Planning And Planting An Orchard On Your Land

This is Huntin’ Land, the podcast for landowners and land hunters. If you like to stay up to date on hunting tactics, land management, land values, and land market dynamics, this is the podcast for you. In this episode of the Huntin’ Land Podcast, Joe and Butch discuss how to plan and plant an orchard on your land with Ian Wallace of Chestnut Hill. Ian will provide insight and advice on planning and planting an orchard from his years of experience in the industry. We’ll start by looking at the characteristics of a good site for an orchard and the types of trees you should look into to provide food and cover year-round. We’ll also discuss the layout of your orchard, site preparation, planting your trees, and caring for your orchard. We’ll also learn about the right timing, how big of a hole to use, and how much to water the trees when planting. Finally, we’ll touch on some common problems to look for and strategies for protecting your young trees from wildlife. Ian Wallace of Chestnut Hill will provide insight and advice from his years of experience in the orchard industry. Tune in to learn more about planning and planting an orchard on your land!

As a landowner, it is important to know what your land is worth. You may find yourself asking the questions like,  “how much is my land worth today,” “how much is my land worth per acre,” “how much is timberland worth,” “what is my farmland worth,” “how much is agricultural land worth,” and other such questions. Many factors go in to determining the value of land and seeking out the wisdom of experts is a great place to find the answers to your questions.

Each week, on the Huntin’ Land Podcast, we will bring in various experts to help provide answers to the important questions landowners have.

Planning and Planting an Orchard on Your Land

Choosing the Right location

What are the characteristics of a good site for an orchard where wildlife are the main concern?

• pollination requirements
• full sunlight
• well-drained soils
• soil health
• winds
• slope/topography

Selecting the Right Trees

What trees, or combinations of trees should I look into to give me as many days as possible where I am bearing fruit?

Planning the Layout of Your Orchard

• What is the right tree spacing? Does it vary with species?
• Are rows or clusters preferable?
• Is it advisable to plant multiple tree species together such as chestnuts and persimmons?
• Is it advisable to plant multiple tree and shrub species together such as chestnuts and berries like blueberries?

Site Preparation

What steps should we take to prepare the area before planting?

• Is weed removal necessary
• Is stump removal necessary?
• Are any soil preparations necessary such as tillage?
• Soil testing and amendments?

Planting Your Trees

• How do we determine the right timing?
• How big of a hole do we need? Twice the size of the container volume
• Should the top root ball be below, level, or above ground level?
• Do we need to water the tree when we plant it? If so, How much?
• Do we need to suppress weeds after planting? How do you like to do that?

Caring for your Orchard

• What problems should we look for when inspecting our trees after planting?
• What kind of water needs do wildlife trees typically have and How can water needs be handled at a large scale?
• Do we need to worry about fertilization? if so, what type? Early on, but not at planting, use time-released fertilizer.
• How can we protect our young trees from wildlife?