permaculture

[dwoodard@becon.org]

Generally, fruit trees have an especial dislike for wet feet. They insist
on their roots having access to air in the soil pores. this is especially
true of Prunus species (cherries, apricots and peaches particularly).

I would suggest planting them on the mounds beside the swales. If they can
send some roots down to the damp soil, that will suit them well.

Your initial planting area especially should have good topsoil and if you
are expecting the roots of future growth in future to live in anything
that is now subsoil, you should pay close attention to amending that soil
and converting it to a reasonable facsimile of topsoil ASAP.

It's not only a matter of adding organic material but also of getting the
possibly toxic substances in the former subsoil with limited air access,
removed by the soil organisms and air. It takes some time.

Doug Woodard
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada


On Sun, 26 Mar 2006, R Freeman wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> In December (southern summer) our neighbour started a fire that destroyed 70
> of our 4-year-old fruit trees (almost burned down our house too).
>
> I am going to replace them, but this time I am thinking to put them along
> swales (contour banks/ditches). We have a nice, sun-facing slope--the
> countours run east-west.
>
> The question I have is whether the the trees should go in the dug-out part
> of the swales, uphill of the dug-out part, on the mounds, or downhill of the
> mounds.
>
> Any experience, opinions, or ideas gratefully accepted.
>
>
> Robert Freeman