How best to make these grow?

Question

I have a peach and an apple tree, both about 20 years old growing in sandy soil (pH 5) about 5 metres east of a stand of Radiata pines (20 metres high).

They are also sheltered from the east by gum trees.Both trees have this green scaly moss on them and appear very small for their age. I have neglected these trees completely since I bought the place 9 years ago and now I would like to bring them back to life. I figure if they have not died thus far I should be able to do something with them. What should I do? I have access to many tons of sheep manure and malt combings for mulch. I also have a plentiful supply of Sulfate of Potash. Will I need to spray these trees?

Answer 1

First of all, are either of these trees producing fruit and are they edible? Also, where do you live?

Answer 2

I would find out what kind of type of peach and apple trees they are because some of them need a pollinator.  For example Fuji apples will produce better with a pollinator and a good one that works well is the granny smith.  It might be wise to plant pollinator anyway just to be safe.  Not all fruit trees are self pollinating nor do they just depend on bees. They need both!

I think the first thing I would do would is prune them in the late fall when the sap has gone down and the trees are in their dormant stage.

After so many years of neglect it won't be easy.  When you prune the object is to remove the branches to allow the sun to go from the top to the bottom that encourages growth.  Two links below with diagrams

on how to prune properly.  The type of fruit tree doesn't matter because the pruning is all the same.

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/11...

http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/treefruit/422...

The link below will be very helpful it's not as easy as one might think.

http://www.cahe.nmsu.edu/pubs/_h/h-308.p...

The other thing is to protect them from insects.

Using neem oil is a good organic way of doing that.

Neem Oil & it's Uses

http://www.organeem.com/neemoilitsuses.h...

The soap has been around for 70 years I know,(more like 100 years) that's how old I am.  My grandma taught all of us how to use it.

Another way is to use Fels Naptha soap

Aphids

Spray aphids with 3 tablespoons grated Fels Naptha Soap dissolved in 1 gallon of hot water. Mix well and let cool. Spray as needed.

Insect Control:

Prepare Fels Naptha Solution first. (Solution - shave 1 inch of Fels Naptha bar in a nylon stocking and place it into a gallon of boiling water along with 4 oz. liquid dish soap(Ivory). Store as needed and shake well before use. It will have a gel-like consistency.) Mix 1 cup of Fels Naptha Solution with 1 cup antiseptic mouthwash (mint flavored if nematodes are a problem) and 1 cup chewing tobacco juice. Spray with a 20-gal hose-end sprayer with a golf ball in it to keep mixture mixed.

http://www.soapsgonebuy.com/ProductDetai...

Fertilizer for peach trees

Apply 1/2 pound of 10-10-10 fertilizer or its equivalent 7 to 10 days after planting and the same amount again 40 days after planting. Broadcast the fertilizer evenly, 8 to 12 inches away from the trunk. In the second and third years after planting, the tree should receive 3/4 pound of 10-10-10 in March and again in May. Mature peach trees (4 to 10 years of age) should receive 1 to 2 pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer each in March and May. If the tree is vigorous and there are no fruit expected, only the March application is necessary. Broadcast the fertilizer around the outer edge of the tree keeping the trunk area free of fertilizer.

Peach trees

need to grow 18 inches of new growth each year. ((Remove the sod from under the tree,)) mulch and/or irrigate as needed. Irrigation will increase yield particularly if it is applied three weeks before harvest.

http://www.landsteward.com/page.cfm/5667

Apple trees

Fertilizing Backyard Apple Trees

How much fertilizer to apply to bearing apple trees depends

on on several factors, including the severity of pruning and

tree growth and cropping history.

Apply fertilizer in early spring after the snow has gone but

before growth begins. Broadcast it evenly on the soil surface

under the entire branch spread of the tree. A complete garden

fertilizer such as 10-10-10 is best. To determine application

rates for “normal” conditions, measure the trunk diameter 30

cm. (1 foot) above the ground. Apply about 1/2 lb. of 10-10-

10 for every 1 inch of trunk diameter. Increase or decrease

this amount in relation to pruning severity, average terminal growth, leaf color and productivity.

http://extension.unh.edu/Pubs/HGPubs/car...

Note before using... Sulfate of Potash

Read about the fertilizers first.

  

Answer 3

It sounds as if your trees have been put in a poor location...the green moss is a result of not enough light, probably on the north side of the trunks. Fruit trees need lots of direct sun to do anything. I would either leave them alone and expect nothing of them, or cut them and plant new ones on area of full day's sun. Transplanting them will put them in serious shock, new trees would probalby out do them in the same amount of time.