Backyard Orchard Culture
Backyard Orchards – A New Approach to Growing Fruit Trees in Limited Spaces
This article is an introduction to the gardening technique of “Backyard Orchard Culture” – a system of high density planting of fruit trees which allows for a wide variety of fruit to be grown in a limited space, and harvested over a prolonged period of time.
Typically, most people grow fruit trees the same way that they are grown in large scale agriculture. That is, full sized, and spaced far enough apart to drive a tractor between them…
Now, if we look at a farmer’s requirements, the aim is to get the highest possible yield per tree, for a single variety of fruit, so, for this reason, they will grow many identical full sized fruit trees. The trees will be 15-30 feet high and almost as wide, and will be expected to produce something like 200-300kg of fruit per tree, all at once, over a very short period.
When we consider these facts, we can already see the problems this enatils for the urban backyard fruit grower:
- Limited Space – a typical backyard cannot accomodate many full sized fruit trees. You might not even be able to squeeze in a single full sized fruit tree if it is a small backyard, which is fairly common nowadays!
- Limited Variety – if you can manage to squeeze in two full size fruit trees, you only get to eat two types of fruit, no more.
- Overproduction – a regular family will be hard pressed to use a huge amount of one type of fruit, even utilising techniques such as preserving, drying, etc. Not to mention the possibility of getting completely bored with eating so much of the the same thing over and over.
- Very Short Productive Season – basically, it’s a glut, then a famine… All the fruit comes at once, over a few short weeks, and then there is nothing!
- Diffficulty in Harvesting – collecting fruit that is sitting 15 or more feet above the ground is not an easy task, even with the right equipment, and is usually more trouble than it is worth.
- Difficulty in Maintaining – spraying a full size tree is a nightmare, and may be physically impossible in the context of a backyard scenario. Pruning a very tall fruit tree is no better, and spreading a net over a fruit tree to protect the fruit from birds is not a viable option when we’re talking about full size fruit trees.
So, how does the technique of Backyard Orchard Culture solve these problems?
Simply by using small trees!
Yes, seriously! There’s more to it though…
By restricting the size of the fruit trees through various methods, to a size of your choosing, and planting them closer together, you gain these benefits:
- Optimum Use of Limited Space – you can literally fit dozens of fruit trees in an average backyard, and a respectable number in the smallest of backyards!
- Wide Variety – this system, on account of the efficient use of space, will allow you to plant a wide variety of fruit trees, so you can eat all different types of fruit from your home garden, rather than just one or two. Having multiple varieties also means that you can have trees which are pollinators for each other, ensuring better pollination and consequently, better yields.
- Sensible Production – the smaller trees will obviously produce much less fruit than full sized trees, but they will produce enough to provide for a family’s needs without wastage.
- Extended Productive Season – since you can plant more trees closer in together, you can have several varieties of the one fruit, that produce over different times in the season. This will give you fruit over a longer period, rather than having one tree producing for only a shorter period.For example, instead of one apricot tree that produces mid season, you can plant three different varieties in the same space, and early, mid and late season bearing apricot tree. This will give you an adequate supply of fruit over an extended period rather than a huge amount all at once. Plus you get a range of different varieties to make it more interesting!
- Ease in Harvesting – you decide how tall the trees grow, many choose to keep them as high as their arm will reach, so you can simply walk past and pick the fruit at your leisure.
- Ease in Maintaining – when the tree is not much taller than you are, tasks like spraying, pruning an netting are fairly straightforward tasks that don’t require any fancy equipment to accomplish.
OK, this all sounds great, but you’re probably wondering, what’s the catch?
At this point I’ll mention my very own Universal Rule of Gardening, which runs as follows:
“The more you want to control the growth of your garden, the more effort it will take to maintain it“
Well, there’s always a cost, and in this case, it’s pruning…
To keep the trees small, it’s your responsibility to train them to the right size and structure when they’re young, and maintain them this way through regular pruning.
You may be thinking, why not just use dwarf trees?
Well, you can, but “dwarf” trees are not necessarily dwarves at all… Some dwarf trees, such as dwarf citrus trees may only grow to 5 feet high, which is ideal. Many other “dwarf” trees theough, will grow to 12 feet high, which is not exactly that small. So, even many of the dwarf vareties of fruit trees will need pruning!
The Backyard Orchard Culture technique also make use of espaliered trees (trees grown flat against a wall or trellis) to take advantage of small spaces.
While this may not sound like anything new, the real innovation is the way the trees are planted. I did mention that Backyard Orchard Culture is a high density planting technique, and that is the key. With this system, trees are planted very close together to limit each others growth, as they compete for nutrients and water. The size is maintained with pruning.
How close are trees planted to each other? Here are some examples:
Source of planting layout designs: Dave Wilson Nursery, Hickman, CA
These are examples of techniques used to maximise space when planting trees. You can put two, three or four trees in one hole, as well as espalier trees or grow them as a hedgerow (a long continuous hedge with many stems/trunks).
When planting multiple trees this close together, if you can, make sure they use similar rootstocks (commercially bought fruit trees are grafted onto various rootstock to give the trees specific properties) to ensure that they are equally vigorous and grow at the same rate, otherwise some will grow faster and outgrow their neighbours. If you are planting the trees a few feet apart, this is not an issue.
My personal strategy is to determine how large I wish the tree to grow, make an allowance for a foot or so of space on each side, then calculate the spacing.
In the example below, you can see how 5′ wide trees with a 1′ gap between them will need to be planted 6′ apart.
When planting this way, you have two or more distinct trees clearly visible.
If using the “many in one hole” technique of planting, with the trees 18″ apart, the trees blend into each other to look like one big tree with multiple trunks.
The four key elements of Backyard Orchard Culture are:
1. Responsibility for Tree Size
The only way to keep your tree to a manageable size is by pruning.
The decision to keep a tree smaller than its full size means you have the responsibility to keep it that way, through pruning, for the life of the tree! Choose the size that you want a tree to be, and make sure you don’t let it get any bigger than that.
A good tree height is one that allows you to pick the fruit while standing on the ground or on a low step-stool.
A helpful hint which will save you a lot of pruning – avoid excessive use of nitrogen fertiliser and excessive irrigation! High nitrogen levels and high water availability can stimulate excessive vegetative growth (shoots and leaves) and reduce fruit quality.
2. Understanding the Reasons for Pruning
Most deciduous fruit trees (trees that lose their leaves in winter) require some sort of pruning. When a tree is pruned properly it will produce high quality fruit much earlier and the tree will live significantly longer. The many benefits of pruning are listed below.
Pruning has the following benefits:
Assists newly planted trees to get established.
- Promotes the development of a strong framework of branches on young trees, so they are capable of supporting a good crop.
- Develops and maintains the size and shape of the tree.
- Encourages the growth of new fruiting wood, to keep the tree productive.
- Reduces the incidence disease by removing broken, dead, or diseased branches.
- Creates spacing between branches. This allows air circulation through the tree, which discourages disease development. It also allows light into the centre of the tree, prevent shading and maximising photosynthesis.
- Makes spraying, thinning and harvesting easier.
- Enhances early productivity.
- Increases fruit size and quality.
- Promotes flower bud development throughout the tree canopy.
- Reduces the tendency for biennial bearing.
3. Establishing Tree Framework
Pruning is most important in the first three years of the life of a fruit tree, because this is the time when the shape and size of the tree is established.
It is definitely much easier to prune and train a small tree to a small size than it is to try to prune a large tree down to size (which has to be done in small steps over several seasons, otherwise severe pruning might kill the tree).
In Backyard Orchard Culture, pruning process is fairly straightforward.
Below is an outline of the pruning process as carried out over the first three years:
First Year:
Bare-root trees
- Right after planting a new tree, cut off the top so it is only 24 to 30 inches (60-75cm) high to encourage low branching and to equalize the top and root system. It can be cut at 15 inches to force very low scaffold limbs, or higher, up to four feet, depending on existing side limbs and desired tree form.
- Cut any side limbs back by at least two-thirds (or 1 to 2 buds) to promote vigorous new growth.
- After the spring flush of new growth, cut the new growth back by half. (you can distinguish new growth as it will still be green flexible wood and will not have turned woody and hard yet like the previous years growth)
- In late summer, cut the subsequent any new summer growth back by half.
Figure 1. Pruning at planting time
Figure 2. Pruning at in Spring
Figure 3. Pruning at in Spring
Potted trees
- When selecting potted trees for planting in late spring/early summer, select trees with well-placed low scaffold limbs. These are usually trees that were cut back at planting time to force low growth.
- Cut back new growth by half now, and again in late summer.
Multiple trees in one hole
- Two/three/four trees in one hole. At planting time, cut back all trees to the same height.
- Cut back new growth by half in spring and late summer as above.
- In the first two years especially, cut back vigorous varieties as often as necessary.
- Do not allow any variety to dominate and shade out the others.
Second Year:
- Pruning is the same as the first year. Cut back new growth by half in spring and again in late summer.
- For some vigorous varieties, pruning three times may be the easiest way to manage the tree: spring, early summer and late summer.
Third Year:
- Decide on the height of the tree and don’t let the tree get any taller than that. If there are any vigorous shoots that grow above the chosen height, cut them back or remove them completely.
- Remove any broken branches.
- Remove any diseased branches well below the signs of disease.
- Ensure that the smaller branches that bear the fruit (which will be 1, 2 and 3-years old) have at least six inches (15 cm) of free space all around them. So, if two branches begin at a point close together and grow in the same direction, one should be removed. When limbs cross one another, one or both should be cut back or removed.
- When removing branches smaller than your thumb, use a good pair of hand clippers (secateurs) or a hand saw and carefully cut off the branch at its base without damaging the collar.
(The branch collar is a distinctive bulge at the base of the branch, where it connects to the trunk. It is actually interlocking layers of cells of the branch and the trunk, and is the part that will heal the wound left by pruning. The branch collar seals off the wound, minimizing disease and decay. Proper pruning leaves the branch collar intact. Branch collars vary widely from tree to tree, and from species to species. Some are large and very noticeable, while some are much harder to distinguish. )
- When removing large branches, to prevent tearing off the bark and damaging the tree as it comes off, use a three-cut method of pruning (see below).
- First, undercut the branch a few inches away from the trunk to prevent bark tearing.Next, move a short distance from the first cut farther out on the branch and remove the entire branch. This will eliminate the weight of the branch, so you can make a final pruning cut.Start the third pruning cut on the outside edge of the branch-bark ridge and cut through the branch to the outside edge of the collar swelling on the underside of the branch. Remove only the branch; do not damage the trunk.. So, don’t cut the branch flush with the trunk or parent limb, be sure to leave a collar (a short stub).
- To develop an espalier, fan, or other two-dimensional form, simply remove everything that doesn’t grow flat. Selectively thin and train what’s left to space the fruiting wood.
Many people tend to avoid pruning because they fear they will do it incorrectly. It is important to realise that there are various ways to prune a tree and no two people would do it in the same way. A lot of it is a matter of personal judgement, and ultimately, the best way to learn how to prune by just doing it!
4. Thinning Fruit
Thinning fruit is usually done to prevent fruit drop, broken branches and biennial cropping, and is done at the flowering stage or when the fruit is very small. Thin clusters of fruit, leaving 2 to 3 fruits in each cluster, and space out fruit along the branch 15 to 20 cm apart by pinching out all flowers or fruit in between.
Pruning at the same time as thinning the crop is strongly recommended. By pruning when there is fruit on the tree, you can tell which kind of wood (one year-old wood, two year-old wood, spurs, etc.) the tree sets fruit on, which helps you to make better pruning decisions.
How Summer Pruning Works to Control Tree Size
There are several reasons why summer pruning is the easiest way to keep fruit trees small.
- Pruning reduces the total number of leaves, which are the part of a plant that carry out photosynthesis, (the process by which plants use sunlight, carbon dioxide and water to create their own food). Since days are longer in summer, plants receive more light, so more photosynthesis occurs during this season. Pruning reduced photosynthesis, which reduces the amount of food materials and energy available, which reduces the overall capacity for tree to put out new growth.
- Reducing photosynthesis also reduces the total amount of food materials and energy available to be stored in the root system in late summer and autumn. This controls vigour the following spring, since spring growth is supported primarily by stored foods and energy.
Establishing a Backyard Orchard – Timeframes…
One thing that I quickly realised after planting a backyard orchard is that it is not going to yield its produce as fast as annual vegetables do, it really takes time. From the previous instructions on pruning, it is evident that it will take around three years of pruning to train many varieties of tree to form a sturdy and healthy framework of branches to bear the weight of fruit they will carry.
Additionally, trees take years to mature, and the amount of fruit they produce increases as they grow in size and in age. So it is important to be patient with such an endeavour, as you are establishing a natural system that will be productive for decades and possibly longer than a human lifetime.
With that in mind, the sooner you plant your trees, the sooner they will be productive, which is a good reason not to procrastinate and get planting!
References:
Dave Wilson Nursery, Hickman, CA – Copyright 1994, 1999 Dave Wilson Nursery
“How to Prune Trees” – NA-FR-01-95, USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry - Peter J. Bedker, Joseph G. O’Brien, and Manfred M. Mielke
“Pruning Shade Trees” – Kim D. Coder, Extension Forester, Warnell School of Forest Resources, The University of Georgia, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Cooperative Extension Service
“Tree Pruning Guide” – Part ISunshine Nursery & Arboretum
September 1, 2010 at 9:30 pm |
Just a fantastic article, well done.
September 11, 2010 at 8:28 am |
Wow, you answered all my questions and now I can begin to prune my current apple trees and buy more fruit trees with confidence. thank you!
September 11, 2010 at 12:45 pm |
You’re welcome!
November 8, 2010 at 2:53 am |
So,so helpful thank you
December 8, 2010 at 4:25 am |
this is a great article. I just recently bought a house and have a small landscape yard. I removed most of the original yucca trees there and planted five different fruit trees. I have being worry if I planted them to close.
Many thanks
June 23, 2011 at 11:16 am |
Hi
What a great website especially on planning and fruit trees.
I have a nectarine tree that is six years old but is now 15 feet high should I remove and start again or can it be reduced in size at this late stage?
Thanks
June 25, 2011 at 3:10 pm |
Hi Gary,
Reducing the size of a mature tree is tricky, it takes a bit of work and lots of patience, and it’s not something you can do all at once.
Only reduce it’s height if you really need to. If you do, you’ll need to gradually reduce the size of the tree over several progressive seasons (years).
Only remove up to a third of the tree in any one year. The whole process may take up to 3 years to complete, to reduce the height of the tree.
Regards
July 17, 2011 at 6:50 pm |
I have been researching BYOC and I have to say you have done a great job of putting together this article. I would appreciate your opinion on how to layout my site, the area is 25′ n-s X 60′ e-w with a 6′ block wall on the east end and a 6′ block wall with 30′ tall pines on the south side, the pines are spaced so that they filter the sun rather than create dense shade. I am looking to create an orchard for home use, moderate canning and use marginal/excess for my wives exotic birds and my chickens. I live in Las Vegas and the area is currently my chicken yard that I scatter the excess seed from my wives bird shop in to feed the chickens and grow to till back into the soil.
Max
September 30, 2011 at 11:43 am |
Hello! Thank you for sharing all this knowledge with us, for free. It’s a titanic work and you could have won seriously money. I want to ask you for your permission to let me try to translate your work in my language, Romanian. In our country this domain is barely trying to start and there are some people who charge 200-300E for a weekend class. I also think this knowledge should be available for all, for free. Feel free to contact me on email. Thanks again, Sorin.
December 10, 2011 at 2:07 pm |
Nice work. In Minnesota we prune only in winter when the insects and diseases are dormant. Like many permaculture techniques, it is site specific treatment based on local conditions. We prune ruthlessly in winter relying on the bud count for fruit and new growth. Leaf and fruit thinning is all we do in summer.
Have you seen the apple wall system? Much like you speak of the trees are 18-24 inches apart, but pruned to 12 inches for a tall thin and trellised system. Washington state USA has many huge orchards like this that increase productivity 2-3 times a standard orchard.
I am going to look into my design closely and start incorporating this practice more. I have only done it at my place. I am not sure “normal” people will do the maintenance.
December 20, 2011 at 8:12 pm |
Hi there. Thanks for this article. I recently planted 4 bare root, standard sized fruit trees. It was mid-Spring (early Nov, I’m in Auckland, New Zealand) and they all had some leaf growth on them already. I cut all the main leaders back to about 60cm. The 2 apples and 1 plum have responded really well and produced quite a lot of new side growth (which I haven’t pruned back yet – perhaps I will do that in late summer?). But the peach is only sprouting new growth from one spot. When I got it, it had quite a few little side branches – about 3-5mm diameter – all the way around that look like they have already been trimmed back to about 10cm in length. I left around 5-6 of these fairly evenly distributed branches below where I lopped the top off. But only one of them has resprouted. Is there anything I should do to encourage more even new growth, or should I just wait and it will sort itself out? Thanks!
December 21, 2011 at 12:59 pm |
Hi Lucy, I would just wait and see what the tree does. If the peach has only sprouted from one point, and this point is very close to the soil level, then it could be the rootstock sprouting before the graft above it (most commercially sold fruit trees are grafted). As long as the graft is alive, it will sort itself out, and the suckers coming up from the rootstock are trimmed off. If it is sprouting well above the soil level but quite low it could be that the wood above the sprout has died off. The tree will regrow in this case given time. Best to wait and see what happens!
December 21, 2011 at 6:59 pm
Thanks! I will just relax, then!
It has sprouted from the scion wood, near the top where it was cut back to. Should I still prune the new growth back inby half in late summer, do you think?
December 21, 2011 at 11:54 pm
If the branch starts becoming a big long whip, then you might need to cut it, just remember, you are pruning to create the scafold branched, the really big main limbd, so prune it at the point where you want that branch to start branching itself. Being a new shoot, chances are you might only need a winter prune on it, let the tree build up some leaves and gather energy to put into the roots, only prune if necessary.
January 15, 2012 at 3:42 am |
I’m trying to decide if I should purchase regular size trees or semi-dwarf. Can you tell me the pros and cons of each to help me decide. I do have a very small yard. Thank you!
January 30, 2012 at 10:59 am |
Hi Marcia,
The size of the tree is determined by the rootstock it’s grafted onto, and the sizes vary considerable from full dwarfing rootstock o full sized trees and eveything in between. Some species of fruit trees are inherently very large, such as mulberries, cherries and nut trees, while pomegranates will only grow to 4m (12′) as full size trees. Also, some trees can be dwarfed better than others. for example, a dwarf citrus or peach will only reach about 2m (6′) while a dwarf cherry is a 4m (12′) tall tree!
The disadvantage with dwarf trees is that they usually cost a lot more, and take about 5 years to get to theor low height. I also find that on the dwarf peaches and nectarines that the nodes on the branches are ridiculously short, so the fruit ends up tighly bunched, which can be remediated by thinning the fruit in the early stages. The advantage of dwarf trees is that you have to prune them less or not at all. Personally, I use dwarf trees only in the low beds, closest to the sun, so they can’t ever shade out anything behind them, and use semi-dwarf or full size trees for the rest.
Hope this helps
Regards
April 9, 2012 at 1:10 am |
I enjoyed your article. I didn’t think I had enough room in my regular sized suburban back yard for more than one or two small trees. It has encouraged me to take the plunge.I have one question, though. Does planting four trees in one hole as opposed to only one tree increase the yield? If so, by how much approximately?
April 9, 2012 at 6:25 am |
It will increase the yield a bit more because you have four separate sets of roots instead of one, I can’t really say by how much, but they will compete with each other for water and nutrients which will help keep them smaller and more manageable, so you will get less than four full sized trees. The main benefit is that your cropping season can be extended, or you can have more varieties of fruit from the same space.
June 15, 2012 at 6:59 am |
Love all the info but finding it hard to convert inches to metric. Stopped using those measurements in 1972! Could we have both if we must see feet and inches?
June 15, 2012 at 8:07 am |
I try to include both imperial and metric measurements in most of my articles as we have readers worldwide, and this system originates from the US, hence the imperial measurements.
Since you asked, here is the updated text for the pictures with the metric conversions incluuded:
10′(3m) x 10′(3m) area
4 trees in 1 hole
18″ (45cm) apart
8′(2.4m) x 9′ (2.7m) area
2 trees in 1 hole
18″ (45cm) apart
5′(1.5m) x 10′(3m) area, 2 trees espaliered
10′(3m) x 20′(6m) area, 2 sets of 4 trees in 1 hole, set 18″ (45cm) apart
12′(3.6m) x 20′(6m) area, 2 sets of 4 trees in 1 hole,
plus two espaliered trees
10′(3m) x 30′(9m) area,
12 trees in a hedgerow, 30″(75cm) apart
(or, plant 3 sets of four trees in one hole)
11′(3.3m) x 30′(9m) area,
12 trees in a hedgerow, 30″(75cm) apart,
plus 3 espaliered trees
December 22, 2012 at 11:51 pm |
I too am planting in limited space and am having fun making a Double Off-set Peach Hedge. I now had to move to a different part of the yard for my Apples but it is a bit shaded. I have been trying to find an article or ask someone about adding a sugar supplement (in the right amount of course) to a few of the shaded Apple trees to make up for the decreased photosynthesis. Does this make sense to anyone? Or any other tricks to either make up for the loss of photosynthesis OR how to increase the photosynthesis efficiency? I would love to here some comments. Thanks. Also, these are young trees and I live in Zone 6 if that matters.
December 23, 2012 at 1:45 am |
Remember the permaculture approach, every problem has the solution within it, keep your solutions simple and natural!
Considering that you can’t take the plants to the sun, the most creative approach to a shade problem that I’ve ever seen is to ‘move’ the sun to the plants! I saw this done is a very narrow inner city backyard where the garden was on the shady side, and the house on the sun facing side. They installed large plastic (so they’[re flexible and safe) mirrors along the house wall to reflect the heat and illuminate the garden bed! Any reflective surface can achiebe the same effect.
December 31, 2012 at 2:00 am
I have another question just in case you are in the mood to help a novice grow some Apples?
Both of my Fruit Tree Areas have been desodded and wood chipped which I plan to keep free of all vegetation except for the trees. I know that wood chips do not actually attract termites, however, I play it safe and treat the area anyway. I have read a few articles about using Borax as “part of” a termite control regime. It is inexpensive, non-toxic and widely available. But, I was once told that when using Boron in the Garden you have to be VERY careful not to use too moch are it will “croak” the plants.
So, will I be risking harm to my Fruit Trees if I lightly powder my areas with Borax in the form of “20 Mule Team”? Also, since Borax is said to be a General Insecticide, Could it actuall be beneficial as a Spray for the Fruit Trees?
December 31, 2012 at 2:04 am
This was suppose to go to you rather than a Comment on the original discussion:
“Thank you. I have heard about some reflective material that
was used on Apple Orchards. I was also told to train the trees as to face the sun. And to thin out to only the best looking fruit.”
Thanks again,
Jon Meier
320 Fieldcrest Dr
Red Bud, IL 62278
December 31, 2012 at 1:58 am |
Thank you. I have heard about some reflective material that was used on Apple Orchards. I was also told to train the trees as to face the sun. And to thin out to only the best looking fruit.
December 31, 2012 at 2:05 am |
I have another question just in case you are in the mood to help a novice grow some Apples?
Both of my Fruit Tree Areas have been desodded and wood chipped which I plan to keep free of all vegetation except for the trees. I know that wood chips do not actually attract termites, however, I play it safe and treat the area anyway. I have read a few articles about using Borax as “part of” a termite control regime. It is inexpensive, non-toxic and widely available. But, I was once told that when using Boron in the Garden you have to be VERY careful not to use too moch are it will “croak” the plants.
So, will I be risking harm to my Fruit Trees if I lightly powder my areas with Borax in the form of “20 Mule Team”? Also, since Borax is said to be a General Insecticide, Could it actuall be beneficial as a Spray for the Fruit Trees?
December 31, 2012 at 3:46 am |
Grow nasturtiums under your apples to repel codling moth.
Wood chips need to break down eventually, and that’s what the termites do in nature, we must accept that. They return organic matter to the soil and enrich it, so plants grow better. The point is to keep them away from your house if you have a wooden framed house or wooden stumps holding the house up. Borax will poison your soil, it’s toxic to plants, dont use it.
Unless you need to run some kind of mechanical harvesting system in your apple orchard, which I’m not keen on, I recommend underplanting your orchard, using intercropping, etc. Bare ground is an invitation to Nature to fill the empty space – with weeds!
April 29, 2013 at 3:12 am |
Thank you so much for this wonderful article. What a wealth of information… Perfect for a enthusiastic beginner like me. Really appreciate this!!!
June 5, 2013 at 5:30 pm |
In a mixed fruit backyard orchard is there some hierarchy as to what gets planted next to what. I understand all pears together,all apples together, etc…… But is there a preference for say cherries next to plums or pears next to peaches. I am having a hard time locating any information on this. Help please!
June 6, 2013 at 12:17 pm |
With trees what determines where they get planted in backyard orchard culture is their requirements for sunlight throughout the seasons of the year. There is no hierarchy and no companion planting of one tree next to another for beneficial gains other than citrus next to guavas.
Consider that evergreen fruit trees need 6-8 hours of sunlight all year round, while deciduous trees only need sun when they have leaves, in spring, summer and part of autumn. In summer the sun is very high in the sky, nearly directly overhead at midday, fairly high the rest of the time, and can shine over most obstacles. In winter when the sun in lower in the sky at midday, and sitting much lower at all other times of the day, some areas of a garden will be in shade all winter, while some areas will receive sun. Plant your evergreens where they will receive sun all year round, while your deciduous trees can be planted in areas that may be shaded or partly shaded during the winter period.
In planting evergreens and deciduous trees, plant deciduous trees in the foreground closer to the sun (north in southern hemisphere, south in northern hemisphere) and the evergreens in the background, because the deciduous trees will lose their leaves in winter and allow the low angled winter sun to reach the evergreens. In summer the sun is higher up and shines over both canopies so the deciduous trees don’t shade out the evergreens in the background. This way, as the spring sun emerges, it can reach the deciduous trees immediately, which it wouldn’t be able to do if they were shaded out by evergreens.
Other considerations include the purpose of the trees, as in multiple purposes described in the Permaculture design principles, and sought after in good Permaculture design. All fruit trees can produce fruit, but they can serve other purposes too. If you want to screen a west wall from the hot afternoon summer sun, or cover a pergola to create a shaded outdoor area in summer to sit under, you would use a deciduous tree or vine. When the leaves fall, the warmth and light of the winter sun will pass through. If you wanted to cover and unsightly view, you would use an evergreen because you want the cover provided all year round.
Basically, choose the location of the trees based on their sun needs, and if you have variations in the contour and slope of the land, assess where water will be in excess or where it will be very dry, and choose a tree that is suitable for the location. If the tree is being used for a secondary purpose such as screening or shading, determine the type of tree required that best suits the purpose.
With Permaculture, the most important thing to consider in a design is the relationship of each element (object in a design) to all the others around it. How does the tree ‘connect’ in a beneficial way with existing structures, natural terrain, house, other trees, etc. My series of articles on the Permaculture design principles might be helpful – http://deepgreenpermaculture.com/permaculture/permaculture-design-principles/
June 6, 2013 at 1:33 pm |
Thanks for your prompt and thorough response. It was helpful.
June 7, 2013 at 5:12 pm |
Bob, I don’t think your question was answered. I too would like to know what fruit trees gain benefits being planted next to another but different Species fruit tree? For example, in the case of Peaches where most are generally Self-pollinating, Do they benefit by being planted next other Varieties of Peach OR even Plum or Cherry?
June 7, 2013 at 5:19 pm |
The more I’d look for this information…the less I believe it to be available. I tried several university sources and was directed to much good information about mixed fruit backyard orchards……but sadly none produced the exact info I was looking for…….
June 7, 2013 at 5:58 pm |
Here is my take. We know most Apples and Pears need pollinators which are of a different variety so try to block all Apples and block all Pears. Plums, cherries, peaches, nectarines and apricots are generally self-pollinating so my theory is to just make sure that there are enough blooming plants/trees nearby during those Fruit Tree’s Blooming Period to attract pollinating insects to that general area in mass amounts.
June 8, 2013 at 12:01 pm
Hi Bob, if I understand your question correctly this time, the answer is that the benefit of planting trees together is not how you understand it to be.
Trees benefit from companion plants, usually herbs and flowers which increase resistance to disease and pests, and also stimulate growth and vigour of the tree. It has been documented that many plants exude substances from their roots, leaves and flowers to produce these effects. They also attract pollinators and beneficial insect predators, which help the nearby trees too.
Trees benefit each other when planted together because they create beneficial microclimates which also assist other plants below them, protecting them from harsh conditions.
If a fruit tree is self-fertile, it doesn’t need another of the same type of tree to produce fruit. It is said that pomegranates, even though self-fertile, produce more fruit if there is an different variety of pomegranate nearby. This is the case with partially self-fertile fruit trees. Apples are wind-pollinated and the other pollinator apple doesn’t have to be anywhere near it for it to bear fruit, the other apple tree can be up to 1km (0.6 miles) away.
Please don’t plant all of one type of fruit tree in blocks, this just reduces resilience, allows pests that affect that specific type of tree to jump from one tree to the next, and places all the trees in the same conditions of soil, sun, wind and water. If one tree fails due to any of these environmental conditions they’ll all go. Vary the conditions as insurance should the soil go bad in one area, or if weather conditions impact one area of the garden more than another.
Hope this helps!
June 8, 2013 at 12:26 pm |
thanx for the information. i really learned from it. i am a plant/trees enthusiast and am planning to go on actual planting very soon. thanx again.
June 8, 2013 at 1:49 pm |
liza, I found lots of useful information in articles and papers that I read from universities and their extension services. I don’t know what area that you are from but I found Penn state and Cornell most helpful. there was one suggestion about planting. it seems like common sense but I never thought about it. When you plant a tree and spread roots, point the largest or the preponderance of roots in the direction that the prevailing wind comes from. They said it made for better wind tolerance by the tree (ie. stronger against the wind).
Good luck with your planting.
June 8, 2013 at 1:31 pm |
Excellent point about the pest problem. Another good point about Apple pollination. I guess I assume most people spray (Malathion or other) and a “Backyard” Orchard owner doesn’t have the luxury of planting trees that far away from each other in the first place even if they were going to dot them evenly around their yard. Also, even wind-pollinated trees have to have a degree of certainty of traveling to another compatible tree. I guarantee a tree minimally close to another compatible tree will be hundreds of times more likely to get pollinated than a tree even a block away (not less one mile).
That said, I guess it depends on what variable you feel comfortable taking your chances on.
June 8, 2013 at 2:01 pm |
I understand the companion planning of herbs flowers and veggies. I was looking for a connection of tree variety to tree variety that would benefit each of the adjoining trees. In your first reply you mentioned tropical type fruit(citrus) as the only case of this and I will have to agree as I have been unable to find any regarding apples, pears, peach, cherry. I meant it when I said your reply helped….thanks again.