Thanks guys - seems like (as with most things) anything will probably work; how well depends on lots of variables. I was plucking rhubard and comfrey as examples mentioned - there are no doubt better companions for my climate/hemisphere. I can't imagine wanting to plant more than a couple of hundred fruit/nut trees, so starting them in pots isn't so bad.
LivingWind, would it make much difference using
2" forestry tubes and transplant them younger, as opposed to using the larger pots you described (which I don't have many of)?
On the broader subject of seed sowing trees, I was wondering if there was a way to protect an area of young trees from rabbits. The trees I have planted to date have had little plastic collars (which also protect them from wind, presumably?) with three bamboo stakes, but that doesn't seem scalable to an area of perhaps (in my case) 5 acres. I don't think my family or employer would let me take 12 months off camping out there with a
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