Hey There,
So, I've purchased some
land on a mesa in southern Oregon, and after the purchase I am given to understand that the soil is only about 18" deep before hitting bedrock. Now, all of the other potential concerns aside, I would like to start an orchard & homestead on my land, but I'm concerned about how deep the taproot will grow on any
trees I attempt to grow on the property.
I've developed a structure I'm planning to share here later that I've dubbed the "Hugel Stem," which
should add a good 5-6 feet of dirt where the trees are grown, but as the trees get older I'm given to understand the taproots will dig down as far as 20-30 feet, depending on the tree. Obviously, in this situation, this will lead to the trees doing quite well for a number of years before eventually growing sick and dying as the taproot meets the barrier of bedrock.
What I'd like to do is cut the taproot after the trees have reached an acceptable height, but not so early on as to make them as small as a bonsai. I want them to be able to
bear fruit, after all. And plenty of it.
So... does anyone know if there's a special technique that can be used on trees to cut the taproot without killing the tree?