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forest garden

Advice on setting up an orchard

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posted 6 months ago

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Hello

Have a property in zone 5A NH that is SW facing the street then sloping downward to NE . Property is heavily wooded right now so I would like to clear some area to plant fruit trees.

Was looking to site an 80x160 orchard from elevation 620 down to 606

Any advice how to maximize sunlight?

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Matt McSpadden

gardener

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Location: Central Maine (Zone 5a)

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posted 6 months ago

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I'm not an expert, but I think you might have good luck planting on contour rather than in straight lines. This can help maximize water and nutrient capture.

I would check out some content from Stefan Sobkowiak https://miracle.farm/ and Mark Shepard https://www.forestag.com/pages/mark-shepard

Both are doing some really cool stuff with orchards and tree growing systems. I don't always agree 100%, but they are experienced and have a lot of free content on Youtube.

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J Yu

Posts: 4

posted 6 months ago

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Thanks. I’m familiar with their work. My concern is sunlight. Should I relocate the orchard to the top part of the property?

Matt McSpadden

gardener

Posts: 3045

Location: Central Maine (Zone 5a)

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posted 6 months ago

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You mention it is heavily forested right now... so clearly trees can thrive in that spot :) I don't think you need to worry too much about it.

J Yu

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posted 6 months ago

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Haha! You’re right!

Hugo Morvan

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Location: France, Burgundy, parc naturel Morvan

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posted 6 months ago

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I wouldn't do too many drastic things myself. Fell a tree here and there to get some light in there. Plant your trees in some sunnier spots and use the returning sprouting stuff as chop and drop. I have been grafting quite some trees with a friend. 80 trees took. All nice grafts from promising trees we scouted around where i live. Stuff like late flowering apples which ripen in winter. Interesting varieties that locally do well.

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Phil Stevens

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Location: Ashhurst New Zealand (Cfb - oceanic temperate)

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posted 6 months ago

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The best way to maximise sunlight without clearfelling is to cut alleys into the forest on a N-S alignment. The hours between 10 am and 2 pm (local "sun time", not clock time) are when most solar energy reaches us, so creating a clearing that captures this will give your fruit trees the light they need. Once you have your alleyway, some gentle swales or hugels on contour might be a good idea as well.

Posts: 8

Location: Wisconsin and Illinois

posted 6 months ago

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I am in a similar situation. Zone5b, WI, 11 acres of hardwood forest and cedar wetlands Planted/planting fruit and nut trees on the SW edge of the property. I back some some of the trees/brush on SW edge of the woods to gain more open area. 3 years in, 20 trees in and 20 + more going in this year. So far it seems to be working well.

Be well all

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