Milehigh:

It's not that it's a bad idea in the sense that it will hurt anything, it's just not a good idea because it won't help your trees much, if that's the objective. Depending on the kind of equipment you use, you could be creating a lot of work for yourself without much reward. I don't know how you would effectively till in an area with rocks, but if you don't till too deep you obviously won't hurt tree roots.

If you want to help your trees and gradually build the soil around them, mulch frequently in a circle about 6-8 feet wide with ground leaves, grass clippings, or the shredded branches available at many municipal recycling operations. All you need is a pickup truck, a pitchfork, and a lot of energy. I mulch my trees with stable manure from a local riding stable.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

MHG, don't try to improve the soil by putting amendments in planting holes- this is the worst possible strategy. If the soil needs amending add a rich compost and till it into the top 9-12 inches of at least 5' diameter plots. You'll need at least a quarter yard per tree to have much affect. You would add pH amendment at this time also and maybe other supplements based on your soil (a test would be good). Your clay may benefit from gypsum, depending on the kind of clay it is (is it sodic).

If it is heavy clay you may need to plant on berns or raised plots up to 8' diameter and 18 inches above surrounding soil. This takes a lot of shovel work so you may want to enlist your boys.

I agree with Don on the value of mulching but be sure to control your rodents. You should contact your county cooperative extension and have them help you with the needs of your specific soil type.

I guess the reason I wanted to plant a cover crop was because I will need a LOT of mulch. I'm not sure where to get what I will need at first. Should I not plant anything between the rows, and if not, how do I keep the weeds down without tilling?

Also, I was planning on supplementing the soil with a product that has compost, sphagnum peat moss, and mycorrhizae root stimulant. Should I just put this on top after the trees are planted?

Do you suggest not supplementing the soil in the hole even for peaches. I've heard they are quite temperamental. Drainage seems poor right now that we've had quite a bit of rain in the last day. We have puddles on top of the clay in some places.

With the suggestion of planting or berming up the soil, will that not be the same as planting the trees in supplemented soil? Could you explain the berming up process a little more?

I've got about 40 trees to plant that are in pots, plus small plants like grapes and gooseberries.

Thank you for all the advice!

I am not saying don't supplement the soil, I am saying don't dig a hole and dump other materials into it. You can go on the internet and research this as it has been thoroughly investigated by the likes of Carl Whitcomb and others.

With fruit trees in problem soil you can add amendments but work from the top down and improve the soil where the roots are growing in the next few years as well as where they are. Creating a differnt textured soil in a hole will either create a swamp or a desert there if the texture is different than surrounding soil.

When I have terrible soil to work with I bring in about a half yard of humus (compost in its later stages) and work it into the top 9-12 inches of soil in at least six foot diameter circles. This must be thoroughly mixed- a roto-hoe is helpful or if you do it by hand a good cultivating fork with curved tines (a hoe shape).

Okay, so the first part of my plan, to add compost and till a foot deep on the whole property, was correct? Then I should just dig the holes and plant the trees and cover with mulch?

I looked up Dr. Carl Whitcomb but only found his patented pots and plants. Do you know a link where I can get this first-hand information?

Hi, sheet composting would work if you are not planting before fall. Sheet composting spreading Leaves, grass clipping & other compost materials in layers right on top of the soil. Then work it in the soil. Green manure crops: in fall perennial rye, cowpeas in spring & buckwheat in the summer. Buckwheat & clover will draw honeybees. Rows 9 feet apart sounds like dwarf tree,if so do not cover the graft dog leg (bent place in the tree trunk ) with soil. It could root & you would have full size tree to close to each other.If you mulch your tree,but want to put in green manure. Pull back the mulch, break the ground to plant the seeds, no more then one inch,some seeds do better on top of the soil. When the plants come up & have 3-4 leaves push the mulch down around them to hold down weeds. When the seasons change the green manure will die or you can cover it mulch 7-14 days before the next crop. It will rot, hold down weeds, add nitrogen to the soil without harming the tree roots. Also NEVER use black walnut leaves,bark or chips,dog,cat manure.

If you can afford to till the whole property, fine. If you have compaction, subsoiling is even better. Lacking the necessary equipment (a small roto-tiller will certainly not suffice) you can just work the individual tree plots with 8' diameter circles being optimum. This is what most people do with small home orchards.

If you either have, or know someone who has a tractor with a rototiller, a modification of how I make raised beds for my vegetable garden might be suitable. I use whatever compost I can get cheap, be it old manure or city compost, and spread it in bands. I then till it in with my five foot tiller and then use my back blade to make long mounds. For my garden, I use cinder blocks to make raised beds, but if you have poor drainage, you could just build the mounds that way and plant the trees in the amended soil. It would probably be a good idea to allow the amended soil to settle for a month or so before planting.

If you have a cheap source of compost this can be relatively inexpensive, depending of course on whether you have to pay for the tractor work. Around here, that wouldn't be all that expensive anyway, since there are farmers who can often use a little extra cash.

Chuck

Yeah, but most farmers don't have roto-ho attachments, least not around here.

I often plant orchards on raised plots that are held high with annual mulching (erosion will flatten otherwise). No need at all to do it a month ahead of time- just dont dig below the planting depth unless you have to and in that case really tamp it down good. It sucks when the tree sinks but if you follow these instructions the tree and soil sinks together. Believe me, it will only increase the trees vigor- loose but firm is good.