Small Space Fruit Growing Getting the most out of your space

Framework for Discussion  Introduction  Why not?  Strategies for a small garden  Planning  Harvest calendar  Soil, water and sunlight  Research (some titles)  Individual strategies  What we talked about 2

Introduction  Growing your own:  The TASTE!!!!!!!!  It teaches the kids where fruit really comes from  satisfaction from growing & eating your own produce  It saves you money  Food miles are reduced (to food feet!)  No packaging to try and recycle or send to landfill.  Reduced environmental impact  You know where your food comes from  Don’t let lack of access to acres stop you growing your own fruit! 3

Why Not?  Long term commitment (5 years to production)  Some trees are not self fertile (need a pollinator) or are dioecious  Get it right first time (difficult to relocate)  Two words: “fruit fly” 4

Strategies for a Small Fruit Garden  Planning  Dwarf varieties  Stacking  Vertical fruit gardening  Aspect  Fruit tree circle 5

Strategies for a Small Garden (too)  Fruit salad/fruit cocktail tree  Multiple fruit trees in one hole  Pruning  Integrated fruit tee plantings  Containers 6

Planning  Work out what fruit you are like (don’t forget vine and berry fruit)  Research what fruit grow well in your area  Develop a fruit harvest calendar  Take into account the available land and the following techniques  Write it down 7

A harvest Calendar  Draw up 14 columns  Write down the type and variety of fruit in 2 LHS columns  Write in month heading on other 12  Tick off which months each fruit produces in  Identify gaps  Identify plants to fill gaps 8

A harvest Calendar 9 TypeCultivarJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec PomeApple Akane X Apple Golden delicious XXXX Apple Pink Lady XX Apple Gala X Pear Packhams triumph X Pear Winter Nellis X CitrusEureka LemonXXXX Mandarin XXXX Lime XXXXXXX Lemonade XXXXX Orange (Valencia) XXXXX StonePeach AnzacX X Peach Fragar XX VineKiwi X Grapes XX PassionfruitXXXX X Berry Strawberry – Red Gauntlet XX XX MiscellaneousMulberryX XXX Olive XXX Feijoa XXX Lillly pilly XXX Fig XXX Existing New

Soil, Water & Sunlight  Soil drainage  Soil fertility  Chilling hours  Water availability  Sunlight 10

Research  Complete book of Fruit Growing in Australia – Louis Glowinski  All about Apples – Allen Gilbert  Organic Fruit Growing – Annette McFarlane  Grow Fruit – Alan Buckingham  Fruit For Australian Gardens – Paul Baxter  The Complete Guide to Growing Fruit in Australia – Paul Baxter & Glenn Tankard 11

 May be genetic or rootstock  Produce full size fruit  Can be very productive in less space  Effect varies with species  Not all varieties available 12 Dwarf Varieties

 The process of stacking means growing productive species at different heights  Full sized fruit trees, followed by  Dwarf fruit trees, followed by  Productive berry shrubs and canes, followed by  Fruiting groundcover eg strawberries and  Productive climbers eg passionfruit or grapes  Can be planted as three dimensional “forest” or two dimensional “hedgerow”. 13 Stacking (think “fruit forest”)

14 Fruit Forest

 Think about vertical spaces when planning  Trees are vertical anyway!  Berry canes can be grown up a trellis against a fence or other structure or wire between trees  Vine fruits can be grown up an arbour or pergola – pick fruit as you walk underneath  Vine fruits up established trees  Make a strawberry tower or pyramid  Maintain full sun where possible 15 Vertical Fruit Gardening

16 Vertical Strawberries

 The “Classic” is the banana circle but there are others  Usually a circle of productive trees around a source of fertility  Can be a hole in the ground full of organic matter or a worm tower etc  Needs to be in full sun  Other plants can be integrated eg sweet potato, comfrey other perennials 17 Fruit Tree Circle

18 Banana Circle

19 Fruit Tree Circle

 This type of tree is made by grafting scion wood from different varieties or types of fruit trees onto the one tree  Eg grafting orange and lime scions onto a lemon tree  Or several varieties of apple onto an apple tree  Provide a variety of fruit from small area  All scions must get enough sun  Can be tricky to prune  Expensive 20 Fruit Salad Tree

21 Fruit Salad Tree – this!

22 Fruit Salad Tree – Not this!

 Similar to fruit salad tree, but no need for grafting skills  Dig 2m2 hole & plant 2 – 4 trees together  Backfill with soil, organic mix and compost  Trees should have similar rootstocks to prevent one becoming dominant and outcompeting the others  Prune to shape trees  Ensure they all get water and light  Mulch heavily 23 Multiple Fruit Trees in one Hole

24 Multiple Fruit Trees in one Hole

 Keeps trees small – start out how you mean to continue  Can turn three dimensional tree into two dimensional  Two types – Espalier and cordon  Distance between trees – espalier: 3-6 metres; Cordon: 0.5 – 1 metre  Cordon allows lots of trees in a small area with less fruit off each tree  Should be done only with trees on dwarfing rootstocks 25 Pruning

26 Pruning – Espalier

27 Pruning - Cordon

 Why have “flower beds” and “orchard”?  Integrate the two using other techniques listed here  Replace non-productive large shrubs/small trees with fruit trees/bushes  Landscape with fruit not ornamentals  Creates extra productive space  Maintain full sun 28 Integrated Fruit Plantings

Containers (Why?)  It’s a good way to start out  The fruit is moveable  Can be moved to catch the sun or out of the frost  Can go with you if you move  Good if you are renting & can’t have a garden  If your soil is poor or waterlogged 29

 All but the largest fruit will grow in containers  Choose dwarfing varieties (although root restriction causes some dwarfing)  Begin with a small to medium pot – pot into a larger one later  Use a free draining potting mix  Water regularly (can easily dry out in warm weather  Prune yearly 30 Growing in Containers

The Soil  Must retain moisture while being well drained and be fertile  Rich, friable garden soil is a good base but add perlite, cocopeat & compost  Or use good quality potting mix  Repot every two years (late winter) 31

What we Talked About 32  Introduction  Why not?  Strategies for a small garden  Planning  Harvest calendar  Soil, water and sunlight  Research (some titles)  Individual strategies

Questions? 33