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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Nitrogen-fixing shrubs and fruit/nut trees

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  • From: Matt Demmon <mdemmon@gmail.com>
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Nitrogen-fixing shrubs and fruit/nut trees
  • Date: Mon, 14 Nov 2011 06:26:54 -0500

Steve, that may be true in general, especially if you already have
relatively fertile soil. Many non-native plants are more able to take
advantage of additional nitrogen in the soil, while some native plants
are adapted to low-nutrient environments and compete poorly in this
situation. I would guess that those shrubs make a lot of nitrogen,
compared to the scattering of native legumes that might have been
present historically. My observations around here are that where
autumn olive is abundant (typically in sandy or loam soils),
non-native cool-season grasses tend to be very dominant underneath,
especially smooth brome. But I'm not sure if the chicken or the egg or
soil came first. ;)

This is of course a generalization, and I'm sure there are some native
plants that can take advantage of the added nitrogen. Where I live
things like cup plant or big bluestem can become completely dominant
in certain situations.

Just my feeling for things, but here on my land with relatively
fertile soil, I'd rather have a mixed turf of forbs and grasses
growing under my fruit and nut trees, than a bunch of shrubs. The
nitrogen might speed up growth, but I figure they'll get there one way
or another, and mulching initially may be just as beneficial. I've had
really good growth on most things with that approach.

-matt
z5 se MI

On Sun, Nov 13, 2011 at 10:25 PM, Steven Covacci <filtertitle@aol.com> wrote:
>
> Group:
>
>
> Is it especially advisable to plant nitrogen-fixing shrubs (i.e.
> buffaloberry - Shepherdia; guomi - Elaeagnus; sea-buckthorn - Hippophae;
> etc.) beneath fruit/nut trees such persimmon and hickory?  If you're soil
> is already moderately fertile, will this help?
>
>
> I like plant native grasses/forbs underneath my trees and I'm afraid that -
> native choices or not - nitrogen-fixing plants will encourage alien
> invasive weeds to succeed over the native species.
>
>
> Thanks,
> Steve; NJ 6b/7a
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