Help with our fruit trees?

11 years ago

I'll be honest, I have no idea what I'm doing but you guys seem super knowledgable so here goes:

After we purchased our house last summer we quickly discovered an apple tree and a pear tree in the front yard. The trees are large and up near the front of our yard by the street, hanging over the sidewalk.

Last year we were unprepared and not know how to take care of the trees. They sprouted way too much fruit and we were outside picking it up every day, sometimes twice a day. The area around it also became infested with bees and other bugs and it became difficult to clean up or even mow the lawn around. People walking their dogs began crossing the street to avoid having to walk near our yard.

This year I would like to be prepared. I want to make sure that the fruit has time to grow and can be eaten straight from the trees but that we can also keep the bugs away (or at least manageable) and keep the fruit from rotting on the trees. Any help would be appreciated.

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Comments (5)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
fruit peeps do things entirely different than tree peeps.. as the goal is usually fruit production ...

i highly suggest.. you also post over there ... it is a very active forum ...

we.. as they.. probably need some pix.. since you really havent told us anything beyond the mess they make.. and the fact they are over the sidewalk ...

and on that alone.. i am thinking they are very large ... and perhaps not worth saving.. as fruit trees??????

it would also help to know.. where you are.. big city name ...

ken
Carissa Mckinnie
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks for the suggestion, I will try there also.

We are in Omaha NE. They are not our largest trees but they are big. We like having them but my concern is the mess. They aren't worth keeping if they're going to be a disaster every year.
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wisconsitom
11 years ago
Carissa, those bees you appear to be so disgusted with are responsible for every piece of fruit your trees produce. To want apple and pear trees (and to want fruit from these trees) but to not want the accompanying bees is a sign-to me at least-that you have a steep learning curve ahead. Nothing wrong with that. There's things I'm ignorant of too! Just want to alert you, there are large bodies of knowledge available, including right here on the internet, regarding the culture of fruit trees for optimal production.

Personally, I'd be exploring every option available to me to grow fruit without the 19 or so sprayings of toxic materials the typical commercial apple receives. In any food where the skin is one of the best parts, both for nutrition and for eating quality, organic is the way to go. We gladly pay a little extra for organically-grown apples. Otherwise, they are among the foods highest in pesticide residues. Just saying.....it might be worth your time to explore those options.

+oM
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
we really need a pic.. or more words ..

when i was a kid... at g ma's house.. the neighbor had a 60 to 80 foot pear ...

the falling hard fruit were like incoming mortar fire ...

if that is what we are talking about ... be done with them ...

there is no way to bring a wildly large fruit tree ... back into shape by pruning ...

tom .. her problem is... the bees are getting stoned on rotting fermented fruit ... a real PIA ... but the only recourse.. is to get rid of the tree ..

getting rid of the bees solves nothing ...

ken
Carissa Mckinnie
Original Author
11 years ago
I am hesitant to post photos simply because without leaves it's hard to tell where my trees end and other trees in the background begin. Here's the best shot I could get.