Can I grow fruit trees on the slope of a drainage ditch?

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Tue, Oct 8, 13 at 7:47

I know this sounds like a bazaar question. I have a huge drainage ditch with one not so steep slope and one steep slope. It's what I call full full sun. Southeast.

It is a large area to just leave bare, and I don't have a lot of full sun on my acre property. I want to grow dwarf fruit trees. Could I plant them on the not-so-steep slope? I will have to dig out a rather large area for each tree, amend the soil, and use retaining wall stone around the low side of the hole, so the tree will get enough water. The slopes of the ditch are dry! So is the bottom of it, except during torrential rains in spring, tornado season. Won't be planting any fruit trees in the bottom of it.

Will this work?! Would love your thoughts. Often I post and get no responses.

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RE: Can I grow fruit trees on the slope of a drainage ditch?

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Posted by CharlieBoring 7 (My Page) on
Tue, Oct 8, 13 at 9:26

In making your decision, you need to determine if their is the possibility that water flow will uproot/damage the trees; if the roots stay wet too long (they don't like areas with poor drainage); if the area has good soil. If you these problems don't exist, plant them in a terracing type of level so that they can be properly watered.

RE: Can I grow fruit trees on the slope of a drainage ditch?

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Posted by homesteader57 7 (My Page) on
Tue, Oct 8, 13 at 15:12

No chance they will get too much water! It's dry. Only the very bottom of the ditch gets wet and then only during torrential rains, tornadoes. Soil is very poor. I will have to amend it!

RE: Can I grow fruit trees on the slope of a drainage ditch?

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Posted by melikeeatplants 9b (San Jose) (My Page) on
Tue, Oct 8, 13 at 16:35

Well, Z7 is borderline but hardy figs and poms can be quite forgiving of soil conditions. Maybe some asian persimmons too... Just prune to size you want...

RE: Can I grow fruit trees on the slope of a drainage ditch?

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Posted by Noogy 5b (My Page) on
Wed, Oct 9, 13 at 7:19

My peaches did best on a dry slope. Don't ammend with too much peat or come flood season they'll be waterlogged.

RE: Can I grow fruit trees on the slope of a drainage ditch?

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Posted by bamboo_rabbit 9A Inverness FL (My Page) on
Wed, Oct 9, 13 at 7:29

Who owns this ditch? Even if it is on your property is there an easement? I would hate to see you plant the trees just to have the city or county come through and cut them down.

RE: Can I grow fruit trees on the slope of a drainage ditch?

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Posted by oldryder (My Page) on
Wed, Oct 9, 13 at 17:06

I planted several apple trees on the dike of a pond and others on a considerable slope. I had my best luck mounding the soil and planting the bare root tree actually above grade. My soil is quite sandy in some areas but the only amending I've done is adding some richer soil from a different area on my property to the mound soil.

I mulch heavily with woodchips and water if it doesn't rain for 3 weeks or more.

I don't know why the mounding approach seems to work so much better but the results have been pretty consistent. the only negative I've encounterreed is that the semi-dwarf trees on mounds take some staking to keep them growing vertical.

RE: Can I grow fruit trees on the slope of a drainage ditch?

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Posted by glib 5.5 (My Page) on
Wed, Oct 9, 13 at 22:57

Agree with BR, check with the city first. But trees make it in poor soil usually. I planted some mixed trees this spring, my soil is also very poor, and since I had a number of spent mushroom logs, each tree received four in the planting hole (hugelkultur style). They are doing well. I am mentioning all this because topdressing may wash away at that location, but deeply buried wood will not. I would plant and mulch just above the slope anyway.

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