New to growing fruit, and wondering what I can/should plant beneath my trees. I have one large crab apple to which I’ve successfully grafted some mystery heritage apples (and will graft more next year), as well as several dwarf cordon trees (M9) growing along a wire fence. Currently, there is only dirt and weeds below all of these, with a large hydrangea growing at the edge of the crab apple’s canopy. I do not want grass. Any suggestions for underplanting? I was thinking sweet woodruff and cranesbill under the large tree, as it is quite shady in summer. No clue what to put with the cordons.
you want something that doesnt flower mid summer because you’ll be nuking your pollinators if you spray your trees. if you dont spray wild or musk strawberries spread fast and will choke out the weeds. i have both around my fruit bushes that i dont spray. unlike the commercial ones they will thrive in even poor soil.
I would apply several inches of wood chips, keep away 2 feet or so from the trunk. Small diameter hardwood is best. Reapply each year, if weeds are growing, then apply the chips on top of cardboard. The mulch will help to preserve moisture, lessen temperature fluctuations in the soil around the roots and will provide nutrients for the tree, as it gets broken down by fungi.
I’ll have to research a bit about the woodchips. I live in a highly forested area, prone to summer drought, so need I be careful about being “fire smart”. I suppose so long as chips remain damp, they wouldn’t be kindling. Or perhaps I can do the cardboard and chips things temporarily while I stab holes in it and plant other things that will fill in over time.
