spacing of trees (forum)

ringelstrumpf starts with ...
I have to plant some apple trees, a quince and some plums. Everything is on dwarf rootstock, except the plums.
What would the minimum spacing be? 2meters, 2.5 meters? And for the plum 3 or 3.6?
(you couldn't believe we have a big garden, but I have plenty of other plans too....)

Time: 14th July 2011 4:51pm

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About the Author ringelstrumpf
Mountains
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amanda says...
About enough space to get your ride on mower thru'!? :)
I allowed 5m between the trunks of my plum trees - allowing for the canopy to grow 4m diameter...it has been plenty of room - but my trees are a bit dwarfed here due to the wind and elements anyway... :(

My dwarf peach and nectarines have a canopy of 1.5m diameter at the very most, at present, and they are about 4yrs old. I think I allowed 2 or 3m between their trunks. Row spaces were a bit different because I had different size trees in each row.

I grouped all the large and tall trees at the back (south) and then graduated down to the smaller trees at the front (north) I could have got away with much closer spacing as I keep the trees pruned to the size I want anyway. They will probably grow more rampant in your part of the country though..?

Time: 14th July 2011 5:41pm

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About the Author amanda19
Geraldton. Mide West WA.
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ringelstrumpf says...
No ride on mower here, bought husband a scythe and he's happy. 5 meters seems a lot. But they won't be dwarfed as I plan to plant a decent windbreak (at least that's something the wind can break first, we had a nice storm). The spacing of your peaches is more the direction I need but won't work for the plums. In the end it's how you get the most fruit and variety on a given space, without disease problems and too much fuss.

Time: 14th July 2011 6:28pm

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Mike says...
Ringelstrumpf I reckon the recommended spacings for many fruit trees are too generous and closer together in limited space does give more fruit.You just have to prune them and keep them open enough.Higher densities plantation are becoming more common for even larger tree types and they produce more fruit,but they need more management.



Time: 14th July 2011 8:09pm

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Julie says...
Commercial orchards grow trees very close together,but obviously have to prune hard. I spaced my trees much too far apart - I could have had a much bigger variety of fruit.

Growing close together dwarfs the trees, up to a point.

Time: 14th July 2011 8:44pm

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About the Author Julie
Roleystone WA
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ringelstrumpf says...
Thanks! I don't mind pruning (maybe I will learn it once). And this way I will prduce more organic matter too.
I marked it out now 2 meters apart for the hazels, 2,50 apart for everything dwarf and 3,50 for the plum trees.

Time: 17th July 2011 9:14pm

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