What Tree to Plant on My Baby's First Birthday?

Nicole Alderman wrote:
I love that this tree has never been pruned, either by deer or me, and I very much would love to keep it that way.

lovely idea to plant a tree on the one-year birthday of your child. It's one of those things that you wish you had thought of when your own was little.
I've been lurking for a couple weeks haven't posted until now. we grow a few pear trees. I noticed what you said about not pruning the tree and I didn't know if that was because it is how it would grow in nature or if there was some other reason behind it. I would really like to know the reasoning behind that if you don't mind sharing.

kay Smith wrote:

Nicole Alderman wrote:
I love that this tree has never been pruned, either by deer or me, and I very much would love to keep it that way.

lovely idea to plant a tree on the one-year birthday of your child. It's one of those things that you wish you had thought of when your own was little.
I've been lurking for a couple weeks haven't posted until now. we grow a few pear trees. I noticed what you said about not pruning the tree and I didn't know if that was because it is how it would grow in nature or if there was some other reason behind it. I would really like to know the reasoning behind that if you don't mind sharing.

I just realized I never answered your question! I didn't want to prune this tree too much:

(1) Because I like the natural shape of trees better, and really wanted to see what a standard, natural apple tree would look like,

(2) Lot's  of pruning can shorten the life of the tree, and generally needs to be kept up. I wanted this tree to do well without much maintenance.

(3) I wanted my son--and maybe his kids if he has them--to be able to climb the tree

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Here's a bit of an update on the apple tree! It finally fruited, and man it made a lot of apples! We spent today thinning it (I found it fascinating how their branches naturally grew out of the tree with nice "crotches" but then shot up. And, now that they are laden with fruit, they've bent down nicely!). It had a lot of apples! And, they were almost all on the mid-high branches. There were often apples every few inches along it. It was laden!

I’d go with a chestnut. It’ll live practically forever and generate tons of food to offset your food bill :-)

I like seeing the tree and the kids through the years -- keep up those updates!!

Antonovka fruit are usually pretty big and medium soft.  Some that are yellow with red spots look pretty interesting.  Looks like there will be a nice harvest this year!!

We've noticed some with a red blush on them already!

Fascinatingly, even though the apples aren't ripe yet, they're actually pretty edible. Our other apple tree's apples are way too dry right now, but these are actually just sour. My husband took a bunch of our thinned apples to work with him for his lunch!

And thank you, again, for the tree. It really is so loved by our family!

That's so sweet to see the children growing with their trees. Your daughter got her own pear tree right? Or another apple tree?

We did plant a pear tree for my daughter! https://permies.com/t/69253/Pear-Tree-Daughter-Birthday I'll have to get a picture of her with it!

He's 8 now, and the tree has grown fast and strong enough that he and his sister can climb it! It makes my heart so happy ♥