Evan Murphy

Thanks for your reply Akiva, I found the CT study you mentioned. With two documented cases nearby I will probably remove them, no sense in risking it or causing needless issues with the neighbors.
I will have to look into a. kolomitka!

I'm still interested in opinions from anyone in NE that has established hardy kiwi vines if they care to chime in.

Hi all,
I'm looking for opinions from people who have hardy kiwi vines on their property, especially older, established ones.
I recently planted 7 cultivars on my property under some tall black cherry trees much to the horror of my neighbor, who referenced a local problem in Kennedy Park, Lenox, MA:

http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/wildlife-habitat-conservation/miller-case-studies-for-successful-management-on-town-and-land-trust-lands.pdf

Reading that proposal of course makes a case for them being invasive, but the problem appears to be the result of a 100-year-old planting at the now-demolished Hotel Aspinwall that was on the site.

Much of the evidence provided by MIPAG in this case is anecdotal or speculative; and in many instances, the claims are false. In general, the petition disregards the nearly 140 year history of the species in the region and seeks to portray abandoned historic plantings as invasions into second growth forests that are arguably younger than the vines themselves

-University of New Hampshire

This is also essentially what I was told by Stephen Bryer of Tripple Brook Farm who has been propagating them for decades. Other arguments against them being invasive are pretty well summarized here: https://permaculturegreenhouse.com/2017/01/05/call-to-action-hardy-kiwi-may-be-illegal-to-grow-in-new-england/


What has your experience been?

I am open to removing them if the risk of a future problem is high, but this appears to me like a management problem. What would you do?

My plan for this year has changed a bit, as they do.
Doesn't look I'll be doing my rootstock trials this year, but I did graft a number of trees on G.41 and G.935 which I hadn't planned on using.
I'm keeping them in 5 gal grow bags until this fall when we've completed some earthworks.

Thanks Ken. I've been leaning away from the G.11 the more I read about it, at least for my site.

How long have you had your Antonovka going?

Welp, in that case I'm curious if anyone has opinions (good or bad) about using the rootstocks I mentioned in the northeast...others I may be overlooking?

Apples: B.118, G.11, M.111
Cherries: Prunus Avium
Pear: Pyrus Ussuriensis
Plum: Prunus Americana

I hope to have extra rootstock eventually so I'd love to connect with anyone located nearby about trading in the future.

Hi all,

I'm looking for rootstock advice in order to propagate enough trees for a permaculture orchard, the goal being 9 trees to start and stooling them after they have a year to establish. I suppose it's effectively a rootstock trial for the site if anything doesn't take after a year. My site is on a southwest-facing gradual slope in western MA zone 5A.

I have perc tests for the site so I have a good idea what my soil profile is: It's a slow-percolating, sandy loam with a seasonally high water table for better or worse, PmC Peru-Marlow association for anyone interested. I think I could get by without earthworks, but I think I'll be installing swales fed by a small pond due to the high water table to avoid wet feet as best I can, I have an appropriate slope for it and a friend who can do the work for a reasonable cost. I'd also have a 20x20 shed roof I can collect from nearby to feed the pond.

I'm planting apples, cherries, pears and plums for now. Maybe peaches eventually if I can find anything that will grow here. I'm planting in NAP trios so I'm planning on honey locust and male/female sea buckthorne as my N-fixers for now. I'd like to be able to keep spacing to 10' feet between trees, I'm fine with staking but I'd prefer nothing too dwarfed. I haven't decided on cultivars yet but I want a variety.

So far I've landed on:

Apples: B.118, G.11, M.111
Cherries: Prunus Avium
Pear: Pyrus Ussuriensis
Plum: Prunus Americana

Anyone have experience with similar conditions? If not I suppose I can just post my progress as I go

Thanks!

-Evan