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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] nitrogen fixing trees intercropped with fruit and nut trees

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  • From: "Joe Hecksel" <jhecksel@voyager.net>
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] nitrogen fixing trees intercropped with fruit and nut trees
  • Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2003 06:34:57 -0400


Hi Andrew:

> i am in the planning and saving money stages of creating a farm in
northern wisconsin,
> my first questions to this list are concerning nitrogen fixing
trees/plants in relation to fruit and nut orchards... but my research
has shown that too much nitrogen is very bad for fruit and nut
production.

<Joe writes>
IMHO, you will get more N coming in on the mulch than from the nitrogen
fixing plants. The top-end for a 100%, well-watered clover sward that
is in full sun is about 250 lb N/acre/year (250 kg/ha/yr). Most
commercial orchards apply +100 lb N/acre/year. Fiddling around with
the numbers, you need at least 30% of your intercepted sun hitting N
fixing plants. That is not 30% of the trees, that is 30% of the area.
A very important piece of the fine-print is "well watered".
>
> i was considering Eleagnus sp. in between rows of fruit trees with a
bunch of comfrey or other suitable mulch plant nearby to pick up
excessive nitrogen while still being able to supply some to the fruit
adn nut trees. I also considered planting lupines under teh trees and,
of course, clover and grass pathways.
>
<Joe writes>
Some people will get on you for Eleangnus because it is often
considered an invasive, non-native. I am neutral on the issue but the
people you want for customers might object. If you go with Eleangnus
you will need to keep whacking them down so they do not shade fruit
producing plants. Some also sucker. Another issue is that most of the
N will leave the orchard when the wind blows the orchard floor clean in
the fall. Leaf drop is the primary N transport mechanism.

Again, IMHO, I think the hot ticket is to plant the N fixing plants and
get what you can for free. Use the composition and amount of mulch to
modulate N amount.

Modulation of N is a little tricky with mulch because you have fewer
decision points to make adjustments. Again, let me stress that you do
not want water to be a limiting factor in growth because that will fake
you out into adding far more N than is desirable. It is easy to become
frustrated because of slow response and overshoot your objective.

A common set of objectives in Southern Michigan is to have 2' (600mm)
of shoot extension while the canopy is filling and 1' (300mm) of shoot
extension during the bearing years. Objectives vary by
species/cultivar, growing season and severity of winter and fireblight
pressure.


--
Joe Hecksel
Personal Webpage http://my.voyager.net/~jhecksel





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