Orange Pippin Forum Board

We are using graywater to irrigate our apples. All but two of our ten trees are two years old or less; two trees are about 10 years old.

Does anyone have experience with this sort of thing? I am not worried about water-borne diseases, but do not know how a steady diet of soapy water (from shower, tub, and sink) might affect the trees in the long run. We try not to use anything with exotic additives, but you can't avoid them sometimes. I am also a bit worried about over-watering young trees.

The way it works out now, I give every tree a good soak about once a week.... half a wine-barrel full or so, more for our two bigger trees. We collect the water in a repurposed wine barrel, and use a hose to deliver the water to our trees, usually the same day. Any red flags here?

Soil testing might preclude in surprise build up of chemicals but I have no experience in gray water use to back that up.

Hard to say on over watering since we don't know how dry it is there or soil conditions. We have been in a bad drought since last September, The soil is sandy here. My five-six year old trees went through fine without water. Any thing under three had to be watered during the drought. Especially those under two years old.

Hope that helps.

Randy

Your note does help-- thank you. We are in San Diego near the coast. Dry temperate climate with clay soil. The 2 Annas, Dorsett Golden, and 2 Gordons seem to be quite happy. The others are not thriving as readily, but are still dormant (I hope).

Just tore out a young Pettingill that developed some kind of nasty canker. Is it OK to plant a new tree in the same spot?

badcyclist wrote: Just tore out a young Pettingill that developed some kind of nasty canker. Is it OK to plant a new tree in the same spot?

From my reading, it is written, it is not a good idea to replant in the same hole so I would say there is a gamble there. How close to the old hole is too close, that I do not know but I would guess from the old trees drip line out would be a better gamble.

Your Extension agent would be a good person to call on this. They may even be able to give you a better answer on the gray water. The Extension agents are a valuable source of information here in the US. They are always glad to help.

Do a google on clay and apple trees or again ask your Extension agent to make sure your new planting deals with the clay.

Randy

Good advice- thank you, again.