Need help with swale placement on a slope for fruit trees

Hi, I’m relatively new to permaculture. The word swale didn’t exist to me before six months ago!

I have four apple trees and one peach tree, all semi dwarf, to plant. The best location is a recently cleared slope, the former site of a horrible patch of invasive vines and bushes.

I believe the fruit trees would best be planted in the middle of the slope to get the best air flow and sunlight. I’m not sure if one straight row would be best or if alternating them in a zigzag would be better. Also should I plant the peach tree separately? Get another peach tree also?

Plus if I zigzag the trees, could the swale that follows the contour still benefit the trees farther away from the slope?

I want to try to get this right before planting the trees if possible. The plan is to set up guilds after planting.

Thanks so much in advance for any advice.

Hi Maria! Welcome to Permies and congratulations on your first post!

The direction of swales are given.

All you need to know is the line where the ground has the same level, that would be the swale when you dig it.

It could be straight but it could be all over the place depends how bumpy your land is.

To get the right level:

Decide where you want your swale begin.
From that point you start measuring all way where the swale will be..

To measure you make this easy tool which you turn over its leg  
check its weight still in the center and make the next 180 degree turn over one leg.
Use it like with a Circle drawer on Paper.

Tip, first complete your swale and then plant your trees along it.

Hi Maria! I'm following with interest as I'm soon to create my first swales/ rain basins on a slope to deal with roof water run off. Just pulled out my copy of Brad Lancaster's Rainwater Harvesting book!

What's your climate and rainfall? And what are the photos showing? That looks more like a boomerang berm than a swale on contour, which I've read can be an excellent option for tree planting. But maybe I'm not seeing what's there!