I don't think plants growing out in nature get "root rot" like ones in pots. The ones in pots don't have growing options, but what trees out in nature do in wet soil conditions is develop shallow root systems, with roots growing on the soil surface or very close to it. This is how the roots gain access to the oxygen they need in waterlogged conditions. The main problem this causes is susceptibility to windthrow. How much of this will occur will depend on how often there is standing water down there. I've experienced all kinds of trees growing in marginally wet soil and while some occasionally fall over, many thrive for years. If it is too wet and the tree isn't adapted to it, it will not thrive though.

One fruit tree that is adapted to and will thrive in soil that is sometimes wet is the serviceberry/juneberry/amelanchier tree. The berries are similar to blueberries, but less tart. Blueberries also don't mind occasional wetness. Wild black and raspberries seem pretty hardy so they might do OK, although wet soil is not ideal for them. I don't know about apples and pears. I'd be more inclined to try tart cherries, but don't ask me why. Just a hunch I get from interacting with wild cherry trees. They don't like wet soil, but they are generally hardy to lots of different environmental challenges. A lot of my friends in damp Great Britain plant plum trees, I dunno if they are any better in wet soil or not. There are some types of wild plums that grow along beaches and streams, but I don't know how good the cultivated varieties are.

g'day saille,

you should be able to plant whatever you like if the swale is as it should be and is actually going to do the job it is intended to do - that is 'aid the transition of catchment/run-off water into the sub-soil'.

if you had planted along the contour and mulched around and between the food trees this too would have created a swale, you soil type could have an impact on how well the swale will work, a lot do the classic copy book trench swale with downside berm but when it is cut into clay it acts as a dam, and does little to put water into the sub-soil. you need also to take into account how much rainfall you get.

so in areas that get very good rain you could if the swale works right water-log the soil below the immidiate area, in which case you want to plant moisture loving plants a opposed to plants that like it a bit drier as many fruit trees do they like to be well watered about once a week then they like to drain.

in the situation we had we uesed rip swales (made by using a plow like tool often seen on graders and bull-dozer in combinations or 3 or 4 but we used a singel configuration), then planted the trees in the swale lines and then mulched as i said earlier this was in sandy loam soil and worked a treat.

then on the other hand i have seen where others used the classic copy book swale in heavy clay and caused trenches that where little more than dams and the water went nowhere well not into the sub-soil least wise. one person needed to introduce fish into his swales to control mosquito's.

len

Here is a link that might be useful: len's garden page

Hi Len! I was thinking the same kind of things, depends on how well the swale works, and the SOIL. We have clay soil here which tends to waterlog pretty easy. I also was thinking that if Saille planted water loving plants around the edges of the swale, that could also help the swale do it's job.

I was out this afternoon in a "swale-like" area and was reminded of another wonderful plant that likes wet areas, the elderberry bush. Both the flowers and berries are edible, and have also been used for medicinal purposes. If you planted a mix of serviceberry, elderberry and low growing blueberries they could maybe soak up any "leaks" from the swale edges. Lots more edible and useful wetland plants, but these are the fruiting ones I can think of.

There's also witch hazel, and spicebush, the former used for medicinal purposes and the latter for tea (the roots of small ones). Cattails might grow in the really wet areas, edible and useful for weaving mats. Oh yeah, and willow too, I can't remember the variety used for baskets off hand. The reason I'm such a weenie of information on all this is I once did a research report on the uses of wetland plants for a college course. There is also mint, and swamp rose for rose hips. And a plant called "touch-me-not" or jewelweed, the stems of which can be mashed into a salve to treat skin irritations like poison ivy.

Below is a link to a page that I worked on with a colleague and student that gives profiles of some of the plants mentioned.

Here is a link that might be useful: Facultative Wetland Plants

i reckon the classic copy book (pdc) swale is not the best process for heavy clay soils as the swales will fill up like a dam and stay that way doing little to get moisture into the sub-soil.

if you are in a high rainfall area then maybe you don't need too much ephasis on swales apart from mulch along the lines of trees you plant and this will hold water back which will then seap under the mulch line and travel down the tree root galleries and do the job you want.

the other type of swailing i would suggest is using a ripper on a a tractor of sorts and just rip along the contours with a single ripper, spread plenty of gypsum into the rip, then plant you trees in the rip or just below it, and again mulch the line of trees it won't matter if the mulch covers the rip it will still work.

if you are in a good rainfall area then trees that need good drainage might need to be planted a little higher in the ground than others.

eventually the trees will do the job as their root systems develop, use plenty of gypsum in the holes you dig for the trees as well.

mulch line and rip swalling are low impact on the landscape, and do the same job.

len