​How Frostproof’s Orchard Supply Will Help You Every Step of the Way

We here at Frostproof are all about making the life of orchard owners and managers as easy as possible. We know that keeping an orchard is a big deal, and while a harvest might be the busiest time of year, it’s far from the only time that an orchard needs to be cared for.

Frostproof is here to provide orchard supplies for every part of a plant’s life. After all, livelihoods rest on the health of a tree making it from sapling to fruit producer, and we’re ready to make sure that happens by offering everything you need!

Planting and Growing

Okay, first we have to get the tree right where it needs to be. You might be using a traditional shovel, or maybe you’re using some sort of heavy equipment. (We can provide the first, not the second!) Make sure you have tree tags ready if you have multiple breeds of fruit trees so that you can keep track of and compare growth rates.

Once the tree is in the ground, how do you protect it? How do you make it grow faster? How do you make sure you’re making the most of the water and fertilizer that you’re giving it? We’d like to suggest Tree-T-Pees. These amazing little contraptions are black cones that surround the base of young trees, protecting the lowest part. Because water and fertilizer are applied directly to the area surrounding the sapling’s root bundle, there’s not nearly as much evaporation or run-off. This means you’re saving up to 90% of the water and fertilizer, because it’s all staying exactly where you need it. Not only are you saving water, but you’re also saving fuel by running the pumps considerably less. Oh, and since there’s no overspray of fertilizer, you’re not fertilizing the weeds and you’ll need less herbicide.

The black color of Tree-T-Pees also works to collect heat during the day, raising temperatures at the tree by up to 10-degrees Fahrenheit. This turns the ground at the tree’s roots into a little sauna, which hastens tree growth by up to 30%. Wouldn't it be nice to have trees producing years earlier?

Tree-T-Pees tend to pay for themselves in just one or two years, and they’re reusable over tree generations. If you’re not ready to switch to them completely, why not try out a few rows with this amazing orchard supply? We bet you’ll love them and be back next time you put some fruit trees in the ground.

Pruning

Shaping trees can be a big deal in an orchard, and we have the loppers and saws to make it happen.

When trying to make the most use of space, trees are often crowded into a small area. Unfortunately, this cuts down on the amount of wind and sun that trees in the middle get, which can lead to shade-loving fungus growth. By thinning out the interior of trees, wind and sunlight can get to the interior of trees and reduce the likelihood of pathogens sticking around.

Pruning can also be important in order to shape a tree for easier harvesting. As a tree grows taller, the fruit ends up getting out of reach. Instead of investing in even taller ladders (which increases worker fall problems), pruning can encourage a tree to go out instead of up.

Grafting

Some orchards never need grafting, while some wouldn’t exist without it! For instance, without grafting, navel orange production would cease since the fruit itself is seedless (sterile) and can only survive thanks to grafting.

That’s not the only reason to graft, of course. Sometimes scions are attached to rootstocks that do better in a particular kind of soil. Other times the rootstock allows trees to remain lower to the ground, making harvesting easier. Damaged trees can also be repaired with grafts in order to make the ultimate use of available space.

No matter your need for grafting, Frostproof has the budding and grafting orchard supplies you need right here.

Leaf and Fruit Protection

Protecting your harvest means more fruit going to market, which means a better year all around. Unfortunately blights, fungi, and insects can all try to step in and destroy an entire season’s crop.

Yes, it would be nice if we lived in a world where we didn’t have to worry about something coming in to destroy our food, but we’re not living in that world. Spraying is a necessity, whether you’re using herbicides of pesticides. Frostproof carries both pump and powered sprayers to help you protect your trees and their leaves. We also carry a full line of protective equipment to make sure the people spraying stay safe.

Harvest

The tree has survived years of growing and the fruit is ready to be picked! Now’s the time to bring in the harvesters and give them the tools to get the fruit to market with the best harvesting tools around.

Start with high-quality harvest shears and fruit clippers. While some fruit can be pulled off by hand, others really want to cling on. Pulling too hard can strip the bark, so make sure you get clippers that are sharp, repairable, and ergonomically sound so that harvesting can go as quickly as possible.

Of course, the fruit has to get from the trees to the trucks somehow, and that usually means having sturdy picking bags at the ready. We carry both Cordura and vinyl picking bags in capacities from 45 pounds all the way up to 100 pounds. These bags are made to be as comfortable as possible so that the pickers can make the most of their time.

Trust In Frostproof For Your Orchard Supplies

Frostproof is there for your trees from beginning to end, because we want your orchard to be as healthy as possible. No matter whether you’re planting, protecting, or harvesting the fruits of years of labor, the orchard tools and supplies we carry can help make your job a whole lot easier and safer. Click on those links above to find exactly what you’re looking for!