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Re: interplanting with dryland legume trees




I just returned from West Texas where the mesquite has been subject to 
countless eradication programs, none of which worked.  A cousin of mine has 
pruned these hardy plants into upright tree form and they form a wonderful 
canopy.  I wouldn't worry too much about their taking water as they are a 
very deep rooted plant and your fruit trees are surface feeders and receive 
their moisture nearer the surface.

When Bill Mollison and I were in Israel we noticed that the mesquite was 
used as a light shade plant in the desert and the plants underneath seemed 
to thrive.

Scott Pittman

At 05:00 PM 7/4/00 -0700, you wrote:
>Hello, All.
>
>I'd like some opinions about interplanting desert
>legume trees (acacia, mesquite and palo verde) with
>fruit and nut trees in a dry, Mediterranean climate
>(inland central California). I'm aware of the use of
>legume trees in 'alley cropping' as a source of
>nitrogen-rich mulch in moist climates, but i wonder if
>this system works in a dry climate in which (surface)
>decomposition is slow.  I'm also concerned that the
>legume trees may just fiercely out-compete the fruit
>and nut trees for our precious water.
>
>Last year we hand dug small swales and ran a drip
>system along the contour of an approximately 20% slope
>and planted about 40 fruit and nut trees along these.
>We left what we think is enough room for the legume
>trees between each of the fruit or nut trees if we
>decide to go for it.
>
>Thanks for any ideas, opinions, or resources!
>
>Kind regards,
>Stephan Leimroth
>Bradley, California
>
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