permaculture

[Robyn Francis <robyn@permaculture.com.au>]

Citrus are one of the fruiting trees that doesn't usually get or need to be
pruned, same with Persimmon and Pecan. It is important with citrus to do a
little pruning at the bottom so branches and leaves don't connect with
grasses and groundcovers to limit ant access - ants spread aphids and scale
insects around the tree. Also any deadwood (dead branches) need to be
removed to limit spread of pink fungal disease, borer, and twigs with gall
wasp need to be removed and burned, apart from these circumstances you don't
prune citrus. Citrus are the main tree crop Fukuoka was growing. It's not
appropriate to impose the same management approach onto, for example, pomme
or stone fruits.

Different trees have different habits and different needs so I find absolute
'rules' difficult to deal with -- it breeds dogma and dogmas are dangerous.

Fine for people with plenty of land to experiment with seedling fruits, few
of which will bear desirable edible fruits, but its a luxury few small space
gardens can afford.

BTW Fukuoka used dynamite to loosen the soil for planting his citrus trees.

Ciao
Robyn


On 29/03/11 10:03 AM, "Jocelyn Campbell" <jocecampbell@gmail.com> wrote:

> Frances, there is a lengthy thread on the no pruning techniques out at
> permies.com, http://www.permies.com/bb/index.php?topic=2590.0. Larry Korn
> even commented in it a few times!
> 
> HTH,
> 
> Jocelyn
> 
> 
> On Mon, Mar 28, 2011 at 2:12 PM, frances and/or david
> <fdnokes@hotmail.com>wrote:
> 
>> Just reflecting a bit more on the Paul Wheaton interview with Larry Korn,
>> reflecting on a historic visit with Fukuoka.
>> The bit about tree pruning was really interesting, and I would love to hear
>> more on this topic. Perhaps some others who listened (or not) have more to
>> pitch in on this topic.   Basically, Fukuoka as a devotee of nature, felt
>> that pruning was unnatural and controlling, but that once it was started
>> (usually at the nursery), there was no turning back. A natural tree will
>> develop in a suitable pattern, often a whorl.  Fukuoka, bless him, did not
>> mind getting up into a tree on a ladder, and, if he couldn't reach every
>> last apple, saw no harm done in leaving them for the wildlife that could
>> access them.  What a different world this would be if more people thought
>> like Fukuoka!  The mere fact that he spent his time in observation of 
>> nature
>> would create a whole different ecosphere.
>> I was interested in this comment about pruning.
>> Also interesting was his preference for growing fruit trees from seed.
>>  Yes, some of them will bear fruit you can eat and others will bear fruit
>> that others will eat... (We clear off an apple tree every year, and enjoy
>> the apples in all kinds of ways, mostly juicing, blending, and eating out 
>> of
>> hand -- the owners of the tree see them as 'cooking apples')
>> And, if I'm not mistaken (but would welcome some clarification),
>> apparently, some of the apple seed grown trees will just not bear any fruit
>> at all?  At any rate, I am seeing that as part of a larger parcel of land,
>> maybe even as part of a windbreak scheme?, apple trees from seed could be
>> very beautiful.
>> Anyone have anything to add on this topic of trees -- the natural way... ?
>> This takes us back in time, and to a less demanding way of life, for
>> ourselves and for the plants, too.
>> Frances
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> 

-- 
Permaculture College Australia inc
Pathways to sustainability through
Accredited Permaculture Training
Certificates III & IV and Diploma of Permaculture
PDC and short courses

Robyn Francis 
International permaculture design and
sustainability consultant, educator & facilitator

Djanbung Gardens 
Permaculture Education Centre & Demonstration Farm
PO Box 379 Nimbin NSW 2480
02-6689 1755  /  0429 147 138
www.permaculture.com.au