Old Southern Apples Video

The first video from our apple road trip to North Carolina and Virginia is up on YouTube; click on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSltvzCEdNA to see the first of three parts of my interview with C. Lee Calhoun, author of Old Southern Apples, discussing Lee’s efforts to locate, catalog, and bring back into cultivation apple varieties that were grown in the South over the last 200 years.  Lee and his wife Edith are treasures as are the apples they have tirelessly worked to save.

3 Responses

  1. I’m looking for information on between rows spacing of oblique cordons. In the video you guys talked about the oblique cordon system, but not between row spacings. It looks like maybe 5 to 6 feet from the video. I’m trying to figure out what I can get away with as well as what anyone with experience would consider an ideal between rows spacing because I have a pre-existing infrastructure that I may be able to use. I’d be much obliged for any information relating to this aspect as I’m unable to find a single reference so far. Thanks, your work seems very valuable!

    • Yes, it was around 6′; I’ve seen wider, but it has more to do with fitting the mower between the rows.

      The rows always run north and south.

  2. Ok, thanks for that. I’m sure there’s a practical limit to the between rows spacing in terms of the tree density/fruit returns ratio and I’d be curious so know what that is. I suppose its inversely proportional to the trellis height The area is actually SW to NE running and that has to do with the contour of the land which would be difficult to change. There are already terraced beds set up that could be used for about a 9 to 10 foot spacing if I plant every other bed. That seems like enough space to get adequate light in there and I’ll just plan to inter-crop some low growing blueberries and/or other shade tolerant small fruits on the terraced beds in between the apple rows.

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