[MassChestnutOrchards] fertilizing question

[Yvonne Federowicz]

Hi Roy, old Osmocote pellets will hang around and take a while to decompose,
but don't have any fertilizer left in them after a while.  The shell is not
plastic, it's some soybean concoction.

This should be a reasonable time to use it again, since you last fertilized
9 months ago.  There are websites about their products; your bag may say
what longevity it has.  The release is temperature-sensitive so the
September use probably helped the plants this spring.  Application now will
help summer growth.

That is great that you have the area cleared.  Lots of work!


I just spoke with Charlotte about the nuts for your second line.  How long
are the radicals now?  She says that if you are going to be able to irrigate
extremely regularly, the nuts can still go straight in the ground.  If not,
we should get them started in some sort of potting system - she will look to
see what she has available.

Also - can you please take a  look at the Cataldo American chestnuts, as we
might want to pollinate them this summer?  Everything has developed quickly
this year and some catkins are already popping.

Thanks, Yvonne







On Sat, Jun 12, 2010 at 4:13 PM, Roy <Roy at najecki.com> wrote:

>  Today the Glocester (RI) Conservation Commission weeded the orchard (see
> pictures).  We were pleased to see that most of the seedlings that looked
> dead two weeks ago with their shriveled brown leaves are showing new growth.
> Now that the area is mowed and weeded, we were going to apply Osmocote
> fertilizer. However as we weeded and removed some saplings that didn't
> survive, we noticed tiny yellow Osmocote fertilizer pellets that I applied
> last September. I thought by now that these would have dissolved. The guys
> think they really aren't fertilizer, but plastic, and that's why they didn't
> dissolve. Should I go ahead and fertilize, or hold off?
>
> The photos also show the southern part of the field (left side of photo)
> where we have cut down lots of white pine to double our available orchard
> space. The area is not yet ready for planting as we need to move branches
> and pull the smaller stumps, but we are making progress. On the right side
> of the photo near the road you can see the sign board that has the three ACF
> panels.
>
> Roy Najecki
> Glocester RI
>
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