Troy Docimo

I appreciate all the info i have a plan now formulating. Unfortunately it appears i wont be able to plant the clover until Spring. Finances and time are just too tight at the moment.

Thank you again.

I think i can manage that. Just sprinkle the seeds all over the yard? They dont need to be planted? Do i water it? Pretty big section. Now these will be effective for me trees even if i mow over them? I read some people use them in place of a lawn. It grows in the fall and winter?

Thank you both very much.

Unfortunately like i said i wont be doing anything this fall or likely winter. Can i plant all the support stuff in the spring? I wont be planting the trees until NEXT fall...
I doubt i will be doing anything so complicated as your Tea id need something simpler/less time/money consuming.
Do your support species stop the grass/weeds from growing?

Charles- I watered every day, which it turns out i didnt need to do if done properly. Mostly i have had problems with my roots not developing/leaving the hole, which Bengi has cleared up for me in a lot of ways. I never see ants or anything and yet i get diseases/fungus or some type of critters (no animals have access to the trees other than squirrels and rabbits which i have never seen near them). So im not sure what is the main cause....my ignorance/cheap quality trees/poor root development etc etc etc

I want to start over next year and try and do it properly from the beginning.

What about the Tillage radish ? where would you apply that?

If im going to go Fall, it will be a year from now. When do i start planting all the other items you suggested then???

It appears the worm tea is something that can be bought.....what is a native mushroom slurry splash?


Thank you

You posted this:

And here is another tip: probiotics/soil life
1) Apply a worm compost tea foliar spray to the fruit tree leaves.
2) Apply a native mushroom slurry splash
3) Inoculate the bare roots of the fruit tree when you plant them

What do you inoculate the bare roots with? Or are you referring to #2?

I saw a site that said to put cardboard down to keep the weeds away. But it didnt really explain how much cardboard, how wide etc.. it said then pile the compost or mulch on top of the cardboard. It said keep it from the trunk of the tree. It made me wonder how you water the tree, but you sort of answered that.

What do you suggest to keep weeds away from bareroot trees? Or will the compost/mulch etc... handle that? If so how close to the tree should it be piled? How high?

Thank you again for all your help

You really seldom have to water your plants? simply because the root system is so advanced? Even down here were we get wicked 90-100 degree heat? The one "green thumb" in my family always believed in watering daily....

You have taught me alot. Thank you very much!

Great ideas thank you im definitely changing my approach. I saw an article but it seemed extreme. It said to draw a circle around the tree the likely mature width of the tree. So in some cases we are talking 25’. It said cover the ground with cardboard to stop weeds and then pile on 18” all the way around mulch or compost, there were multiple ways of doing it. And then they talked about planting some stuff like you said. But that seemed extreme and expensive for a bare root tree. A few more questions. So i shouldnt prepare the ground in anyway ahead of time? And if you plant in the fall how often do you water? What about winter? Thanks again!

I am now considering waiting a year until next fall, didnt want to but if in the long run it will improve my chances im going to seriously consider it. Id like to learn more. Im going to read up whatever i can find.

What did you mean by not having to worry about watering/root system if i planted in the fall? You dont water them? The Roots dont grow? Do they go dormant at some point? How then exactly would you take care of them?