Every year I try for a
permaculture project: for various reasons I can only do a little at a time. This year's project was a Hunza apricot, which will hopefully do well on the sandy hillside near the creek. Hunza apricots are supposed to be well adapted to dry weather, so once established the sandy soil
should not be too dry for it. I will carry
water to it once a week until it is established, of course!
At any rate, there is a small flattish area near the creek that floods a couple of days a year. There is a willow tree on the upriver part of it that is doing well, and I believe that I can use that tree to break up any current and so plant a fruit tree downstream of it. Since plum
trees are sold by the forestry department for erosion control, I think that I will try for a multi tree on a plum rootstock.
The Tiger Lilys near the creek would just be for fun!!!
This spring was wonderfull, as every time I visited my 5 acres I came back with either daffodils or asparagus. I would like to be able to harvest during the summer as well, though.
The Hunza apricot will not bear for many years, and I do not think that the little plum seedlings that I got from the forestry department will either. A dwarf fruit tree, however, will usually bear in just 2 years and if I plant a multi tree then the harvest should be nicely staggered.
There is not much sandy soil in my part of the country, so finding plants that are well adapted to it is a LEEETLE difficult!