That idea can work for a few years but eventually the trees will be big and will shade out the berries. Alternatively you can plant fruit trees closer together and use summer pruning to keep the size under control. You will have smaller trees and not as much fruit, but you will have more room for other things. I have many trees planted as close as 3', or even closer. If you want to consider doing this, Google "backyard orchard culture" to read about the right way to do close planting.

Scott

Thanks for the tip Scott.

The first link I went to gave me loads of excellent tips on pruning for backyard gardening, etc....I think this will work well for my needs, as I can plant groupings on either end of my fruit rows, every other row, for spacing, and achieve just the results I need.

I may also plant some way out back to grow in their own way though, just for the fun of it.

Before you try to plant trees intermixed with other fruits underneath, look at various fruit cultivars, polination requirements, maintenance issues (like spraying and pruning).talk to a local orchardist and get their opinion.

You may find that underplanting, tightly spaced trees causes problems with access to the tree, interference with growth, and insect problems. Spray one chemical and you damage another fruit crop. It may be wise to take it one step at a time.

Plant your trees and give them an opportunity to settle in a couple years.

Good luck.

Thank you for pointing that out Annie.

What I had in mind was to plant the trees at the end of a row of other fruit....blackberries, or blueberries. I plan to grow organically, using companion plant principles.

Hopefully that will work out ok. I'm also planting a small orchard in the back acre, across the stream, using more *standard* principles, spacing them out 10-20 feet.

I appreciate your suggestions and I will definitely check on that.

Zengeos:

I have no difficulty growing blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries with no chemical sprays at all, though the blueberries do take some attention to the soil to keep it acidic. All the berries receive thick applications of stable manure every winter, but other organic mulches can be used to build the soil and keep plants vigorous. A healthy, vigorous berry plant seems better able to ward off insects and diseases. Japanese beetles can attack the raspberries and blackberries, but I have eliminated them by applying milky spore on the entire yard.

Tree fruits are more difficult, with both the trees and fruit subject to insects and diseases unless they receive minimum care such as dormant spraying with oil and a fungicide (I use copper) to keep these things from overwintering. Bagging fruit in plastic ziplocks or, in the case of peaches, shoe store try-on footies, can protect the fruit from insects without spraying all season long. Occasionally, a sudden infestation of something like aphids can require spraying trees during the growing season, even with dormant spray control. You have to watch for things like this.

I am not aware of any "companion" plantings that work with fruit trees to resolve these problems. Unless the trees receive at least some dormant spray care, their companions will be insects, and lots of them. If you want trees that are easier to care for, avoid planting trees with standard rootstocks that can become very large. Go for the semi-dwarf or full dwarf versions.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

Actually, there are several reputed companions for a number of tree diseases and pests...

Nasturtiuym, elderberry for some trees, and a few other companion plants to help trees repel certain problem pests and things like scab... I reference this site and am actually going to try a number of the plants mentioned in my attempts this year at permaculture/sheet mulch gardening.

http://www.ghorganics.com/page2.html