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Planting beneath fruit trees
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Posted by nelisa27 (My Page) on Tue, May 29, 07 at 22:50
| Is there anything you can plant under fruit trees? I am planting five small trees and don't want just bare dirt underneath them, but am reticent to put a groundcover. i can't think of any that could take the abuse of being walked on or having fruit fall on them. Any ideas? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Planting beneath fruit trees
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- Posted by bboy z8 WA USA (My Page) on
Tue, May 29, 07 at 22:55
RE: Planting beneath fruit trees
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| I'm trying dutch white clover, low growing, nitrogen-fixing, beneficial insect attracting...how can i go wrong? |
RE: Planting beneath fruit trees
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| My plan is to use woodchips to begin with and let them break down for a few years, and then replace with grass at some point?? Let the tree get some size on it. I'm guessing with grass you probably have to water a little more often? |
RE: Planting beneath fruit trees
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| Big mistake to plant grass or any other water hungry plant under your fruit trees. Every tutorial I've ever read on fruit trees says to keep the ground under the drip line clear (an inch of fresh compost every year is the way to go). If you've seen other recommendations I'd love to take a look at the link(s). |
RE: Planting beneath fruit trees
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| It also depends on whether you are aiming for optimum yields or just want some home-grown fruit. My greengage plum, for example, is perfectly happy growing up out of a bed of mixed perennials. I expect it could produce more fruit if pampered, but it gives me as much as I need. Fruit trees can be treated as useful but ornamental additions to the normal garden if you are pushed for space. Mind you, there is plenty of water available round here. |
RE: Planting beneath fruit trees
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| I had a neighbor who had pear trees that were part of her walkway (like what the city does with sidewalk trees). I'm guessing 3ft circumference with the sidewalk being concrete. It must have worked because she was using sticks to hold up the branches due to all the weight of the fruit. |
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