out of about 12 trees 1 has spurs. Some are twice as big 15 feet nothing.


I'm sure in time that will change. Good luck


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## huntall




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## Jack Ryan

huntall said:


> Nice work guys and they are good tasting roasted to me too so don't feel too bad about eating some.lol


I picked up 5 gallon bucket loads of those at a house offering them free "you pick".

What I learned from the experience was there was only one or two ways we tried to fix them that were palatable. And it was unbelievable the numbers of worms that come out of those after they have been in a bucket for a few days.

I just picked them all up to start with and filled buckets. Then I researched the internet about ways to fix them.

Next day I started sorting through the buckets using a gold pan to look at "20" at a time and just snap judging them, worms, worms, worms, little one, good one and it went about like that to. The culls set around a while I thought I'd just scatter them in some hunting grounds and then changed my mind about that since critters eat them like candy.

For several days the dog was FILLING UP on them like it was crack cocaine. Then I read they are bad for dogs but I'd think it would have KILLED him by then. Now I remember that is why I didn't plant any more around the house, it worried me how he would eat them up. I'd dump a 5 gallon bucket down by the target range to watch the deer and the dog would eat them ALL if I didn't tie him up.

Since I was here spreading around info based on research I'd done a year ago, I decided to do a little of it over again to be sure I knew what I was talking about.

I think I figured out a little of the "mystery to me".

When I looked THIS TIME the first web pages to come up were talking about "horse chestnuts" and "HORSE chestnut poisoning". So I had to look up what they were calling horse chestnuts, heck that is just a fancy European name for Buckeyes. I've ALWAYS been taught buckeyes are poison. So I searched some more and sure enough the regular chest nuts are NOT HARMFUL to dogs, just the buck eye chestnuts.

https://www.reference.com/pets-animals/chestnuts-poisonous-dogs-95b862ccc6cb7738

Sorry for letting the confusion inside my own brain spill out in to the forum.


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## Jack Ryan

glynr329 said:


> My trees are kinda disappointing. I have 1 tree out of about 12 trees 1 has spurs. Some are twice as big 15 feet nothing.


I think getting them out in the light away from other trees is key and being in good ground.

Just today I grabbed a shovel of "mud" off the septic finger and tossed a shovel full at the base of my smallest persimons and Dunstans. Then watered them all. I'll fill in where I shoveled out with sandy dirt from down by the creek.


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## SRShunter

What are some of the best trees you have planted for deer? As far as good growth and bearing at a early age? Top five trees or shrubs. Hard mast or soft mast?


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## huntall

SRShunter said:


> What are some of the best trees you have planted for deer? As far as good growth and bearing at a early age? Top five trees or shrubs. Hard mast or soft mast?


I'd say for fast growth it would be water oaks, willow oaks , sawtooth oaks, chestnut trees and best  soft mast would be no dought all around  best for deer for me is pears. They love pears!
Fastest to produce hard mast is dwarf chinkapin,  sawtooth,  chestnut,  then  probably water oak and willow oak.
Live oaks usually produce fairly quickly. 
This is the ones that has done well for me.
I love white oaks best of all but I didn't plant many because they take so long to produce acorns.


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## SRShunter

Just bought some swamp white oaks, swamp chestnut oaks, shumard oaks, live oaks, and some chestnut trees to go in the ground this fall. Most of the trees are 5' tall so hopefully they all make it with a little TLC. 20 trees all together can't wait for 10yrs Down the road to see what happens


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## huntall

SRShunter said:


> Just bought some swamp white oaks, swamp chestnut oaks, shumard oaks, live oaks, and some chestnut trees to go in the ground this fall. Most of the trees are 5' tall so hopefully they all make it with a little TLC. 20 trees all together can't wait for 10yrs Down the road to see what happens


Nice....good mix of trees! Keep them in at least Partial shade most of the day and water as needed until fall planting and I bet the do great! You can even put extra straw in top of pot to help hold moisture and block direct sun from hitting the exposed soil around  the roots. Works great. Good luck


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## SRShunter

Alright got a good one for yall. Anybody ever dig up some trees they've had planted for 2 or 3 years of being in the ground? Didn't really think my plan through when I planted them. So this fall I was planning on moving some of them while they are dormant. Hate to lose my trees...what kinda success rate do you think I will have doing so? Some crab apples pears and a couple of oaks. Not moving them far just wanna get them in lines where mowing will be easier.


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## Jim Boyd

Great, great thread. Lots of hard work, would love to see the tree pics from today!!!!


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## huntall

Jim Boyd said:


> Great, great thread. Lots of hard work, would love to see the tree pics from today!!!!


I will get some soon if i can. The trees are getting big. I have circulation and past bloodclots in my legs and cant stand or sit for long periods so my sons been helping me out a lot. I havnt been able to work for over a year. they love all we have done to our place. Even if im driving on side by side watching them pruning and such. they love for me to be out with them looking at everything.


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## Jim Boyd

huntall said:


> I will get some soon if i can. The trees are getting big. I have circulation and past bloodclots in my legs and cant stand or sit for long periods so my sons been helping me out a lot. I havnt been able to work for over a year. they love all we have done to our place. Even if im driving on side by side watching them pruning and such. they love for me to be out with them looking at everything.



Wishing the best for you, sir!!!!


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## aaron batson

Good crop of chestnuts this year


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## southernman13

I have about 6 producing as well. They’re all very young. Like 4 yr maybe. But I’m happy with them. Next year as they mature hopefully put on a lot more!


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## southernman13

Found an old pic. I planted mine 2/28/17 so they’ll be 4 soon. Pretty amazing they have a crop this early. Hopefully I live long enough to see them really flourish. Tree planting is addictive lol!


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## aaron batson

Wind kicked out a few - they won’t lay there long


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## aaron batson

They are starting to hit them hard too ?


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