Orchard Installation Materials List:
Here’s a materials list for the new orchard installation.
- Trees
- Compost
- mycorrhizae fungi
- Organic Fertilizers & Mineral Amendments
- Mulch
- Tree Tubes
- Irrigation
Trees
For a full list of the best varieties of fruit and nut trees, Check out our recent post, “Trees Your Grandchildren Will Love”. We are a big fan of Apples, Pears, Plums, Cherries, Peaches, Mulberries and persimmon trees. We also love planting Hazelnuts and walnut trees.
Organic Material / Compost
For our orchard plantings, I use a local source of organic cow manure that has been aged for at least one year. However, any fully composted Manure or woody materials work well. Do not use fresh/green manure for trees. Use fully composted material only.
Mix a 5-gallon bucket, up to a max of 1/3rd of organic material in the hole. Mix well with lime, fishbone meal, and rock phosphate.
Myccorhizal Fungi
Mycorrhizal Fungi – Small Package (45 Grams) covers 8 Trees.
1 teaspoon applied to roots at time of planting.
$20 + $10 shipping. $30 Total
Fertilizers.
Add Fish Bone Meal, dolomite lime, and rock phosphate in the hole at time of planting
Topdress the mixed organic fertilizer, kelp, gypsum, and dolomite annually in Spring.
Fish Bone Meal BF07602013 – 1 Bag
Dolomite TL07800420 – 2 Bags.
Rock Phosphate. BF07603773 – 1 Bag
Acadian Kelp Meal, Granular TL03008080 – 1 Bag
Organic Premium 7-2-4
** If the Organic Premium 7-2-4 is out of stock. Use 6-2-7 BF07604303- 1 Bag
Gypsum
Estimate around CAD $500 for All fertilizers.
At 1 cup for each tree, this fertilizer order covers about 40 new Trees.
Application Rates / Timing Notes:
at the time of planting, I add 1 cup of Fish Bone Meal, Dolomite Lime, and Rock Phosphate in the hole and mix well . Mycorrhizae fungi is added, 1tspn for each tree, directly onto the roots, or watered in on top.
I apply the 1 cup of mixed of each of the fertilizers around the trees’ dripline. This is where this year’s roots are going to grow. A wide circle on top of the mulch is applied in early spring.
Soil Tests:
For larger orchards or degraded land, I pull a soil test first. Soil Tests can be done at MB labs for $100 + $20 Postage. https://www.mblabs.com/
Fertilizer Supplier:
Terralink Horticulture – Delta.
4119 40 St, Delta, BC, CA.
(604) 946-8338
** Call in and order before picking up to make sure they have the products on site.
Optional: Tree Tubes to Protect Trees from Deer
5-6 ft Plantra® SunFlex ‘O’ Style Tree Shelter
Got Deer? No Problem! Unless you’re fully deer fenced, we recommend 6 foot tall (58″) SunFlex (closed sided), vented deer tubes for grafted and seedling trees. These shelters are made with the optimum diameter for best growth and health of the trees. Aside from the growth benefits, these shelters prevent deer from browsing on the tops. Support them with a 6 foot wood, bamboo or 1/2″ rebar stake. https://www.grimonut.com/index.php?p=Products&category=plantra-tree-shelters
6ft Plantra Tree Tubes 50 Units $310. Shipping & $115.
The total for 50 Tree tubes, including shipping is $445.64 as of November 2023.
Mulch:
Canary Grass Bales – 1-3″ Shaken around tree. About 2 flakes.
Minimum 1_, ideally 2-3″ of Wood Chips/Sawdust/Shavings.
About 1 Yard per 10 trees.
Mulch Supplier options located on Saltspring.
1. Pick up Canary Grass Bales from Windsor Farm $9/Bale
210 Hamilton Horne Way, Salt Spring Island, BC V8K 1V5
2. Large orders of canary grass mulch can be delivered by Mark Hughes.
About $10/Bale depending on Quantity
3. Chips from Forsyth Farms Gravel Mart.
For Larger Projects, Consider ordering a bulk load of wood shavings / sawdust.
50 Yards fir shavings can be delivered from the Paulcan Jemico mill:
For Trucking of wood materials I recommend,
Mander Trucking
+1 (250) 744-7127
Irrigation Materials List:
Materials List From Hose tap: Timer, filter, 25 psi pressure reducer, fht x 1/2″ insert – spinlock preferred, 1/2″ hose clamp, 1/2″ main line.
for each tree 5ft of 1/4″ dripline, and one 1/4″ goof plugs and 1/4″ insert.
Any Questions, give me a call at 250 510 8938 or email at info@nigelkay.ca
I’m happy to help.
