Treeeeees!

Argiope aurantia · 06-10-2010, 04:08 PM

I have a new hobby.

Last winter, I ate a lot of apples (I like apples.), saving the seeds on a whim. This spring, when I was planting the seeds for my third-floor balcony garden, I threw the apple seeds into some of the peat pellets (don't flame, they're the only things that work for me) to see what would happen. I got eight tiny little apple trees for my lack of actual work! I'm keeping one, planting it in a garbage can of dirt on the balcony, and am having no trouble finding homes for the rest. What I can't adopt out will be guerrilla gardened in all of the abandoned fields around town.

For no actual effort and very little money, this was immensely rewarding. Now I'm munching on all the fruit I can nom: apples, pears, cherries, peaches, etc., and saving the seeds. We have a poverty issue in my town, lots of hungry families, and planting fruit trees here and there every year will help that slowly, but surely. I'm recycling my table scraps, as well as the many milk cartons that I have to move the trees into between the peat pellets and the Earth. Also, TREES! Free oxygen! Lower the carbon footprint!

May I suggest this hobby to others? The only cost is the fruit, which is a healthy food anyways, and whatever seed starting methods you use in the spring, and nothing but gain to be had from it all.

longhaircountryboy · 06-12-2010, 06:46 PM

Apple wood is great for on a smoker,gives an awesome flavor.I know the feeling tho,we're in a poor area as well.this is our second year with a garden,& we've been buying our beef & pork wholesale from locals as much as possible..It's waayyy cheaper & you know what you're getting.Been trying to fish as much as possible too,& hopefully will have me a good place to hunt before long.The wife & I have talked about growing our own fruit,but we're hoping to get a small farm towards the ozarks within the next 2 years,so planting where we live wouldn't be practical at the moment.

Willy_Wonka_27 · 06-12-2010, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Argiope aurantia

We have a poverty issue in my town, lots of hungry families, and planting fruit trees here and there every year will help that slowly, but surely.

Apples grown from seeds will not necessarily resemble the apple they are taken from. 99% of the time they will be shitty apples that are only good for making cider.

Now, you could wait till your apple tree gets bigger and graft on a branch from a sweet apple tree, that would work. But I doubt you will end up with sweet apples any other way.

machinist · 06-12-2010, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Willy_Wonka_27

Apples grown from seeds will not necessarily resemble the apple they are taken from. 99% of the time they will be shitty apples that are only good for making cider.

Now, you could wait till your apple tree gets bigger and graft on a branch from a sweet apple tree, that would work. But I doubt you will end up with sweet apples any other way.

yellowcab · 06-13-2010, 11:42 AM

It is a very nice concept, but without yearly pruning the trees will not yield much in the way of good fruits. You are providing good food to many animals though and thats good. And seeing them all bloom every year will also enrich the area, so good job!

thered · 07-22-2010, 12:53 AM

Even if you can't eat them, that's awesome!
If you're trying to do some good for the environment it wouldn't hurt to do some research and be careful with what you're planting, though. Invasive species are no joke.

scratcho · 07-22-2010, 01:20 AM

I don't remember what the original tree was,but my neighbor grafted something like apricots,plums,peaches and something else onto a fruit tree in our yard. It looked like a christmas tree in the summer. Could be wrong about the exact type of fruit ,but it was pretty amazing.

Oake · 01-23-2011, 01:16 AM

Old post but I wanted to hop in and just say one thing. Many apple trees need to be planted with another tree to produce fruit. If you are still doing this you might want to plant them in pairs

OhSoDreadful · 01-23-2011, 02:17 AM

I'm doing basically the same thing as you OP, except I'm just buying a mass quantity of different seeds and traveling with them

We need all the help we can get!

Fueled by Coffee · 01-23-2011, 07:16 PM

I grew up in a town where there used to be 4x as many pear orchards (and some apple) as there are today. Many of the unsuccessful orchards went bankrupt in the depression. Although most of the trees were cut down after their abandonment, some were not and remained there for many years. Some saplings were grown out from the stumps of the cut trees and you can still see the rows of which they were all planted.

Sadly, most of the fruit from these trees never grows to full size. Lack of water and the summers are very very hot. Plus without constant pruning of these trees, the twigs grow like crazy and it potentially minimizes fruit growth.

06-10-2010, 04:08 PM	#1
Argiope aurantia Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Missouri, US Age: 28 Posts: 578	Treeeeees! I have a new hobby. Last winter, I ate a lot of apples (I like apples.), saving the seeds on a whim. This spring, when I was planting the seeds for my third-floor balcony garden, I threw the apple seeds into some of the peat pellets (don't flame, they're the only things that work for me) to see what would happen. I got eight tiny little apple trees for my lack of actual work! I'm keeping one, planting it in a garbage can of dirt on the balcony, and am having no trouble finding homes for the rest. What I can't adopt out will be guerrilla gardened in all of the abandoned fields around town. For no actual effort and very little money, this was immensely rewarding. Now I'm munching on all the fruit I can nom: apples, pears, cherries, peaches, etc., and saving the seeds. We have a poverty issue in my town, lots of hungry families, and planting fruit trees here and there every year will help that slowly, but surely. I'm recycling my table scraps, as well as the many milk cartons that I have to move the trees into between the peat pellets and the Earth. Also, TREES! Free oxygen! Lower the carbon footprint! May I suggest this hobby to others? The only cost is the fruit, which is a healthy food anyways, and whatever seed starting methods you use in the spring, and nothing but gain to be had from it all. __________________ "When you spend all your time worrying that the devil is right behind you, eventually you start seeing him whether he's there or not." Laurell K. Hamilton, Obsidian Butterfly

07-22-2010, 12:53 AM	#6
thered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: central illinois Age: 24 Posts: 853	Even if you can't eat them, that's awesome! If you're trying to do some good for the environment it wouldn't hurt to do some research and be careful with what you're planting, though. Invasive species are no joke. __________________ Learn to breathe underwater "Wake me... when you need me..."

01-23-2011, 02:17 AM	#9
OhSoDreadful Childish Idealist Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Arcata, California Age: 23 Posts: 1,416	I'm doing basically the same thing as you OP, except I'm just buying a mass quantity of different seeds and traveling with them We need all the help we can get! __________________ Do the unthinkable in your own life so you can think the undoable in social life

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06-12-2010, 06:46 PM	#2
longhaircountryboy Banned Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: missouri Age: 34 Posts: 319	Apple wood is great for on a smoker,gives an awesome flavor.I know the feeling tho,we're in a poor area as well.this is our second year with a garden,& we've been buying our beef & pork wholesale from locals as much as possible..It's waayyy cheaper & you know what you're getting.Been trying to fish as much as possible too,& hopefully will have me a good place to hunt before long.The wife & I have talked about growing our own fruit,but we're hoping to get a small farm towards the ozarks within the next 2 years,so planting where we live wouldn't be practical at the moment.

06-13-2010, 11:42 AM	#5
yellowcab Fresh baked Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: WNY Age: 44 Posts: 1,427	It is a very nice concept, but without yearly pruning the trees will not yield much in the way of good fruits. You are providing good food to many animals though and thats good. And seeing them all bloom every year will also enrich the area, so good job!

07-22-2010, 01:20 AM	#7
scratcho Hip Forums Supporter Join Date: May 2004 Location: Springfield ,Ore. Posts: 8,627	I don't remember what the original tree was,but my neighbor grafted something like apricots,plums,peaches and something else onto a fruit tree in our yard. It looked like a christmas tree in the summer. Could be wrong about the exact type of fruit ,but it was pretty amazing.

01-23-2011, 01:16 AM	#8
Oake Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 40	Old post but I wanted to hop in and just say one thing. Many apple trees need to be planted with another tree to produce fruit. If you are still doing this you might want to plant them in pairs

01-23-2011, 07:16 PM	#10
Fueled by Coffee Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Oregon Age: 28 Posts: 824	I grew up in a town where there used to be 4x as many pear orchards (and some apple) as there are today. Many of the unsuccessful orchards went bankrupt in the depression. Although most of the trees were cut down after their abandonment, some were not and remained there for many years. Some saplings were grown out from the stumps of the cut trees and you can still see the rows of which they were all planted. Sadly, most of the fruit from these trees never grows to full size. Lack of water and the summers are very very hot. Plus without constant pruning of these trees, the twigs grow like crazy and it potentially minimizes fruit growth.