Donald Beck

Donald Beck wrote:

Donald Beck wrote:This year we tried protection bags which works to a great degree. The other option we were going to try was to use steel ducting. Open the pipe slip over the truck and then they can't get any traction.

Forgot to mention... went with the bags because they protect the fruit from the birds and bugs.

That didn't work. Don't know who or how, but all the fruit is gone with the bags dangling. Next year 100% cover over the top and sheet metal collars on the trunks. If that doesn't work, the year following I will be heading to our farmers market and buying a hammock.

Steve Thorn wrote:I'm going to try to plant some really strong smelling (hopefully squirrel and deer detering) plants soon to hopefully keep them from wanting to linger too long. I'm sure they'll still get some, but maybe they'll just grab a quick bite to go.

Although we have not tried plants to deter deer, we have been successful using an electric fence. First year they have not destroyed everything.

Donald Beck wrote:This year we tried protection bags which works to a great degree. The other option we were going to try was to use steel ducting. Open the pipe slip over the truck and then they can't get any traction.

Forgot to mention... went with the bags because they protect the fruit from the birds and bugs.

This year we tried protection bags which works to a great degree. The other option we were going to try was to use steel ducting. Open the pipe slip over the truck and then they can't get any traction.

William Bronson wrote:Welcome to Permies!
Me own mum has commercially purchased cages for her two small vegetable  gardens.
We have had issues with the closures and with rabbits chewing through the plastic netting.
With that in mind, I suggest a high tunnel/hoop house, made of chicken wire or hardware cloth over EMT tubing or rear.

Something like this was the direction I was thinking but it would be huge to allow us inside of it to care for plants and harvest. Then I have the winter snow load to consider and so it needs to be either strong enough or portable. Maybe chicken wire up the sides for 3 feet and then bird netting which can be removed. Thanks for confirming my thoughts.

Step one is done. Dirt mixed with manure and wood chips and the whole filled. (pic attached)

Next step is going to be grading it. My plan was to grade the slope towards the hill (West - right side of picture) for water retention and from top to bottom of picture on the right for runoff. Make a ditch where the water would flow and fill it with rock making a new stream that runs into a pond that is yet to be built which when overflows will feed a stream behind the hugle bed. Once graded I am going to continue to build it up more by hand than tractor for better control. and to minimize compaction.

If I am going at it wrong, please let me know. Everything we have been doing is a result of a lot of reading and changes made to previous failures or partial failures.

Thanks,
Don

Bryant RedHawk wrote:Most of the top 10 feet of the Sierra Nevada mountain range is fractured granite, roots can get into the fractures and they will continue to widen those fracture lines.
Now, if you are wanting to use a lot of fuel and effort, then what you are doing would be worthwhile except that making hugel mounds is not how to plant trees, the hugel will eventually collapse and the tree will topple.
When you want to plant a tree, you want a stable surface, not something that is bound to collapse. If you really want that extra two feet for the roots, you will need to use stone and mortar to build giant "tubs" for each tree to live in. A lot of work indeed.

Why not simply use the land as it is, plant the trees and keep them watered until they have established nicely at that point they will have roots anchored into the granite bed rock and you are good to go.
More important than the soil depth is what is living in that soil, all the trees you mention require mycorrhizae to flourish, so make sure your tree's roots have access to these fungi and then add a compost mulch to prevent moisture loss and add organic matter to the soil.
By the way, granite soils tend to be acidic, so do get that tested or buy a kit and do it yourself so you know the starting base line then you can check it yearly to see how things are changing.

Redhawk

Are there test kits that you can buy that will get the job done or should I just plan on a lab. Can you suggest a lab?

Thanks,
Don

Thank you for the  link and info. I will read it over the weekend. Most of the manure has been in a pile for a couple of years. The newer stuff is a small percentage of the whole and is closer to the base of the hole.

The work has already been done. I stopped at about 4 feet. Every tree has a requirement for soil depth. It is not uncommon to rip down 2 feet or through the hardpan to make sure the root system has deep soil for robust growth. Didn't do it before, because I didn't have a tractor. It was purchased to do this type of work. If the backhoe was working I would have gone deeper.

As an example
http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/FRUIT/CULTURAL/avocadosite.html

Lots of info to read out there on this topic. Not making a mound, but rather dug a hole like a swimming pool. I am filling it with a combination of the native soil, aged wood chips and manure. The tree mounds will be about 8 foot circles and I am raising so that the root system is above grade to prevent root root. We have lost quite a few trees do to root rot as the whole area became a swamp.

Pics attached of a typical winters water plowing through and of the hole.

Thanks for the input,
Don

Not sure what I can do to attract predators. We have dozens of conifer trees that hawks could use as a perch. I know the hawk population is down. I use to watch them in a couple of our trees a 1/8 mile from the current problem, but hardly hear or see them. I am hoping they chose to move on as opposed to being poisoned. I am calling Fish and Game to see if they have info that can help me understand what has happened and if there is any way to increase the population.

I am using a product called underground exterminator. Its a rubber device that clamps to your exhaust and you connect a hose to it. It is suppose to be a humane way to deal with in ground pests.  For me it has worked in so far as they are not burrowing on my property, but they do come from others. It does bother me to kill any animal, but if I have to do it, for me this is the least disturbing way. I am hoping that they learn to stay clear like the deer have with our electric fence. While they are still around, the deer no longer consider going for our fenced garden areas.