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nafex - [NAFEX] orchard ground-cover options

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  • From: "tanis cuff" <tanistanis@hotmail.com>
  • To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [NAFEX] orchard ground-cover options
  • Date: Fri, 09 Aug 2002 22:03:24 +0000

I was recently reading a not-too-back-issued Pomona, and I recall a little article about how grass is a poor floor for the orchard, mulch is O.K., but mixed wildflowers is best.

I also learned somewhere that orchards used to be burned annually to clean up the autumn leaves and thereby the apple scab.

These 2 ideas pique my interest, as a restoration ecologist, because the settlers would plant orchards in open spots, and maintain the orchard and the native ground-cover by burning-- intent was to reduce scab, but result was preservation of a scrap of prairie plants.

Is anyone out there trying to grow apples plus prairie plants ? Or savanna plants ? I know of a couple healthy looking apple trees in local preserves which are burned frequently. These trees look no worse for wear, but lowest branches are higher than usual. I believe vegetation would need to be reduced near the trunks, to be sure of zero fire damage there.

Any ideas ? Amateur apples aren't in big demand here, but prairie & savanna seed is.

Tanis Cuff, southern WI



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