Wagon Wheel Orchard

Update we are now taking orders for spring 2021 delivery. This year we are adding a hard cider lovers collection. We will send a package of 9 hard cider varieties (our choice) for a flat $100 (shipping etc. included). We guaranty you will receive at least 5 different varieties and be able to produce a quality blend or choice varietals. If youd rath... er chose your own you can go with the standard orders below. Please read up on what bench grafts are before you plan out your orchard. Bench grafts are freshly grafted trees. We take roots from a nursery and combine them with a small stick of an existing apple variety. This essentially gives you a clone of your tree. Apples do not grow true from seed. In an open pollinated orchard the only thing you can be sure of is who the mother was (the blossom). The father (pollen) could have been brought in from any tree by a bee or even the wind. Please keep in mind that this is the least costly way to get the type of tree you want but it does require a bit more effort and time. Most bench grafts arrive in the one to two foot length range and will be about wide. If you are in an area with a rodent or deer problem you may want to cage them. The scion wood above the graft needs to not be bumped until the graft wound has healed. The wound will look like a tongue and groove union and will be covered in wax. The wax need not be removed. It keeps the wood from drying out and keeps disease from entering the graft site. It will crack away with the trees growth. You will need to pinch off or prune any growth below the graft union. We like to plant our graft union about 4 inches above ground. Many bench grafts will grow rapidly (depends on variety, but many have high vigor) and if they exceed three or four feet by late August we suggest making your first prune at that time to encourage side growth. We prune to what we call the triple three method every three feet we prune to approximately three equally spaced side branches. It doesnt have to be perfect but its something to shoot for. A ...Read More