Thank you

by lady in east texas
(east texas)

Trying to keep cool in the August heat.

I am putting in a vineyard, and I am reading everything I can get my hands on. Thanks so much for the wealth of information.
Lady in East Texas

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Thank you

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Sep 19, 2010
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thank you for your ideas for an orchard
by: ladyfromeasttexas

thank you for your comments they were very enlightening.
And I have done most of what you have said, with trees and bushes that are form this part of the country.
Not all of what you mentioned will grow here. The vineyard is turning out to be very beautiful with all the different fruit tress and berry bushes etc etc.
I am really looking forward to making wine.

Sep 12, 2010
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Ideas for an Orchard
by: Chris Allen

One thing I would definitely consider in the creation of your Orchard, especially in East Texas (well in fact anywhere) is many of the ideas taught in Permaculture. I would create a forest garden, instead of an Orchard.

I would have as many different types of trees as you can, from apples, peaches, pears, plums, cherries, walnuts, pecans, almonds, and most definitely chestnuts (I will be putting in over 100 Chestnuts... I am most excited about a hybrid variety called Dunstan, over 90% of the Chestnut trees I put in will be this variety, you can just google Dunstan chestnut, and find a good source for that variety), I would also put in Sugar Maple (acer saccharum) for a small sugar stand... always useful on a homestead, and for quality firewood, Pawpaws, grapes, figs...

I can go on and on, another thing I would do is create an understory or lower level (plants that grow below the trees, like blueberries, strawberries, and you will absolutely want to grow lots and lots of Comfrey, which will definitely nourish the trees, and shade the ground, and also provide food for the ducks, chickens, and geese that you will want running through your 'forest garden' (orchard).

Another thing that I strongly recommend from all my studying and is in my plans for the next 'orchard' is to not put the trees in straight lines, but rather create as much biodiversity as you can, and make the 'orchard' look as little like an orchard as you can.

This is make it much easier to keep unwelcome guests (the 2 legged kind) out of your garden. The more biodiversity and the more varieties of plants you have the fewer pests you will have, and the more variety and food you will be able to produce on the plot of ground you have. Good luck, and remember to enjoy yourself.

Chris Allen
3win.com

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