We could save a lot more trees if more homeowners realize the potential in effective pruning. I friend of mine wanted to chop down their beautiful willow tree. I pruned the hell out of it and now they love it in their backyard. It just takes a little upkeep!
MonoiLuv I had an 80 ft weeping willow that got hit with lightening and a month later fell over on my house. Apparently it had caught on fire on the inside.
I love willows, and people REALLY don't know how to take care of them. They let them go crazy and cut powerlines so the tree ends up getting destroyed. I so want a willow tree in my place, it's a real shame how badly they get treated!
I have a lime tree, lemon tree and an avocado tree on my property and I prune them to keep them arms length. I don’t let them skyrocket into giant trees that produce unreachable fruit and leave waste for rodents and pests. I love my three fruit trees and they have produced just enough for my family for years.
Do u know what's in ur back yard? :) lol Woooooo My baby loquat tree is very happy I have 55 gallon fish tank I have maple wood,live rock coral reefs, glass green moss sand on bottom mistquos in fish tank.., & bottom trunk is breathing plenty. That's how i water my fruit trees! :) lol Stright to the top! Jack in the bean stock! lol
If you get lots of fruit you should try fermenting the juice to make alcohol. It's super fun. I make cider that's pretty good but it's also fun to try other things. Last yearI turned 25kg of carrots into 3 litres of what I called Carrot Champagne. It was super gross but a fun experiment.
Almond Brazil nut Cashew Apple Pear Orange Mango Mangosteen Pomegranate Avocado Cherry Banana Coconut Dates (I’d love to grow these myself, but I can’t because of my climate (northern Netherlands, zone 8.) i shouldn’t grow things like mango, avocado, mangosteen, cashews etc)
More varieties of citrus! How amazing would it be to have your own mini citrus grove and then you could maybe try grafting? This would be years in the future obviously but such a fun project!
It's not really a tree, but I'd like to see you grow grape vines. We are just starting grapes (also in zone 10), so it would be helpful to see how it's done. P.S. I love that your loquat is home to a hive of honey bees!
Love your content...only suggestion would be that when you make your cuts that you cut them at an angle with the downward side toward the outside of the tree so water will run off and to the outside...not puddle in the center. Make sure that cuts aren't too close to the main trunk or too far away. Find a happy medium so that when the cuts heal they look like an elephant's knee. Dead and dieing first and never more than 30% per year. We had a Loquat tree in our yard when I was a kid. Loved them. Thanks for all that you share. Would love to see info on succulents. As for tree varieties...all things citrus, including Avocado. Also stone fruits...Peach, Apricot, Nectarine. I'd go with the semi dwarf size...full size fruit on a smaller tree...easier to reach when picking and more room for more trees.
Can someone please explain what it means that the final resultant trunk-cut should “look like an elephant knee”?? Does that mean the *height* of the cut trunk should be at elephant-knee height? Or that as the cut ages, it should look *wrinkled* like an elephant knee?? Or something else? I would like to understand and google doesn’t answer me (lol) when I ask. :)
@@jessicadentalaid4728 a tree will heal over a wound, you want the angle of the cut slanted to allow water to run off, as the wound heals... it'll envelope the cut, if it's flat. it's never really going to envelope that knob... but if it's cut close/but not exactly at the trunk... the wound should heal in a nice blob as the heal moves upward and over the cut. The way was explained to me, if you think of branches like arms of the tree, you don't want to cut them off at like the bicep or elbow and get a stump, you want to amputate at the shoulder, and get a nubbin. this site might show some images/have info that explains it in more detail extension.msstate.edu/publications/understanding-pruning-and-injury-wounds-fruit-trees
A bee swarm! How cool is that! I was taught that when you cut branches and trunks and are left with a good size cut mark (like the two dead trunks you cut out), you should cut at a slight angle so that the leftover stump is slightly angled. This will keep rainwater and its potential contaminates from soaking into the wood and potentially causing disease. In your case, the wood was already dead, but the rotting wood could eventually work its way into the roots of the live tree. Hope that makes sense. I still can’t get over that mini bee swarm. Love it!
Look at that swarm! Maybe you could call a local beekeeper and find out how to best house or protect them. Great to know you have a pollinator population nearby!
Not to be a downer but honey bees aren't good to see around as they are non-native to the U.S. and compete with native bees and other native pollinators and they transmit diseases to native bees as well.
@@baddriversofcolga We can't really tell at a glance what they are though, the image really wasn't clear enough for you to see if they were honey bees or not. But yes! People are obsessed with honey bees because of that garbage bee movie, but honey bees are horrible for the environment! Get an expert out, let them take a look :)
Hi Kevin, I've just read that some Loquat varieties require 2 trees for pollination. This could possibly explain why you have 2 trees planted close together
Hey Kevin, just wanted to give you a little advice on the pruning. When pruning limbs try to get them flush with the branch that way they can properly form a callus and prevent possible tree rot. Also maybe a good note to point out when pruning, adding to what you said about removing the dead from the tree, you can also go through the tree and cut anything that is shooting down from a branch as it really isn't benefiting the tree at all. I like the big decisions you had to make to shape the tree and really have learned a lot from your channel, keep up the good work!
@@epichomesteading I've always been taught to get close to the collar as possible but I'm doing more research at the moment and looks like depending on how big the branch is you adjust the distance from the collar. Which is something new I just learned and I was an apprentice arborist as a previous career.
On a broadleaf evergreen get as close to the branch bark ridge and branch collar as possible while attempting to make the smallest diameter cut possible. Some deciduous trees, like maples, require a 'die back' zone to prevent desication of the nearest budwood, but there isn't a 'fruit' tree I'm aware of that doesn't benefit from a close clean cut.
Hi Kevin, The tree looks so much nicer. I believe that a lot of people don't know, that all of the super low growth, that will never produce of anything but leaves.....drains energy away from the other areas of a tree that can put the energy to good use. The other great point that you mentioned is every plant should have good air flow! Have a blessed day. 😊 P.S. Have you ever heard of Martinelli's Cider or Juice? I live where they produce this wonderful product!
Wow, you did a lot of work there. My husband takes care of the oak tree in our back yard. Sometimes I think he went a little overboard in the pruning, but after several bad storms and hurricanes, it’s still standing. I’d love to have a fig tree here as figs grow nicely here in the Tidewater area of Virginia. But they can be very messy, too. Enjoy your loquat tree!
Please forgive me if you already knew this, but I wanted to make sure you know mature loquat leaves are useful as tea. I've also had good results using chopped fallen loquat leaves as mulch in planters and containers. Thank you for making informative, fun videos.
I just discovered we have a huge loquat tree in the backyard and we've never watered it and it still produces fruit. The tree doesn't die lol. We barely get any rain fall here in so cal too.
Next you will be beekeeping! I enjoy your videos even though you have a different planting zone from me. I can use the principles and handy hints. Thanks!
So satisfying watching this. In my head, all I was thinking was.... That tree is thanking you so much right now! Don't be surprised if you get way more than 300!
I can't wait for the episode where the bees are being cared for/moved into a new home or something :) Nice surprise and cool that you didn't ... you know... get rid of them.
@@epichomesteading If I remember correctly you are already setting up some homes for helping insects in the new garden. I'm sure you'll have new ones soon :)
How lucky! A bee haven! Thank you for showing how to prune the tree. This is has been something I've been too hesitant to do myself but watching you do it makes it feel more accessible. For the paint, is this just the case where the tree is sun-exposed and heat-exposed? Or would you do it for winter/early-spring prunings as well?
Great vid as always. For the IV Organic whitewash, I usually just use a bit of the powder and oil at a time, since the can is enough for several trees. I learned that if I mix everything at once, they go bad eventually and they go to waste.
Loquat tree in Spanish is called Nispero. I ate lots in Carlsbad at Magnolia Elementary school parking lot! If you are in North County, you can call the Prince of Peace Abbey in Oceanside. Ask for Brother Blaise, the bee-keeper. He'll take care of that colony in formation for you like he did at my house. I donated my Izuzu Trooper to him 13 years ago. Good luck!
Nice job on the pruning, looks great! I got stung by a bee yesterday while turning my compost. Eek! I remember you talking about insect housing in another video. It would be fun to see you do something with a home for the bees maybe?
Hey Kev, If you have any more suckers growing you could try air layering to propagate them? If not some of the branches near the tippy-top may be better candidates with a better success rate anyway since that's where most of the growth is focused on the tree as opposed to the crowded out bottom ones.
Great video! Thank you for all this excellent content. I have a young crabapple that I think I need to prune to prevent catching wind in a storm, but I'm worried it's too early. Bracing it and staking it as much as I can for the stormy season here in GA.
That tree looks incredibly good now!! Side note, I can’t wait to see how the fencing all turns out!! All the different types are driving me nuts lol and I don’t even live there!!
⚠️video idea!! If you plant avocados or trees with soft branches or young trees. A video on weighing the branches down with weights⚠️ this will still allow the trees to grow but keeps the branches low so you can pick fruit! They do this at the local avocado farms. I don’t see much on this technique when it comes to fruit trees. The weights are like metal washers tied on with string just adding i little more weight as needed to train the branches to grown downward. Congratulations on your home purchase so exciting to watch you grow with your home.👍🏼🌷🌷
Hey Kevin! Awesome watching your adventure, any thoughts on Moringa trees? Or integrating the permaculture forest design? Is that your intentions with the orchard? Thank you for all you shared wisdom!
I understand cuttings off moringa trees make great compost and mulch cover, some folks use them for chop-and-drop companions to fruit trees, along with all the other edible uses for those trees.
@@nagasvoice8895 I've kept them in because I figure I can always move (taproot) also small and it puts off those delicious leaves I put on pizza all the time!!
Your homestead ideas are great. Wish I had known 'then' what I know now 😄 Fun to fine a hive of bees too. I am sharing an 'urban food forest' channel I have learned a ton from. Hope that's cool. James Prigioni's The Garden Channel. Keep up the great job. Oh and BTW there will ALWAYS be unexpected homeowner expenses. Ugh... ❤️
When is the best time of year / best weather to plant a loquat? I'm in zone 7, western Maryland, which is the low end of the hardiness range for loquats.
Could you post about tree care as in fertilizer or soil amendments. We moved into an under-cared place with a loquat tree i want to thrive and wondering how to?
Kevin, question for ya. I have a dwarf pear tree. Last year it had plenty of fruit on it but sadly squirrels or birds ate them all before they were large enough to pick. This year only one side of the tree sprouted leaves and no fruit at all. The other side has bare branches:( I was wondering if I should prune the side that isn't growing anything? It's a fairly small tree still so I was kind of scared to do so. Thanks for taking the time to read this. You're awesome and gorgeous!! Stay epic:) -Cheryl from Maryland-
Good video! I have an old apple tree that needs some good attention as well, but will involve pole saws, chainsaws and a second pair of hands. Should be fun! Cheers and keep the videos coming!
I would cut the loquat lower so that I wouldn’t need a ladder to harvest most of the fruit. You can get a loquat that has been grafted onto dwarfing stock so that the tree remains more within bounds .
Hey, I left some ideas for your fence, on your other channel. It is under 5 Ways to Harvest More. Please keep in mind that I was thinking outside of the usual box. Have a nice evening.
I have 2 loquat trees that I started by saving seeds from fruits that a friend gave me from her tree...it’s been about 7 years and they are now 6-7 ft high trees in very large pots...I have never gotten fruit yet...what can I do to get fruit? -New Smyrna Beach, FL zone 9b
I have a loquat tree thats about 20ft tall. The base is a bit over a foot in diameter. I hate how tall it is, i cannot get to the fruit with my 8' ladder. Any way to get it to start branching lower if i cut the top off gradually?
A little bee nest. That is pretty good. Maybe inform for a bee farm. Maybe you could get them in a better home, while they pollinate your garden (and others), as well as that you could het your own honey
I have a pretty full apple (not sure what type) tree next to my driveway and it has fruited both years I've been in the house. Am I looking at a similar technique or should I do a deep dive into the type of tree and such (which I may do, just haven't gotten that far with it)?
We bought a home with several fruit trees. We ultimately gave up the loquat. It was just to tall & production just couldn’t be harvested in a timely manor to keep flies at bay.
The bees seem pretty friendly since they let you get so close without stinging, they definitely look Africanized though judging by the darker coloration and smaller swarm size but it's hard to tell. Kinda reminds me of the gentle Africanized colonies in Puerto Rico
Thanks for your video, Kevin. Can you or someone else with fruit tree experience in a zone 9+ area weight in on pruning over the summer? I recently inherited about 20 fruit trees of varying size and have a learning curve on my hands. I did some Very light, mostly cosmetic, pruning to a couple of citrus trees about a month ago. The cuttings sparked a crop of fresh leaves that seem to have attracted more insects.... some online research that I’ve since come across recommends waiting until fall to do pruning of any scale for sake of the tree’s health. Anyone else hear this?
@@epichomesteading Brilliant. Thanks for the reply and I’ll be looking forward. It’s hard to know how and when to be ‘seasonally appropriate’ when gardening in California where the temps are about the same all year. Sigh... that said, your jump from small to large scale gardening is especially meaningful to me as I moved from an apt to a house on 1/3 acre about 2 months ago. I’m getting lots of inspiration from your journey. Cheers
Growing up my family always eat loquat fruit but i thought they tasted gross even though i never tasted them did the same thing with strawberries, but i always knew they were good for diabetes since we always bought them for my grandma. As i grew older we finally bought a home after living 21 years in an apartment since i was a newborn. The new home we have lived in for 3 years now and the layout was weird and confusing its a corner house the house and the garage are separate so theres brick tiles in between where we entertain with barbecue a 6 chair table really heavy made of granite my mom received it for free even space for dancing or more tables my family loves partying last one was my grandmas birthday with mariachis she got emotional. Anyway on the back of the garage theres a grass area that goes to the other side of the garage as well. I noticed my neighbor had a loquat tree with fruit so i went up to the fence and got one i tasted it but it was bitter not good. Weeks later i walked my doberman bruno so i went up and tasted them they were so good kinda like a peach, pear, plum even a mango taste.so i got a few fruit with my sister since i took some home and everyone liked them so much. i wanted to speak with the homeowner but this was at the beginning of covid so pretty risky. I had plenty of seeds so i went home and planted them.lost a few because they didn't liked were they were placed. Once i moved them they all grew now i have so many i need to transplant them. Of course gonna gift some to family members and neighbors they're so kind with us. Ive bought 6 varieties of banana trees plus 2 as gifts from eBay sellers.3 Pomegranate trees need one more wonderful to even them out and one blueberry need one more to cross pollinate i read they do better having different varieties and acidic soil or they'll die recommend peat moss. I have always loved gardening and this new property needs a lot of work but I'm happy that one day in the future ill be harvesting bananas, blueberries, pomegranates, apples, pears , mangos, strawberries, loquats herbs, literraly growing my own food in my own property organic and delicious. Just a passionate gardener to another.
My family and I just found ourselves the owners of a 100+ year old avocado tree. Anyone got any advice on where to learn to care for a tree that old and that MASSIVE?
local certified arborist, or rare fruit growers associations. California has many chapters, some in nearby states, and their members are enthusiastic about working with new gardeners. crfg.org/ is the statewide group.
Have a similar problem with my loquat. Seems to have multiple trunks. It is very similar in size to your trees. Why does it seem you may have kept 2 trees?
At the moment I’m growing 5 (maybe it will be 6) apricot trees, I made a crossbreed between a Greek and Spanish variety. I’m wondering what will happen.
What I learned is that you should never leave tree stump.. it should be cut close. and the branches that grown facing the inside should be cut off, so the sun can go inside easily
Make sure you are not over watering your lime tree. Telltale is leaves turning yellow before falling off. The recommendations I see for watering established trees is a slow deep soak once a week, though that may vary upon your soil drainage.
I think you applied IV Organic wrong. You should have painted the whole tree, from ground to first branches and not only the part that was cut. There is official IV Organic videos that show how it is done.
Kevin, I love your videos but watching you prune that loquat tree made me cringe with each cut. I also cringed when you applied that white stuff to the cut ends. The tree produces a seal on the inside of that cut to prevent any infection from entering the wood of the tree IF it's cut correctly. Trees in general have compartments, kinda like a ship. It's known as Compartmentalization of Decay in Trees (CODIT). Trees literally form chemicals walls to inhibit the movement of decay. So when you're pruning, you want to follow how the tree would wall off decay, which is at the collar. You'll want to begin your cut at the branch bark ridge (on the top where the branch uprises from the trunk) and end your cut at the collar so it will angle out. You definitely do not want to cut the branch flush with the trunk. Doing that will in essence breach that watertight seal. If you do your cut correctly, after about a year or so, you'll notice a 'donut' of callous that will form which is the tree's bandaid if you will. Seeing that callous means that the tree was able to limit the decay from that pruning wound. When you pruned your tree, you left stubs which can become infected. Cutting with the blade side closest to the trunk will help get the right angle. In regards to the pruning sealer, there are no bandaids for trees. Wound sealers do not inhibit decay. In fact, they actually provide a better surface for decay to being. The tree will seal it from the inside if pruned correctly. I did like that you're pruning now during the summer. Tree wound response is faster. I say this because I'm currently taking a Master Gardener course through SDSU extension (South Dakota, not the Aztecs) and will be done in a couple of weeks. I'm always learning new things too, so thanks for your great ideas. Since you just made your cuts yesterday, it may not be too late to correctly make your cuts. And please don't use any sealer. Mabuhay!
We could save a lot more trees if more homeowners realize the potential in effective pruning.
I friend of mine wanted to chop down their beautiful willow tree. I pruned the hell out of it and now they love it in their backyard. It just takes a little upkeep!
I have also done the same for friends' trees!
I could NOT agree more!
MonoiLuv I had an 80 ft weeping willow that got hit with lightening and a month later fell over on my house. Apparently it had caught on fire on the inside.
@@guylamullins3602 what the f###
I love willows, and people REALLY don't know how to take care of them. They let them go crazy and cut powerlines so the tree ends up getting destroyed. I so want a willow tree in my place, it's a real shame how badly they get treated!
I have a lime tree, lemon tree and an avocado tree on my property and I prune them to keep them arms length. I don’t let them skyrocket into giant trees that produce unreachable fruit and leave waste for rodents and pests. I love my three fruit trees and they have produced just enough for my family for years.
Exactly what I'm gonna do
10/10 A + THUMPS UP! :) LOL Wooooo
Do u know what's in ur back yard? :) lol Woooooo My baby loquat tree is very happy I have 55 gallon fish tank I have maple wood,live rock coral reefs, glass green moss sand on bottom mistquos in fish tank.., & bottom trunk is breathing plenty. That's how i water my fruit trees! :) lol Stright to the top! Jack in the bean stock! lol
It's a good omen that there's a loquat at my new place, too! Let me know what other trees you'd like to see me grow at the Epic Urban Homestead.
If you get lots of fruit you should try fermenting the juice to make alcohol. It's super fun. I make cider that's pretty good but it's also fun to try other things. Last yearI turned 25kg of carrots into 3 litres of what I called Carrot Champagne. It was super gross but a fun experiment.
Almond
Brazil nut
Cashew
Apple
Pear
Orange
Mango
Mangosteen
Pomegranate
Avocado
Cherry
Banana
Coconut
Dates
(I’d love to grow these myself, but I can’t because of my climate (northern Netherlands, zone 8.) i shouldn’t grow things like mango, avocado, mangosteen, cashews etc)
More varieties of citrus! How amazing would it be to have your own mini citrus grove and then you could maybe try grafting? This would be years in the future obviously but such a fun project!
It's not really a tree, but I'd like to see you grow grape vines. We are just starting grapes (also in zone 10), so it would be helpful to see how it's done. P.S. I love that your loquat is home to a hive of honey bees!
How about mango, cherry, citrus, banana, and/or lychee? There are many great varieties of each that are great. Love the vids btw. 😊
Love your content...only suggestion would be that when you make your cuts that you cut them at an angle with the downward side toward the outside of the tree so water will run off and to the outside...not puddle in the center. Make sure that cuts aren't too close to the main trunk or too far away. Find a happy medium so that when the cuts heal they look like an elephant's knee. Dead and dieing first and never more than 30% per year. We had a Loquat tree in our yard when I was a kid. Loved them. Thanks for all that you share. Would love to see info on succulents.
As for tree varieties...all things citrus, including Avocado. Also stone fruits...Peach, Apricot, Nectarine. I'd go with the semi dwarf size...full size fruit on a smaller tree...easier to reach when picking and more room for more trees.
Yup, fantastic detail there I should have mentioned that!
Can someone please explain what it means that the final resultant trunk-cut should “look like an elephant knee”?? Does that mean the *height* of the cut trunk should be at elephant-knee height? Or that as the cut ages, it should look *wrinkled* like an elephant knee?? Or something else? I would like to understand and google doesn’t answer me (lol) when I ask. :)
@@jessicadentalaid4728 a tree will heal over a wound, you want the angle of the cut slanted to allow water to run off, as the wound heals... it'll envelope the cut, if it's flat. it's never really going to envelope that knob... but if it's cut close/but not exactly at the trunk... the wound should heal in a nice blob as the heal moves upward and over the cut. The way was explained to me, if you think of branches like arms of the tree, you don't want to cut them off at like the bicep or elbow and get a stump, you want to amputate at the shoulder, and get a nubbin. this site might show some images/have info that explains it in more detail extension.msstate.edu/publications/understanding-pruning-and-injury-wounds-fruit-trees
I love this! My grandma had a loquat tree in the backyard. I have many fond memories of climbing that tree and hanging out up there.
A bee swarm! How cool is that! I was taught that when you cut branches and trunks and are left with a good size cut mark (like the two dead trunks you cut out), you should cut at a slight angle so that the leftover stump is slightly angled. This will keep rainwater and its potential contaminates from soaking into the wood and potentially causing disease. In your case, the wood was already dead, but the rotting wood could eventually work its way into the roots of the live tree. Hope that makes sense. I still can’t get over that mini bee swarm. Love it!
Look at that swarm! Maybe you could call a local beekeeper and find out how to best house or protect them. Great to know you have a pollinator population nearby!
I have a friend nearby!
Not to be a downer but honey bees aren't good to see around as they are non-native to the U.S. and compete with native bees and other native pollinators and they transmit diseases to native bees as well.
@@baddriversofcolga We can't really tell at a glance what they are though, the image really wasn't clear enough for you to see if they were honey bees or not.
But yes! People are obsessed with honey bees because of that garbage bee movie, but honey bees are horrible for the environment!
Get an expert out, let them take a look :)
so cool to just leave them bee!
Pro tip: watch movies on Flixzone. I've been using it for watching all kinds of movies lately.
Hi Kevin, I've just read that some Loquat varieties require 2 trees for pollination. This could possibly explain why you have 2 trees planted close together
Hey Kevin, just wanted to give you a little advice on the pruning. When pruning limbs try to get them flush with the branch that way they can properly form a callus and prevent possible tree rot. Also maybe a good note to point out when pruning, adding to what you said about removing the dead from the tree, you can also go through the tree and cut anything that is shooting down from a branch as it really isn't benefiting the tree at all. I like the big decisions you had to make to shape the tree and really have learned a lot from your channel, keep up the good work!
I was trying to be about 1" off the branch bark collar for the correct scabbing, but I may be mistaken?
@@epichomesteading I've always been taught to get close to the collar as possible but I'm doing more research at the moment and looks like depending on how big the branch is you adjust the distance from the collar. Which is something new I just learned and I was an apprentice arborist as a previous career.
On a broadleaf evergreen get as close to the branch bark ridge and branch collar as possible while attempting to make the smallest diameter cut possible. Some deciduous trees, like maples, require a 'die back' zone to prevent desication of the nearest budwood, but there isn't a 'fruit' tree I'm aware of that doesn't benefit from a close clean cut.
Hi Kevin, The tree looks so much nicer. I believe that a lot of people don't know, that all of the super low growth, that will never produce of anything but leaves.....drains energy away from the other areas of a tree that can put the energy to good use. The other great point that you mentioned is every plant should have good air flow! Have a blessed day. 😊
P.S. Have you ever heard of Martinelli's Cider or Juice? I live where they produce this wonderful product!
Totally agree...I LOVE MARTINELLIS!
Wow, you did a lot of work there. My husband takes care of the oak tree in our back yard. Sometimes I think he went a little overboard in the pruning, but after several bad storms and hurricanes, it’s still standing. I’d love to have a fig tree here as figs grow nicely here in the Tidewater area of Virginia. But they can be very messy, too. Enjoy your loquat tree!
Tree looks SO much happier! Did you use that whole can of tree paint? If not, how long will it keep?
The beautiful bees!!!!! That tree safe white wash looks amazing. All the ingredients sound good.
Please forgive me if you already knew this, but I wanted to make sure you know mature loquat leaves are useful as tea.
I've also had good results using chopped fallen loquat leaves as mulch in planters and containers.
Thank you for making informative, fun videos.
I'm sure the trees feel so much better. They look so healthy now. Can't wait to see your first harvest.
Also, having pollinators is an amazing plus! 🐝
I just discovered we have a huge loquat tree in the backyard and we've never watered it and it still produces fruit. The tree doesn't die lol. We barely get any rain fall here in so cal too.
Next you will be beekeeping! I enjoy your videos even though you have a different planting zone from me. I can use the principles and handy hints. Thanks!
So stoked on this channel! Even if it isn’t something directly related to what I’m working on, you always provide great information! 🙏🏻
So satisfying watching this. In my head, all I was thinking was.... That tree is thanking you so much right now! Don't be surprised if you get way more than 300!
I can't wait for the episode where the bees are being cared for/moved into a new home or something :)
Nice surprise and cool that you didn't ... you know... get rid of them.
Unfortunately they left in the AM :(
@@epichomesteading If I remember correctly you are already setting up some homes for helping insects in the new garden. I'm sure you'll have new ones soon :)
@@epichomesteading Oh interesting. Maybe all that pruning made them feel too exposed?
Bonus little bee swarm! Enjoyed this video Kevin. 🐝💛
The idea that trees get sunburn makes sense but also blows my mind. Next time could you do a up close comparison of the not sunburn vs. sunburn?
How lucky! A bee haven! Thank you for showing how to prune the tree. This is has been something I've been too hesitant to do myself but watching you do it makes it feel more accessible. For the paint, is this just the case where the tree is sun-exposed and heat-exposed? Or would you do it for winter/early-spring prunings as well?
Great vid as always. For the IV Organic whitewash, I usually just use a bit of the powder and oil at a time, since the can is enough for several trees. I learned that if I mix everything at once, they go bad eventually and they go to waste.
Good point!
I was thinking that when he mixed it. Since they came separate stands to reason you would mix what you need.
I thought it would be painted on the cuts AND the exposed trunks, not just the biggest cuts.
Marcia Rae , maybe he just showed us the bigger ones. I believe he said he put the stuff on for sun protection. Maybe those were the exposed ones?
super helpful...I just bought a house and have no idea what to do with an overgrown fruit tree. Thank you very much
You are so welcome!
Loquat tree in Spanish is called Nispero. I ate lots in Carlsbad at Magnolia Elementary school parking lot!
If you are in North County, you can call the Prince of Peace Abbey in Oceanside. Ask for Brother Blaise, the bee-keeper. He'll take care of that colony in formation for you like he did at my house. I donated my Izuzu Trooper to him 13 years ago. Good luck!
Awesome video!! Have been waiting for something like this thanks for the good info.
Nice job on the pruning, looks great! I got stung by a bee yesterday while turning my compost. Eek! I remember you talking about insect housing in another video. It would be fun to see you do something with a home for the bees maybe?
Hey Kev, If you have any more suckers growing you could try air layering to propagate them? If not some of the branches near the tippy-top may be better candidates with a better success rate anyway since that's where most of the growth is focused on the tree as opposed to the crowded out bottom ones.
I think he was wanting to reduce the number of fruit and not increase it. Unless he propogates them for sale of which you need a license for.
Yeah, definitely could but honestly just a time vs. need issue
Good job - it looks so much better! Is there a reason you didn't cut the 2 larger branches closer to the bottom?
Just personal pref!
Love the channel and have learned a bunch! Keep it up and tons of love for this adventure.
Glad to hear it!
And now you have a swarm to start your bee hive! Woo Hoo!
Love your pruning videos 🙂
Look forward to seeing the next step in your new journey
Thank you so much
Great video! Thank you for all this excellent content. I have a young crabapple that I think I need to prune to prevent catching wind in a storm, but I'm worried it's too early. Bracing it and staking it as much as I can for the stormy season here in GA.
That tree looks incredibly good now!! Side note, I can’t wait to see how the fencing all turns out!! All the different types are driving me nuts lol and I don’t even live there!!
⚠️video idea!! If you plant avocados or trees with soft branches or young trees. A video on weighing the branches down with weights⚠️ this will still allow the trees to grow but keeps the branches low so you can pick fruit! They do this at the local avocado farms. I don’t see much on this technique when it comes to fruit trees. The weights are like metal washers tied on with string just adding i little more weight as needed to train the branches to grown downward. Congratulations on your home purchase so exciting to watch you grow with your home.👍🏼🌷🌷
Thanks we have a loquat tree...love the fruit and the look of the tree but so much dry dead branches each year
Hey Kevin! Awesome watching your adventure, any thoughts on Moringa trees? Or integrating the permaculture forest design? Is that your intentions with the orchard? Thank you for all you shared wisdom!
I understand cuttings off moringa trees make great compost and mulch cover, some folks use them for chop-and-drop companions to fruit trees, along with all the other edible uses for those trees.
@@nagasvoice8895 they do... But the seeds are so potent!! I wasn't careful and now have 7 trees growing throughout in raised beds. 🤣
@@justinlavalette6961 Ooof, I didn't know that! Good to know, thank you.
@@nagasvoice8895 I've kept them in because I figure I can always move (taproot) also small and it puts off those delicious leaves I put on pizza all the time!!
Are the borers from the dead branches a hazard to the other wood on your property? How would you be able to tell if they will spread or not?
Much better. Pruning is so underrated!
So true!
Your homestead ideas are great. Wish I had known 'then' what I know now 😄 Fun to fine a hive of bees too. I am sharing an 'urban food forest' channel I have learned a ton from. Hope that's cool. James Prigioni's The Garden Channel. Keep up the great job. Oh and BTW there will ALWAYS be unexpected homeowner expenses. Ugh... ❤️
When is the best time of year / best weather to plant a loquat? I'm in zone 7, western Maryland, which is the low end of the hardiness range for loquats.
Beautiful!
Could you post about tree care as in fertilizer or soil amendments. We moved into an under-cared place with a loquat tree i want to thrive and wondering how to?
Is it a similar process for trimming a fig tree?
Kevin, question for ya. I have a dwarf pear tree. Last year it had plenty of fruit on it but sadly squirrels or birds ate them all before they were large enough to pick. This year only one side of the tree sprouted leaves and no fruit at all. The other side has bare branches:( I was wondering if I should prune the side that isn't growing anything? It's a fairly small tree still so I was kind of scared to do so. Thanks for taking the time to read this. You're awesome and gorgeous!! Stay epic:) -Cheryl from Maryland-
Would you be able to use the branches to cut off for cloning?
Good video! I have an old apple tree that needs some good attention as well, but will involve pole saws, chainsaws and a second pair of hands. Should be fun! Cheers and keep the videos coming!
Sounds great!
oooh you've got your own bee hive!
How did you decide what to cut off in the canopy??
Hoping you can bank in that natural swarm to start a hive. I can’t remember if you had said it was ok to have an apiary on this property?? 🐝
This is awesome, I’ll apply this when i cut down the cherimoya tree 🌳
Sounds great!
I am a huge Fig tree guy, would love to see some in your yard.
They grow sooo well here too
Wow your a super fast cutter 😂
I would cut the loquat lower so that I wouldn’t need a ladder to harvest most of the fruit. You can get a loquat that has been grafted onto dwarfing stock so that the tree remains more within bounds .
Looks great!
Hey, I left some ideas for your fence, on your other channel. It is under 5 Ways to Harvest More. Please keep in mind that I was thinking outside of the usual box. Have a nice evening.
I have 2 loquat trees that I started by saving seeds from fruits that a friend gave me from her tree...it’s been about 7 years and they are now 6-7 ft high trees in very large pots...I have never gotten fruit yet...what can I do to get fruit? -New Smyrna Beach, FL zone 9b
I have a loquat tree thats about 20ft tall. The base is a bit over a foot in diameter. I hate how tall it is, i cannot get to the fruit with my 8' ladder. Any way to get it to start branching lower if i cut the top off gradually?
Any plans on adding a bee hive anywhere? Seems the population is good for a honey corner.
Oh, definiteyl
Keep growing be blessed
A little bee nest. That is pretty good. Maybe inform for a bee farm. Maybe you could get them in a better home, while they pollinate your garden (and others), as well as that you could het your own honey
Beehives are coming soon :)
Awesome!
Reminds me of something an old Georgia Peach farmer used to say about peaches.
"Prune them until you feel bad, then prune again."
I have a pretty full apple (not sure what type) tree next to my driveway and it has fruited both years I've been in the house. Am I looking at a similar technique or should I do a deep dive into the type of tree and such (which I may do, just haven't gotten that far with it)?
I would always recommend tree-specific strategies as I haven't grown apple yet!
We bought a home with several fruit trees. We ultimately gave up the loquat. It was just to tall & production just couldn’t be harvested in a timely manor to keep flies at bay.
The bees seem pretty friendly since they let you get so close without stinging, they definitely look Africanized though judging by the darker coloration and smaller swarm size but it's hard to tell. Kinda reminds me of the gentle Africanized colonies in Puerto Rico
When bees swarm they are very friendly. They have no home or honey to protect.
You almost got your first pollinators, just a bit of a small swarm. 👍👍
Almost!
Have a bee keeper come out to get the bees for you or have them help you set up a hive!
Thank you...
You're welcome!
Paint the stem/trunk from the ground up about a metre.
Stops borers like cicadas.
Thanks for your video, Kevin. Can you or someone else with fruit tree experience in a zone 9+ area weight in on pruning over the summer? I recently inherited about 20 fruit trees of varying size and have a learning curve on my hands. I did some Very light, mostly cosmetic, pruning to a couple of citrus trees about a month ago. The cuttings sparked a crop of fresh leaves that seem to have attracted more insects.... some online research that I’ve since come across recommends waiting until fall to do pruning of any scale for sake of the tree’s health. Anyone else hear this?
Yes, I will definitely do that - summer pruning will be a staple of my strategy
@@epichomesteading Brilliant. Thanks for the reply and I’ll be looking forward. It’s hard to know how and when to be ‘seasonally appropriate’ when gardening in California where the temps are about the same all year. Sigh... that said, your jump from small to large scale gardening is especially meaningful to me as I moved from an apt to a house on 1/3 acre about 2 months ago. I’m getting lots of inspiration from your journey. Cheers
Awesome are you going to get rid of swarm
They left on their own
@@epichomesteading I know you happy
Can you donate the overflow of fruits or veggies to a food bank or shelter??? Love your channel
I could but it doesn't keep long at ALL
Growing up my family always eat loquat fruit but i thought they tasted gross even though i never tasted them did the same thing with strawberries, but i always knew they were good for diabetes since we always bought them for my grandma. As i grew older we finally bought a home after living 21 years in an apartment since i was a newborn.
The new home we have lived in for 3 years now and the layout was weird and confusing its a corner house the house and the garage are separate so theres brick tiles in between where we entertain with barbecue a 6 chair table really heavy made of granite my mom received it for free even space for dancing or more tables my family loves partying last one was my grandmas birthday with mariachis she got emotional. Anyway on the back of the garage theres a grass area that goes to the other side of the garage as well.
I noticed my neighbor had a loquat tree with fruit so i went up to the fence and got one i tasted it but it was bitter not good. Weeks later i walked my doberman bruno so i went up and tasted them they were so good kinda like a peach, pear, plum even a mango taste.so i got a few fruit with my sister since i took some home and everyone liked them so much. i wanted to speak with the homeowner but this was at the beginning of covid so pretty risky. I had plenty of seeds so i went home and planted them.lost a few because they didn't liked were they were placed. Once i moved them they all grew now i have so many i need to transplant them.
Of course gonna gift some to family members and neighbors they're so kind with us. Ive bought 6 varieties of banana trees plus 2 as gifts from eBay sellers.3 Pomegranate trees need one more wonderful to even them out and one blueberry need one more to cross pollinate i read they do better having different varieties and acidic soil or they'll die recommend peat moss. I have always loved gardening and this new property needs a lot of work but I'm happy that one day in the future ill be harvesting bananas, blueberries, pomegranates, apples, pears , mangos, strawberries, loquats herbs, literraly growing my own food in my own property organic and delicious. Just a passionate gardener to another.
My family and I just found ourselves the owners of a 100+ year old avocado tree. Anyone got any advice on where to learn to care for a tree that old and that MASSIVE?
local certified arborist, or rare fruit growers associations. California has many chapters, some in nearby states, and their members are enthusiastic about working with new gardeners. crfg.org/ is the statewide group.
Get a box for those honeybees!
Glad you have bees to pollinate. Or were they yellow jackets?
Honeybees!
Have a similar problem with my loquat. Seems to have multiple trunks. It is very similar in size to your trees. Why does it seem you may have kept 2 trees?
I didn't want to disturb what is probably an intertwined root system
He did say there are two trees. Not sure if I misunderstood you.
@@sallyburkett-caskinette8723 Yes it seems I do have 2 or more. Just didn't want to overdo the pruning. Thanks
Do a tree-cloning seminar!
Soon
@@epichomesteadingyeah I'd be down to see some air-layering 😏
You shouldn’t have applied the sunblock on the dead wood because it has already sealed off so there is not need to protect it
What's the big deal with air flow in between tree branches?
Fruit gets stuck to leaves, etc - causes rot faster I've noticed w/ this loquat
Lack of air flow leads to disease of both the fruit and the plant.
At the moment I’m growing 5 (maybe it will be 6) apricot trees, I made a crossbreed between a Greek and Spanish variety. I’m wondering what will happen.
Oh that's awesome Rick...keep us posted
I’ll do that happily :)
Mine have fruit now. It's winter time.
NICE
I have a McIntosh, Granny Smith and a pear that all need serious pruning.
What I learned is that you should never leave tree stump.. it should be cut close. and the branches that grown facing the inside should be cut off, so the sun can go inside easily
all I see is Harvest Moon main character (with his back-sided hat) and his beehives on his tree
Trim those stubs to remove the rest of the dead trunks.
The OCD in me would want to round out the top of the canopy😉
I very well may!
What about the bees???
Hi
We’ve had a lime tree in the backyard and it hasn’t produced anything in years!!! We just water it like crazy but still nothing.
Oh no! Maybe a prune may help reset!?
You might want to give it some vitamin B-1, to tell the root system to wake up! Good luck 😃
Make sure you are not over watering your lime tree. Telltale is leaves turning yellow before falling off. The recommendations I see for watering established trees is a slow deep soak once a week, though that may vary upon your soil drainage.
❤️
I think you applied IV Organic wrong. You should have painted the whole tree, from ground to first branches and not only the part that was cut. There is official IV Organic videos that show how it is done.
Why isn't this on the other channel?
I've done a vid similar, and this was on my old camera
Look at flow hives on TH-cam and web for epic beekeeping. That swarm will leave soon.
Time to add a bee hive??
Soon!
💜💜
Kevin, I love your videos but watching you prune that loquat tree made me cringe with each cut. I also cringed when you applied that white stuff to the cut ends. The tree produces a seal on the inside of that cut to prevent any infection from entering the wood of the tree IF it's cut correctly. Trees in general have compartments, kinda like a ship. It's known as Compartmentalization of Decay in Trees (CODIT). Trees literally form chemicals walls to inhibit the movement of decay. So when you're pruning, you want to follow how the tree would wall off decay, which is at the collar. You'll want to begin your cut at the branch bark ridge (on the top where the branch uprises from the trunk) and end your cut at the collar so it will angle out. You definitely do not want to cut the branch flush with the trunk. Doing that will in essence breach that watertight seal. If you do your cut correctly, after about a year or so, you'll notice a 'donut' of callous that will form which is the tree's bandaid if you will. Seeing that callous means that the tree was able to limit the decay from that pruning wound. When you pruned your tree, you left stubs which can become infected. Cutting with the blade side closest to the trunk will help get the right angle. In regards to the pruning sealer, there are no bandaids for trees. Wound sealers do not inhibit decay. In fact, they actually provide a better surface for decay to being. The tree will seal it from the inside if pruned correctly. I did like that you're pruning now during the summer. Tree wound response is faster. I say this because I'm currently taking a Master Gardener course through SDSU extension (South Dakota, not the Aztecs) and will be done in a couple of weeks. I'm always learning new things too, so thanks for your great ideas. Since you just made your cuts yesterday, it may not be too late to correctly make your cuts. And please don't use any sealer. Mabuhay!
Would just add, the sealant works on uncut trunks against sunburn and some pests, but to echo @Ty Chan do not put sealant on cuts or wounds.
You sure thats two trees? That may have been a tree that was cut down and the sprouts may have come up around the cut trunk.