Learning more about how to get more fruit trees in a smaller space in your garden area. Click here!
From a forum on their website responding to a reader's post:
For people who have available only spots here and there in the yard, several varieties in one hole can be the best option for stretching their harvest season. Another advantage to three and four trees in one hole (vs. hedgerow) can be the grouping of like spray requirements - which isn't always a factor.
More space available to devote to fruit trees, hence more planting options, is probably the case for the great majority of home trees planted, but not necessarily the great majority of prospective home growers. With space available, and wanting high density, I would plant hedgerows at two- to four-foot spacings, depending on quantities wanted and soil fertility. I reckon hedgerow is how most BOC trees are planted.
The DWN recommendations have perhaps seemed to address the not-much-space-available customer more than others. Backyard Orchard Culture was developed to encourage people to grow fruit trees according to their situation, which would usually mean trees closer together in the backyard than in the commercial orchard. How close? As close as you want if you prune them accordingly. And so, to make the point, one of the key examples of BOC is the extreme of three or four trees in one hole.
The original BOC paper (thank you, Ed Laivo) had hand-drawn diagrams of spacing suggestions which are still on the DWN website. The hedgerow shown there is a 3' x 9' planting. When I first started traveling the western states selling DWN trees in the early '80's (pre-BOC) I planted about 100 stone fruit varieties in my yard: two hedgerows at about two-foot spacing, the rows about 9 ft. apart. Most of them I grew just long enough to fruit and evaluate. But over 20 years later several apricots at 18-24" spacing were still giving lots of nice fruit every year. They were never especially well tended, but were easily kept low and productive by removing all growth above about 7 1/2 feet and selectively below that height once per year in the summer (missing some years). The fruiting wood began at about 3 to 3 1/2 feet, but was mostly at 4 to 7 ft.
My greatest concern in BOC promotion is that folks new to growing fruit trees who plant high density will let the summer pruning get away from them in the first few years and will become discouraged. Someone who is in their yard frequently and tracks their trees' growth will likely do fine; someone who tends to be busy elsewhere might not.
Fruitnut, I know you could keep four trees in one hole size-controlled and productive if you had a reason to. Someone with only a spot or two in the yard (and knows how good tree-ripe fresh fruit can be) has that reason. If they like to garden and tend their plants it's easy: remove the new growth that doesn't fit the plan.
We expect to be adding content to the website this year and next. Renewal pruning should be included. Entire-tree renewal is treated in a DWN article here.
Craig
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Rent's Due Ranch: Annual Plant Sale
I've accepted that we live in the city, but my heart longs for open spaces, fresher air and country living... One day a year, a local organic grower opens their farm and offers wonderful plant starts for sale directly from their greenhouses ~ herbs, veggies and flowers. It's always the Saturday before Mother's Day and you'll find me at Rent's Due Ranch in Stanwood!
It was sunny when we left home, but an hour north found us in drenching rain!
Caught the reflection of Blaine's front window in the photo, but I can't resist sheep anytime I find them. This is a farm we always pass on our way into Silvana.
Love these big old trees lining the drive to this farmhouse. Imagine all the generations they've witnessed in this farm family...
Gorgeous!
So much water in the fields...
My dream farm on Boe Road.
I discovered this farm when it was for sale several years ago. Someone purchased it and "flipped" it and are now trying to sell it as a hunter's retreat, etc for more than double its sale price. It's a wonderful old family farm. I wish I could live there and feel it does belong to us. Well, I will always be its owner in my heart...
All this rain is growing plenty of weeds.
The Boe Road farm drive and outbuildings.
The fields are so muddy!
Our destination in Stanwood!
Their road is so muddy this year...
Note the puddled water on the road.
Wet, but happy with our purchases.
*I so need a cute pair of rain boots! It's on my must purchase list. How do I live in Western Washington and not own boots? Oh yeah, Seattleites don't wear boots.
Oyster shells
Too much water in the fields... Our farmers really need a break.
I've heard it's bad for farmers in many areas of the U.S. ~ either too much water or in desperate need of it... Lord, please have mercy on our farmers.
Our plant treasures!
A day spent in the country is good medicine for my soul. It gives me time to clear my head; leaving the noise and busy hustle of the city behind. Time away enables me to reconnect to the land God created, to the people who devote their lives to being good stewards of precious farmland; growing organic food to nourish each one of us ~ working hard for little "worldly" reward. They are my heroes. Thank you Rent's Due and to all our organic farmers committed to the invaluable work you do. You have made my heart glad and blessed my spirit...
It was sunny when we left home, but an hour north found us in drenching rain!
Caught the reflection of Blaine's front window in the photo, but I can't resist sheep anytime I find them. This is a farm we always pass on our way into Silvana.
Love these big old trees lining the drive to this farmhouse. Imagine all the generations they've witnessed in this farm family...
Gorgeous!
So much water in the fields...
My dream farm on Boe Road.I discovered this farm when it was for sale several years ago. Someone purchased it and "flipped" it and are now trying to sell it as a hunter's retreat, etc for more than double its sale price. It's a wonderful old family farm. I wish I could live there and feel it does belong to us. Well, I will always be its owner in my heart...
All this rain is growing plenty of weeds.
The Boe Road farm drive and outbuildings.
The fields are so muddy!
Our destination in Stanwood!
Their road is so muddy this year...
Note the puddled water on the road.
Wet, but happy with our purchases.*I so need a cute pair of rain boots! It's on my must purchase list. How do I live in Western Washington and not own boots? Oh yeah, Seattleites don't wear boots.
Oyster shells
Too much water in the fields... Our farmers really need a break.I've heard it's bad for farmers in many areas of the U.S. ~ either too much water or in desperate need of it... Lord, please have mercy on our farmers.
Our plant treasures!
A day spent in the country is good medicine for my soul. It gives me time to clear my head; leaving the noise and busy hustle of the city behind. Time away enables me to reconnect to the land God created, to the people who devote their lives to being good stewards of precious farmland; growing organic food to nourish each one of us ~ working hard for little "worldly" reward. They are my heroes. Thank you Rent's Due and to all our organic farmers committed to the invaluable work you do. You have made my heart glad and blessed my spirit...
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Guide from Seattle Tilth!
Growing and Enjoying your Edible Garden ~ great info!
I'm also posting Seattle Tilth's information sheet below...
More Information for Growing and Enjoying your Edible Garden
Perennial Herbs
Few plants give more so easily and tirelessly than perennial herbs! This group includes common herbs such as sage, rosemary, mint and thyme as well as less commonly grown, but no less special, herbs such as winter savory, anise hyssop, garlic chives and lovage. Because they stick around year after year, perennial herbs make great choices for container gardening or planting along the border of your vegetable garden. Fragrant foliage and colorful blooms are a sensory bonus that you and beneficial insects will enjoy throughout the season. Give perennial herbs plenty of sun for the best production and take advantage of their flavor and nutrition in teas, sprinkled fresh on cooked dishes, stuffed in pastries, sandwiches, breads or other savory dishes, or used as delightful additions to floral bouquets and wreaths.
Annual and Biennial Garden Herbs
Each year we count on annual garden herbs for the addition of fresh, nutritious, and zesty flavor to top off our prized summer vegetable dishes. And boy, do they deliver! Dill, parsley, cilantro, basil, chervil—to name a few—can transform cooked or fresh vegetable dishes from so-so to wow! Use them solo or together chopped fresh, mixed with garlic as a pesto, the finishing touch to soups or grilled dishes, or as colorful additions to salsas and dips. Annual garden herbs are easy to grow given plenty of sun and fertile soil and they also make great choices for container gardens. If allowed to flower, annual garden herbs also provide an important nectar source for pollinators and beneficial insects. Be sure to include plenty in the garden for continual fresh use!
The Squash Family
Surprisingly, the squash family not only includes summer and winter squash, but also pumpkins, zucchini, and cucumbers! As a group these warm-season, fruiting vegetables need plenty of sun, fertile soil that has been amended with compost and warm garden air and soil to really get going. Protect young seedlings until the warmth of June arrives with a plastic hat made from recycled juice or milk containers (also known as a cloche) and you will be rewarded with plenty of plant growth to get a jump on the season! Generally, the squash family includes twining plants that can be trained vertically to climb a support or scramble on the ground in rambling trails. However, there are bush varieties as well to choose from and the more compact growth make them great additions for very small gardens.
The Onion Family
Onions, scallions and leeks are so easy to grow and need so little space, every garden can generally accommodate a few tucked in here and there. The onion family is considered a “leaf” crop so be sure to grow them in fertile garden soil that has plenty of nutrition for decent “bulbing” growth in the spring. Scallions are quick to grow, provide wonderful fresh onion flavor and if you leave some in the ground to over-winter, they will “bunch”, supplying plenty of side shoots in the spring to keep your scallion patch going. Leeks can also be left in the ground and harvested as you need them in the dark days of winter and spring. Sweet onion varieties grown in the summer garden are generally made for fresh eating soon after harvest. Storage onion varieties are bred to keep well in long-term storage and generally become sweeter as time passes.
Tomatoes!
Fewer vegetables define “summer” more than a flavorful tomato picked fresh from the garden. One can never really have enough of them and they can be used in so many ways--fresh, frozen, canned, or dried. However, some years are colder than others and getting them started in the garden requires a little extra “TLC” to coax plenty of growth in the early summer so that flowering, fruiting and ripening can get a start sooner rather than later.
Here are some general tips for success:
o Choose a short season variety bred for short season success. A tomato variety from Northern climates such as Canada, Russian or even the Northwest will produce sooner than a larger, beefsteak from the South or the Mediterranean.
I'm also posting Seattle Tilth's information sheet below...
More Information for Growing and Enjoying your Edible Garden
Perennial Herbs
Few plants give more so easily and tirelessly than perennial herbs! This group includes common herbs such as sage, rosemary, mint and thyme as well as less commonly grown, but no less special, herbs such as winter savory, anise hyssop, garlic chives and lovage. Because they stick around year after year, perennial herbs make great choices for container gardening or planting along the border of your vegetable garden. Fragrant foliage and colorful blooms are a sensory bonus that you and beneficial insects will enjoy throughout the season. Give perennial herbs plenty of sun for the best production and take advantage of their flavor and nutrition in teas, sprinkled fresh on cooked dishes, stuffed in pastries, sandwiches, breads or other savory dishes, or used as delightful additions to floral bouquets and wreaths.
Annual and Biennial Garden Herbs
Each year we count on annual garden herbs for the addition of fresh, nutritious, and zesty flavor to top off our prized summer vegetable dishes. And boy, do they deliver! Dill, parsley, cilantro, basil, chervil—to name a few—can transform cooked or fresh vegetable dishes from so-so to wow! Use them solo or together chopped fresh, mixed with garlic as a pesto, the finishing touch to soups or grilled dishes, or as colorful additions to salsas and dips. Annual garden herbs are easy to grow given plenty of sun and fertile soil and they also make great choices for container gardens. If allowed to flower, annual garden herbs also provide an important nectar source for pollinators and beneficial insects. Be sure to include plenty in the garden for continual fresh use!
The Squash Family
Surprisingly, the squash family not only includes summer and winter squash, but also pumpkins, zucchini, and cucumbers! As a group these warm-season, fruiting vegetables need plenty of sun, fertile soil that has been amended with compost and warm garden air and soil to really get going. Protect young seedlings until the warmth of June arrives with a plastic hat made from recycled juice or milk containers (also known as a cloche) and you will be rewarded with plenty of plant growth to get a jump on the season! Generally, the squash family includes twining plants that can be trained vertically to climb a support or scramble on the ground in rambling trails. However, there are bush varieties as well to choose from and the more compact growth make them great additions for very small gardens.
The Onion Family
Onions, scallions and leeks are so easy to grow and need so little space, every garden can generally accommodate a few tucked in here and there. The onion family is considered a “leaf” crop so be sure to grow them in fertile garden soil that has plenty of nutrition for decent “bulbing” growth in the spring. Scallions are quick to grow, provide wonderful fresh onion flavor and if you leave some in the ground to over-winter, they will “bunch”, supplying plenty of side shoots in the spring to keep your scallion patch going. Leeks can also be left in the ground and harvested as you need them in the dark days of winter and spring. Sweet onion varieties grown in the summer garden are generally made for fresh eating soon after harvest. Storage onion varieties are bred to keep well in long-term storage and generally become sweeter as time passes.
Tomatoes!
Fewer vegetables define “summer” more than a flavorful tomato picked fresh from the garden. One can never really have enough of them and they can be used in so many ways--fresh, frozen, canned, or dried. However, some years are colder than others and getting them started in the garden requires a little extra “TLC” to coax plenty of growth in the early summer so that flowering, fruiting and ripening can get a start sooner rather than later.
Here are some general tips for success:
o Choose a short season variety bred for short season success. A tomato variety from Northern climates such as Canada, Russian or even the Northwest will produce sooner than a larger, beefsteak from the South or the Mediterranean.
Exciting news in Washington State!
Cottage Food Law ~ This new law will allow people to make low risk product in their homes and then sell them. Great news!
Is a mini-orchard a reality?
Mini Orchard - in the urban garden setting.
Post #2 - Erica's planting of the mini orchard
Post #3 - Erica shares about this philosophy
This is an amazing discovery! I'll be sharing more as I learn... How exciting!
I've got to go re-measure the area outside for fruit tree planting! I've got to learn all I can about this method! I've got to grab my Raintree catalog and dream of more trees than I ever thought possible! I've got too............... catch my breath, vacuum the house, do a little weeding, go to yoga class, do the dishes, plan for tonight's dinner, walk the dog, go to the post office ~ all the while DREAMING of our mini orchard possibilities!
Post #2 - Erica's planting of the mini orchard
Post #3 - Erica shares about this philosophy
- Will I really be able to grow many more fruit tree varieties than I ever thought possible?
- Does this planting method really allow for good fruit production?
- How many different fruit trees will I be able to plant in our edible garden?
This is an amazing discovery! I'll be sharing more as I learn... How exciting!
I've got to go re-measure the area outside for fruit tree planting! I've got to learn all I can about this method! I've got to grab my Raintree catalog and dream of more trees than I ever thought possible! I've got too............... catch my breath, vacuum the house, do a little weeding, go to yoga class, do the dishes, plan for tonight's dinner, walk the dog, go to the post office ~ all the while DREAMING of our mini orchard possibilities!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
A new favorite blog
Northwest Edible Life ~ just discovered this blog and I'm lovin' it!
TO DO list for May: check it out...
TO DO list for May: check it out...
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