North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Thomas Olenio <tolenio@sentex.net>]

Hello List,

I have a tough location that I would like to place a tree and I am looking
for opinions.

We are in Canada hardiness zone 6a which would be like US zone 5/6, we are
in a river valley, just outside the flood plain, very windy in winter, our
property is on the edge of an old clay yard, and 8-12 inches below the
topsoil you hit a layer of rubbery, damp clay.  I have never dug a hole
deep enough to penetrate the clay layer (beyond 2' deep).  They made
bricks from the clay 75 years ago.

I am told that if you dig deep enough you will hit a sandy substrate.  I
also doubt I will ever dig that hole though, it is too much work taking
that clay out, you need a knife to slice it off, and it comes out in very 
tiny pieces.

Anyway, is there any nut tree that would tolerate such a climate, and in
live in this particular soil?  Twelve inches of topsoil is not very much.

Currently we have a Wegelia (sp) shrub in the spot I would like to put a
tree.  According to our neighbors, the previous owners tried to get a
nubmer of trees growing in that spot and all died.  They are surprised my
Wegelia ha lived 2 years (I wrap it in winter with burlap).

If there is no nut tree for this spot, is there another fruit that would
thrive in it?

I hold little to no hope for the location, short of digging a TREMENDOUS
hole and filling it with topsoil, but that would kill me.  8^)

Thanks for any opinions.

Regards,
Tom

--
Thomas Olenio
Ontario, Hardiness Zone 6a


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