Pick my 20 trees.....

[Crimson850]

Guys-
Would like to plant 20 trees this year, help me pick them!
requirements-I will plant and tube the trees, and that is really all I would like to do...I know nothing about gafting, pollinating, etc.. also would like them to produce relatively fast, if possible? I am in central VA, and would like to plant them this winter!

What would be some good low maintenance trees?
would like a few apple, possibly persimmons?

 

[Native Hunter]

2 - Kieffer Pear
1 - Moonglow Pear
2 - Ayers Pear
1 - Warren Pear
1 - Gate Pear
1 - Mrs. Laneene Pear
1 - Gallaway Pear
2 - Liberty Apple
1 - Priscilla Apple
1 - Black Limbertwig Apple
1 - Yates Apple
2 - Dozier Crabapple
2 - Morris Burton Persimmon
2 - Deer Magnet Persimmon

There are your first 20 trees.

 

[Neahawg]

Sneak a Arkansas Black in there somewhere and your set.

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[Buckly]

I don't think you're going to find any trees for this year, pretty much everything is sold out by now.

Kieffer pear, Dolgo and chestnut crab apples. Liberty and Enterprise apples on semi-dwarf stock.

 

[tlh2865]

If it is fruit trees you're looking for, I can't recommend Century Farm Orchards enough. They're just a hop, skip, and a jump over the border into NC and David Vernon (owner) has helped me a bunch this year with varieties, mostly apples, but also some pears. Shoot him an email with how many you want, when you want them to drop/ripen, and that you want it for wildlife and see what he has to say. They're mostly sold out for this fall, but they're taking spring orders now.
As for my two cents, I have little personal experience as of yet, but through a lot of research Kieffer pears seem to really stand out as easy to grow and productive, Korean Giant/Olympic pear as well. As far as apples are concerned, I think they would do well in Bedford, you guys have pretty good elevation compared to more eastern Virginia where I am at. Varieties that have come well recommended are Enterprise, Liberty, Arkansas Black, Yates, any Winesap (Arkansas Black is a either a slight mutation or offspring of a Winesap), and Old Fashioned Limbertwig. These apples will likely ripen from late mid-late September into November in Bedford.The pears seem to be early-mid October in this area.
Side note: Winesaps and Arkansas Black are all pollen sterile, so they need a pollinator, and will not pollinate another apple tree. Enterprise, Yates, and Limbertwigs are good pollinators though.

 

[Neahawg]

Wildlife group pear package includes 10 pears supposed to drop from Aug into Dec.

AU buck chestnut package includes AU buck 3&4 and two seedlings of the AU buck 4 should drop from sept-nov.

Arkansas Black
Black Limbertwig
Yates
Kinnairds Choice
Dozier Crabapple
Dolgo

These could all be ordered from the wildlife group if you didn't want to order from a bunch of different places.

 

[Doctorbrady]

I like Native Hunter's list a lot, but will change it up just a little (not better, just different).
Kieffer pear (2)
Ayers pear (2)
Chinese chestnut (2)
Swamp white oak (3)
Deer magnet persimmon
Early golden persimmon
Wonderful or Dollywood persimmon
Tigertooth jujube
Lang jujube
Arkansas black Apple
Yates crabapple
Liberty Apple (2)
Dolgo crabapple (2)
This list covers A LOT of bases and will provide a variety of hard and soft mast for many years to come.

 

[Native Hunter]

Everyone has added some more great ones to the list. I think the reason I left out chestnuts is because I have so many already producing, but a guy definitely needs chestnuts - and lots of them. When they start falling not many days go by without me eating some myself, and the deer love them for sure. So for year 2 of planting, my list would start off with at least 4 or 5 chestnuts set in the same general area to ensure good pollination.

 

[DrDirtNap]

I agree with Native's list but if we are going beyond fruit trees then I see something missing....I know its not native but in my opinion you have to have a few sawtooth oaks. They are super easy to grow, bear at an early age, produce every year and drop early... and the deer HAMMER 'em.

 

[Sheep Dog]

I will second the suggestion to get in touch with David at Century Farm Orchards. I know little about apple trees but he really knows his stuff. I have just told him what I want the trees to do and he makes his recommendation. His trees do great, are fairly priced, and arrive in the spring exactly when he says they will. Order as quickly as you can though, he sells out of a lot of varieties early in the fall.

 

[Fish]

I would add Goldrush apple IF you are willing to put on a couple of cheap sprays around bloom for the Cedar Apple Rust.
Mine havent put out much fruit yet, but they are a late October ripening apple that should be around when the others are cleaned up.

 

[Familytradition]

2 Goldrush Apple
2 liberty apples
2 dolgo crab
1 Yates Apple
5 chinese chestnut
5 sawtooth
2 keifer pear
1 ayers pear



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