North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[sherwin <sherwindu@att.net>]

On 1/29/2013 12:26 PM, Steven C wrote:
> Strategy for maintaining trees for small property spaces: copicing (?) plus 
> multiple trees per hole:
>
>    I am interested in growing multiple varieties of the same type 
> (species-wise) of fruit.  At a minimum, I have one favorite variety per 
> seasonal ripening: early-, mid- and late - so 3 varieties per species to 
> start with.  In addition, to these, I've planted other varieties per 
> season-section for the sake of diversity of qualities, but redundancies in 
> terms 'just having ripe fruit at that time frame'; these extra trees are 
> planted each right next to the the original trees/varieties.
>
> What if I (initially) allowed all (3 like season section varieties per hole) of the 
> trees to grow to 10' tall and approaching "crowded".  Then cut back 2 out of 
> the 3 to a few feet above the graft-union (or crown for self-rooted and seedling 
> varieties), while the one that is left to grow (for now) approaches 15' tall; when that 
> one reaches 15', i cut that same one to above the graft-union (for grafted trees) while 
> the other two reach 10'.  Then i cut back one of the two taller ones, while the 
> shortest (was first to be cut back) is allowed to approach 10' and the one left alone 
> last finally reaches 15'.  And so on, in rotation.  This way: A. You will always have 
> one tall (to 15'), one medium (to 10') and one short while it waits its turn (around 5' 
> or less); B. always have fruit, but not always will a variety or 2/3 that fruit for 
> that year; C. Balancing the trees with careful pruning techniques is less of an issue 
> as you can keep starting from new (single stem) when the trees
>    reaches 15' tall; and D. The trees will continually be refreshed - may 
> help with disease-resistance as it will not ever be a 30 year old yet 
> continually pruned as a 15' tree.
>
> Steve (NJ)
>
> _
     I think this is a bad idea.  These trees will be competing with 
each other for nutrients and growing space.
     Inevitably, these trees will start to impinge on each other making 
pruning a nightmare.  I would recommend
     planting smaller trees, say on M27 to allow more varieties in a 
given space.

                        Sherwin (IL)