North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Heron Breen <breen@fedcoseeds.com>]

Just to ride coattails here,
If a woody plant is underplanted with a well-fertilized perennial or 
herbaceous, 
stress can bring out various problems. Given nitrates and other nutrients 
very 
available without bacterial or fungal associations (ie garden soil), the 
woody 
plant will be very content NOT to form those associations. But, upon drought 
(or 
other stress) the woody plant has not created the relationships it needs, and 
cannot due to the prevailing condition. During stress, it is those 
associations 
that make woody plants more resilient than annuals or perennials, albeit 
those 
plant types also have associations but I mean under cultivation. The 
beneficial 
relationships also afford greater access to moisture.
Under-planting creates additional issues with offering the woody plant soil 
that is 
so well broken up, it will not feed beyond the under-planted area. Once 
stressful 
situations arise later in the season, the root system cannot and will not 
repond by 
spreading into more compact surrounding soil for water. At least here on the 
Eastern side of the Mississippi, almost all roots of woody plants do not feed 
 
deeper than 3 feet (exception is taproot plants, but most plants do not have 
a deep 
taproot).
Yes in nature these plant types thrive side by side, but nature is more 
demanding 
of plants than our backyards. I would observe the needs of the Kiwi 
nutritionally 
versus the strawberries (which are heavy feeders) and maybe seperate the two. 
Soil 
test is always a good idea, but translating that info into what is good for 
woody 
plants not perennials or herbies is a whole other issue.
Sometimes we spend too much time concerned with fruit production in a 
nutritional 
sense, and focusing your interaction only on that with a woody plant will 
lead to 
that plants death many times. IE just because it is producing fruit doesn't 
mean it 
is happy, and just because it is not producing fruit does mean it isn't 
happy. When 
a drought strikes, unless irrigation is being used, removing all fruit can be 
the 
answer to saving a woody plant.
I know, I know, I spread it deep,
Heron Breen
zone 4, Maine  

On Sat Oct 29  6:55 , Jim Fruth <jfruth@uslink.net> sent:

>Replying to Chris Mauchline' Kiwi problems:
>
>   The classic symptom of potassium deficiency is browning/drying around the
>edges of leaves.  Left unchecked, leaves will turn yellow, wither and fall
>off.  If you are having a drought, it is logical that potassium would become
>unavailable.  More than likely, your leaves are exhibiting symptoms of
>several nutrients going out of solution.
>-- 
>
>Jim Fruth
>Brambleberry Farm
>Pequot Lakes, MN
>www.bberryfarm.com 
>
>
>
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