Subject: Help design this orchard

From: "Akiva Werbalowsky" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 18 Dec 1997 11:19:47 PST

This is a message I'm posting for a friend. He has an incredible 
selection of trees ready to go in the ground in Ojai, California. Please 
contact him at:

[email-masked]

I am looking for some permaculture information pertaining to deciduous
(stone) fruit trees.  We have a mix of apricots, plums, peaches, 
nectarines,
pluots, apples, and Asian pears coming soon.  I have three areas of 
inquiry:

1.  On our soil, I think we can dry farm (or nearly so) the stone fruit
orchard we have planned.  Any thoughts?

2.  I'm looking for low or no pruning methods for the culture of these
trees.  Conventional practice requires heavy, detailed pruning annually.  
Is
there a permaculture alternative to this approach?  Why is it that some
"abandoned" fruit trees bear so much nice fruit?

3.  Tree spacing and patterns.  Most orchards are set out in neat, 
straight
rows.  At home, I've always grown trees, herbs, and vegetables in 
groups, or
blocks, or other patterns to fit the landscape.  Is this feasible on a
larger scale?  Also, is there an advantage to having a "fruit forest"
pattern, with canopy cover over most of the soil, as opposed to open 
strips
between rows?

Any references or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Best wishes,
Rob

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From: Kurt Lawlor <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 18 Dec 1997 19:30:27 +0000

Hi

Try

Plants For A Future database (formally known as The PlantTracker). 

You can find it at two sites: in the UK at
        http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/D_search.html
and in the US at
        http://www.sunsite.unc.edu/pfaf/D_search.html

Will tell you many things is asked nicely!

Kurt

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From: Kurt Lawlor <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 18 Dec 1997 19:30:27 +0000

Hi

Try

Kurt