15Mar 07
News from Markie
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Joshua: Hello everyone. It is my pleasure to have with me a very diligent young man who has been watching and learning valuable lessons from his parents and older sibilings. He would like to share with each one of you some recent news and instruction he has learned.
Joshua: Testing. Testing. Testing 1, 2, 3. Markie, are you there?
Markie: Yes!
Joshua: Markie, I understand you have some news to share.
Markie: Yes. One day, not too long ago, we went to the land, and we planted apple, peach, and pear trees.
Joshua: Wow, Markie. That sounds like quite the experience. Could you describe the process of planting an apple tree for us?
Markie: First, you have to make a hole.
Joshua: Oh, I see. How deep should the hole be?
Markie: About this big.
Joshua: Ok, that appears to be about 2 feet deep. Tell me more!
Markie: Then you have to buy them. Mr. Burford (at Vintage Virginia Apple Farm) helped us buy our apple trees. Next, you have to make a pyramid with the dirt (if you have some good soil to mix in with the dirt, that would help, but it is not necessary).
Joshua: Ok. I’m sure most of us would be able to find a bit of good soil somewhere in our yards. Now Markie, where should this pyramid of dirt be?
Markie: Inside the hole, maybe about 6-8 inches from the top. Then you spread the roots out over the pyramid. Fill the dirt back in over top of the roots.
Joshua: I also heard that it might be good to water the tree with perhaps a gallon of water when the level of the dirt is about 3-4 inches from the top. Is this a good idea?
Markie: Yes. Then add a little more dirt and stamp it in firmly. Smaller feet can stamp it better. Add more dirt and then
push it down again. Make sure there is a small ditch around the base of the tree so the water can get caught there for the tree.
Joshua: Excellent Markie. I’m beginning to think this may be a fairly simple process.
Markie: To protect you tree from deer, mice, and other little things, get a big thing of chicken wire (unless you are only going to plant one). Wrap chicken wire around the apple tree and use 4 foot rebar to stake the chicken wire into the ground.
Joshua: Now what would you recommend to deter the smaller rodents. Like mice, and moles, and other little creatures?
Markie: Put 1-2 feet of black pipe (Joshua: oh, the corrugated black plastic pipe? Markie: Yes) around the bottom of the tree. This will keep those little animals away.
Joshua: Oh, thank you! As far as upkeep for the newly planted tree – what would you recommend?
Markie: Every week, you should water the tree (pond water, river water, or even water from your house will do).
Joshua: Well I think we should be able to do that! Thank you very much Markie for the timely advice.
Markie: Enjoy your apple trees. Take care.
This has been an interview with up and coming orchardist, Markie Wilkes. Thank you for taking the time to read and be sure to check back in later for more ‘news from Markie.’
Wow, what a knowledgable orchardist! I am honored to say that our family is going to have the privilege of hosting such a gifted individual next week. Looking forward to it! By the way, don’t forget to keep up the ping-pong practice.
We are having quite a few good volleys!
What a great interview! I’ll have to remember some of these good tips from Mr. Up-and-coming orchardist!
Have you noticed how the Bible makes so many analogies to the planting and growing of a tree? A favorite, of course, is Psalm 1, where a man who delights in the law of the Lord is like a tree planted by a river. As it absorbs a continual supply of water (the Word), the leaves of the tree do not wither but instead break forth in prosperity!
Markie, I like your excitement for life! It was really fun hearing you tell me how to plant an apple tree. But what I really appreciate about you is your eagerness to learn. That is bearing fruit. Jesus never liked fruitless trees, and you aren’t one. The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise (Prov. 15:31).
Thank you Markie for your words of wisdom! I really enjoyed reading your insights into planting apple trees.
Keep being attentive and applying yourself to everything the Lord calls you to do from planting apple trees to being diligent in your household chores. The Lord will bless it!!
Well Mark, sounds like you’ve got a fantastic start! You must have been a good listener to learn all of that. Where was it that you planted those trees? I didn’t know you had a lake on your land. One thing I must say about that last picture (just for the readers if you already know): it is absolutely essential to cut that whip of a tree about in half, just above a bud, or it’ll never be what it needs to be. The top growth must be in balance with the root system which has gone through a lot in the transplanting process, plus, in order to eventually hold a load of fruit you have to restrict some of the linear growth in comparrison to the trunk and branch diameter. Keep up the good work! It is exciting to see your progress. What you have just done sounds a lot like what God did for Israel in Psalm 80. May your trees take deep root and fill the land!
Excellent observation Michael. The “lake” is actually the a portion of the Potomac River as it heads out to the Atlantic Ocean. We planted an apple tree (a Kidd’s Orange Red) at our Grandparent’s cottage on this part of the Potomac a couple weekends ago (hence the water in the background). I thought we made mention of it in the post but it looks like we forgot too.
The pruning tip you mentioned is a valuable one. Grandma said they went out and cut their beautiful whip down to about 3 feet with a brand new pair of clippers to ensure a good clean cut! That is sure a hard thing to do.