Planning my orchard??

[TanksHill]

So, for the last several years I have been adding trees to my orchard. Even replacing some that did not make it. I have two avocado, two apple, two nectarine, lemon, lime, appricot, peach, plum and a pear. Up until now my planting has been in rows about 5 - 6 trees deep spaced about 10 to 15 feet apart. Most of the like kinds are next to each other. Is there any thing else I sould consider when choosing the locations. Winter is comming and time for bare roots, I would also like to plant a couple more citrus. Any sugestions? I do live in southern Ca. so we have pretty good weather with very mild conditions. Let me know what you think, gina

 

[Rosalind]

You should consider whether they are dwarfed or not. Some things, like cherry and avocado, can be trimmed to a smallish size, but don't come in dwarf rootstocks. Citrus are really giant bushes, not trees, and will never get exceptionally tall, so you may wish to consider how much light they will get when your (hopefully dwarf or semi-dwarf) apples, peaches, avocados, etc. are all grown up.

I'm horribly jealous--I've got a pretty good orchard here, but in Massachusetts we just can't do citrus.

 

[TanksHill]

Thank you, I guess I will need to watch my shadows for a couple days. I am on a hill and the trees face the east. They usually grow kinda funny leaning up hill towards the west. I have planted several different times over the last 7 years. I lost most of my citrus because of lack of water. I got busy having kids and neglected them. So I thought that I should get a couple in the ground soon. I finally got my sprinklers going again so I have 3 or 4 along my driveway with nothing planted near them. Looked like a good spot. Maybe not for citrus though. I would like to see past them. If that makes any sence. Do you have any expierence with nut trees? I would love to plant a walnut and maybe almond. I know Ca. Is a pain for nut trees though. You can't order from back east. I guess I will need to find them locally. Thanks again,gina

 

[Rosalind]

Almond trees should do well in your area. They're grown like peaches, the nut part is the pit. My understanding is they are easy enough to mind, you just let the fruit fall on the ground and rot, then go around collecting pits. Can spray or not as you would for peach/plum/nectarine.

Walnuts are notoriously difficult to grow in any climate. They HATE being transplanted. Most nurseries will specifically exempt walnuts from any guarantees they have on other plants. They just despise having their roots disturbed, and growing one from seed takes decades. I tried to do walnuts, as we have hickories here--close relative of walnuts, grows very well behind my barn. No luck, the walnuts all croaked. If you really really want walnuts, I would get only large root-balled trees with some sort of guarantee, not the bare root kind.

 

[TanksHill]

thank you, that is very interesting. gina

 

[beavis]

Almonds grow great down here in SoCal.

This is some of my harvest from two-year old transplants....

And the outer husk removed..

 

[TanksHill]

Ok now I am intrigued. I have a tree that is supposed to be a nectarine. The graft died and root stalk grew. The fruit looks kinda like your pre rot almonds. Do the fruits look green like that when they fall?

Then just yesterday I was reading an article in Country side about the guy who gardens in the desert. If I am not mistaken, they talkied about grafting stone fruits onto almond trees because their deep root system works so well in dry climates.

What are the chances I ALLREADY have an almond tree growing? Huh, now wouldnt that be funny. Maybe I should go look for the rotten fruitunder the tree. I stopped watering ths year because I was going to cut it down. Maybe it gets to stay. I'll have to compare the leaves.

Thank you so much for the info.

 

[beavis]

If you would like I can post up a picture of my almond tree so you can compare the leaves...

 

[TanksHill]

Sure why not. I did go out in the yard to look for pits.. I found one. I think they really look like just immature nectarines. I did a google search but did not see any leaves up close. I am sure I have a tree book around somewhere. I'll have to look for it. Thanks.

 

[beavis]

I went out and gathered some Almond and Peach leaves for comparison (I don't have Nectarine but I am assuming their pretty close to Peach.

Almond on the left, Peach on the right... They look pretty similar to me...