I have been reading up on what makes good companions for planting beneath fruit trees. Now that I am armed with knowledge, I want to know when I can plant. I have read some conflicting advice about this. A couple of sources said not to plant anything until the fruit tree is fruiting and well established. But another said start them out together. One is planted in lawn at the moment- it has an area around it that is mulched and lawn free, but nethertheless, they don't like to compete with grass. So what I am I better to do here??? Should I plant the nitrogen fixing things like peas and beans now that can grow up the trunks and wait till later to plant the additional herbs?
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Apparently it is a good idea to plant some dahlia's when you have apple trees because the dahlias harbour earwigs and they eat the codlin moth larvae. I can recommend the comfrey, I have trees which have comfrey growing around them thriving in very poor soil.
This is how I worked it: the advice is to mulch around the drip line as this is where the feeding roots are so when trees were small I companion planted on the out side of the mulch and as they grew and the circle between the mulch and trunk grew I companion planted on the inside. I did sneak a few chives right next to the trunk of my apple trees from the begining however. Fox gloves are apparently beneficial to all plants so I am trying to spread them around my orchard this year as they look great too.
It seems to be a fairly theoretical science to me. I totally understand the rationality behind it and practice it myself, but has there been any studies done with enough depth to be able to determine the qualitive differences between different applications ? Or personal observations with the appropriate alternative comparison ?
I have nastertian growing around most of mine and have noticed that it keeps the weeds out well. It grows fairly vigorously itself, but it pulls out of the ground very easily and leaves the ground bare to the earth.
Okay- so I should soon then? I just read that when the trees are young, they compete with the herbs growing beneath for nutrients. I guess this shouldn't be an issue if it is well fed anyway. And I know the chives have to be planted for 4 years before they can prevent root scab, so I guess the sooner the better with that.
Kay Baxter from Koanga further recommends putting Mediterranean plants under citrus trees (eg rosemary, lavender etc) and appropriate moderate climate plants under others, eg chamomile, and other herbs and clovers (red and white), borage, etc under pip and stone fruit trees. I have just planted an orchard and have mulched around all trees and am starting to plant herbs (and comfrey) now - spring! I want my trees to be as healthy as possible as soon as possible!
I planted out Chives below the apple tree when it was a few years old and have also planted out tansy below the peach tree which is also about 2 years old. So far they are all working happily together. The companion planting idea came from a NZ Companion planting guide I was given a few years ago. I think if the plants are fairly shallow rooted it doesn't matter quite when you plant them with your fruit trees, although the sooner they start providing benefit the better I would think. I have a neighbour who got a lavender plant from me to plant beneath her espaliered peach tree as well who figures that will help it.
I have comfrey which dies down and feeds soil, plus Kay baxter from koanga recommends a herbal ley and spring bulbs to attract bees and benefical insects
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I have nastertian growing around most of mine and have noticed that it keeps the weeds out well. It grows fairly vigorously itself, but it pulls out of the ground very easily and leaves the ground bare to the earth.