? about area around fruit trees

I've posted this on the 'organic' forum but thought I'd ask here as well.

We live on 10 acres and I've planted some small/new fruit trees in one of our meadows. My neighbor suggested that I need to clear at least 15' around the tree and suggested "Round-Up" to kill the native grass. I don't like to use 'Round-Up' around vegetation that I eat..although I do use it for the poison oak that seems to love it here in North Texas.

Is it necessary to keep 15' around the tree bare..??.. My neighbor said that otherwise the weeds / grasses will compete for the nutrients.

Wondering if anyone has any experience / suggestions...

Many thanks..
Jann

I answered your post on organic gardening.
However, I want to add that I think herbaceous grasses and plants - especially native ones - probably do more for the soil than they take out. Woody plants and vines probably should be controlled so they don't crowd the roots or branches of the tree.
If your trees show signs of a nutrient deficiency, you may have to treat it - but I would blame the native soil, not the native plants.

It depends on your soil as well. If you have a sandy soil then grasses will be more harmful than a dark clay soil. In addition, sometimes those grasses will break up the clay with their roots. However, you can just buy some weed cloth and cover it with a bit of mulch. That will help retain moisture once it warms up. It is not necessary in the winter. You can get 100 feet of 3 foot weed barrier for 25 bucks at Lowes. That will be good enough for 33 trees.

What kind of soil do you have and what trees did you get?

Hi juju...

We have sandy soil and our meadows have the native coastal grass. This development used to be farm land.

I've only planted 8 trees -- various peaches, a sugar pear, and a couple of Spice Zee nectaplums. (cross between nectarine and plum). I also planted a pomegranate and a couple of different figs ....but -DANG- they didn't make it. I'll be getting some more to replace those.
....

Well... I'm definitely NOT going to spray any Round-Up....and will probably just do what I can to cover the base area with some weed cloth / cardboard and then cover that with mulch.

I dont use cardboard because it doesnt let water penetrate like weed cloth.
Sandy soil is a blessing and curse. You want trees that dont require a lot of fertilizer and have tap roots.

Jujube is very good but it suckers and you have to manage the suckers.

Pear doesnt need a lot of fertilizer because it can cause fire blight.

You are really on the edge for Fig and Pomegranate. I am zone 8b and I sometimes have difficulty with cold snaps.

Asian Persimmons (non astringent) will love your area. Get Fuyu or Jiro. They dont need fertilizer either.

Peaches like well drained soils so you are good.

You should throw in some Serviceberry trees. They are insanely beautiful and make tons of berries similar to Blueberries in appearance but with a very nice distinct taste. They are drought and cold tolerant. They are also very cheap. You can probably get lots on Ebay or BurntRidgenursery.com has some nice ones.






This message was edited Jan 2, 2011 9:54 PM

HI jujube...

Thanks for the suggestion and link for 'serviceberry' trees. I hadn't heard of them before.

So yummy!

I also planted new fruit trees this winter in a sandy loam soil with native coastal grasses. I did a lot of research and don't recall reading anywhere about clearing grass away from the trees. I will just leave mine as I don't want it removed and if it takes some nutrients from the fruits than so be it. Can't you just fertilize the grass areas and provide nutrients for all of it? Seems easier than keeping grass cleared.

Grasses can often out compete a tree. I would put a weed barrier cloth down when they are young. Let them get established first and then let them duke it out.

I have a ring around each tree approximately 4-5' round with mulch. Do you think that will be ok til they get established? I also planted container grown trees which will hopefully have stronger root systems by the heat of summer.

Sounds good to me.

Jujubetexas,
Your serviceberry comment caught my attention. My serviceberry gets a orange fuzzy blight on the berries every year so neither I or the birds have ever tasted them. I had the same trouble with a different serviceberry (almost certainly a different species too) when I lived near Charlotte, NC - about 150 miles West of Wake Forest. I am going to take photos of it this year - funny weather last year killed all the flower buds so no fruit.

Do you think this the cedar blight? There are lots of native cedar around in both locations.

Paul

I have been lucky not to experience that yet. Please please do send pictures if you get it again. I am very fond of the berries and would hate to close a crop like that.

I don't think your Serviceberry disease occurs in Colorado - the closest match I could find was "San Jose Scale" - Quadraspidiotus perniciosus. You should send your description or photo to your local Extension Service - if you don't have one, then your State Agricultural College.

Paul,
You may be right on the apple-cedar rust as the culprit. Serviceberries are susceptible to it. Have you seen it on the leaves as well? It appears as tiny brown spots on the leaves as well

http://plantclinic.cornell.edu/FactSheets/cedar-applerust/cedar-applerust.htm
pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/.../EPP-7611web%20color.pdf www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/BP/BP-137-W.pdf

The second link is from Oklahoma State and doesn't work when I transferred it over, but the fact sheet is available through
http://osufacts.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/HomePage
Have it search for EPP-7611

Bettydee-
Yep, little brown spots. This problem was puzzling to me since serviceberry is native to NC. I am disappointed but not crushed to never see a serviceberry fruit. The first tree, when I lived near Charlotte, NC was just for the flowers which are beautiful and bloom earlier than apple, cherry, etc. I thought the birds would enjoy the berries but no such luck.

I bought the different var. from the UNC Horticulture college's student club at their yearly sale in Raleigh (150 mi. E. of Charlotte). I guess they are the ones I should send the photo to. The NC ag extension people are more interested in commercial farming (in my opinion). I've never been able to get one on the phone and the recording tells me to call the master gardeners who several times did not return my call.