Question best place for a 'citrus / fruit' grove or sorts?

[The Rubber Kitty]

I have highlighted an area where I think it will be good for citrus and other fruits like apricots ...

Challenges:

1. I have clayish type soil and that particular area can get a little flooded so going to raise it up... drainage is okay and after a really heavy downpour most of the water is gone after an hour or so.
2. Sourcing low chill apricots so that they will have enough cold to flourish.
3. Winds mostly come from the South and across the property.

Currently fruits that I have to plant out:

1. panama berry
2. Acerola cherry
3. Blood Orange
4. Finger lime
5. I think a Tahitian Lime
6. I also have a vanilla orchid which was dying ... but seems to like it in the 'light blue area' where I am 'holding' a lot of my plants in pots atm.

Fruits that I want to get:

1. Apricots, low chill
2. Some native,
   1. Midyim
   2. Native Black apple
   3. Blue flax lillies
   4. zigzag vine
   5. sandpaper fig
   6. harlequin fruit
   7. orange berry
3. Miracle Fruit
4. Black beery jam fruit
5. elderberry

Questions:

1. does any one have any information about what fruits tree shouldn't be planted together?
2. how high do you think that I will need to raise the bed? was thinking maybe half a metre...
3. How close is too close? ( i don't want them to get out of control so a little competition may be good to keep them smaller)

Any information is will be great. Thanks

 

[Mark]

Most of them should grow ok even in clay (as long as there is a little topsoil say at least 30 cm) but maybe not the fig that's about the only tree in your list that I have trouble with on our property which has a clay base. Figs are hardy and grow well almost everywhere but they suffer badly from wet feet.

Obviously, we have to mound up trees like avocadoes and recently I found out custard apples will die in clay also.

 

[AndrewB]

First up, I love you're plan! I wish there was an app to plot out a garden, but the ones I found don't have nearly enough room for all the things I want to plant, so I go back to the pen & paper method too

If you have access to a rotary hoe, it may pay to mix a bit of non clay soil & organic matter in, then mound up & mulch on top of that. It will give the roots a better transition going from the nice soil to clay & improve the drainage.

I've tried a few methods here in my heavy clay soil, but won't know which worked the best until spring arrives.

The shady area would be good for mushrooms like you plan if you can also keep it fairly moist.

Half a meter sound like a good height for the beds, I have some 400mm high ones that seem to be going better than the 200mm ones at the moment. I have spaced my fruit trees at 1.5- 2mtrs apart & intend on pruning & espalier to keep them small. Espalier fruit trees could be a good option for you along the fenceline in the dark green beds as long as the building doesn't block too much sun.

 

[The Rubber Kitty]

Most of them should grow ok even in clay (as long as there is a little topsoil say at least 30 cm) but maybe not the fig that's about the only tree in your list that I have trouble with on our property which has a clay base. Figs are hardy and grow well almost everywhere but they suffer badly from wet feet.

Obviously, we have to mound up trees like avocadoes and recently I found out custard apples will die in clay also.

Awesome thank you ... yeah a bit worried about the wet feet as I live in an area that is reclaim wetlands ... BUT it was a while ago... so just mounding up a decent amount of top soil in a raised bed should help it ...

 

[The Rubber Kitty]

First up, I love you're plan! I wish there was an app to plot out a garden, but the ones I found don't have nearly enough room for all the things I want to plant, so I go back to the pen & paper method too

If you have access to a rotary hoe, it may pay to mix a bit of non clay soil & organic matter in, then mound up & mulch on top of that. It will give the roots a better transition going from the nice soil to clay & improve the drainage.

I've tried a few methods here in my heavy clay soil, but won't know which worked the best until spring arrives.

The shady area would be good for mushrooms like you plan if you can also keep it fairly moist.

Half a meter sound like a good height for the beds, I have some 400mm high ones that seem to be going better than the 200mm ones at the moment. I have spaced my fruit trees at 1.5- 2mtrs apart & intend on pruning & espalier to keep them small. Espalier fruit trees could be a good option for you along the fenceline in the dark green beds as long as the building doesn't block too much sun.

Yeah there was a certain amount I could do with Pain ... but then had to print out and scrawl all over it... because well... sometimes it is better to help solidify what you want to do...

 

[ClissAT]

Just remember the Panama Berry will grow into a huge spreading tree quite quickly.
MIne is only 14mths old I think and already 4m tall and 4m wide and its in poor soil with little water.

The vanilla vine needs deep shade and heaps of humidity that never gets blown away.
That's why its currently doing well stuffed in there with the other plants awaiting planting out.
As soon as you plant out those other plants it will begin to suffer again.
Plant it into a 9inch pot with course mix and a deep saucer for moisture and shove it into a grove of ferns or tightly gathered pot plants and leave it there.
The vine must get 4m long before it begins to flower. It will get lots of aerial roots so don't worry about the saucer being too deep.

 

[Mel M]

Your list is so good! I know in FL I've heard planting citrus near Oak trees is good because they help prevent greening. Also, you may want to consider adding Mulberry to your list. Mark has shown that he grows them and they are usually fast growers. We have 2 of the everbearing variety that are yummy and low maintenance.

 

[The Rubber Kitty]

Just remember the Panama Berry will grow into a huge spreading tree quite quickly.
MIne is only 14mths old I think and already 4m tall and 4m wide and its in poor soil with little water.

The vanilla vine needs deep shade and heaps of humidity that never gets blown away.
That's why its currently doing well stuffed in there with the other plants awaiting planting out.
As soon as you plant out those other plants it will begin to suffer again.
Plant it into a 9inch pot with course mix and a deep saucer for moisture and shove it into a grove of ferns or tightly gathered pot plants and leave it there.
The vine must get 4m long before it begins to flower. It will get lots of aerial roots so don't worry about the saucer being too deep.

Awesome thanks for the tips for the vanilla Vine ... I have a few 'tropical' places that I can plant them in ... like where the future mushrom patch is by the patio between the trees is always shady (lol shady) As below picture ... My thinking is that if I place them in the right places that I won't have to do as much maintenance in the long run and just let them do their thing ^_^.

Yes that is the manshed with attached 'beer garden'

There will also be a screen put across from about the tree closest to us on the right to screen from the other neighbours, which will make it more shady in summer from the arvo sun.

the More... down the bottom is about where the sun comes in from the West.

 

[The Rubber Kitty]

Your list is so good! I know in FL I've heard planting citrus near Oak trees is good because they help prevent greening. Also, you may want to consider adding Mulberry to your list. Mark has shown that he grows them and they are usually fast growers. We have 2 of the everbearing variety that are yummy and low maintenance.

I will have to float the Mulberry idea with my House mate I think he has a think against mulberries... not sure... but could get the white mulberries... i think there is such a thing

 

[The Rubber Kitty]

Just remember the Panama Berry will grow into a huge spreading tree quite quickly.
MIne is only 14mths old I think and already 4m tall and 4m wide and its in poor soil with little water.

Oh so agressive Pruning will be fine for these ones? I think my friend said that about 4 metres is what even commerical tree growers like to keep their trees too else too much to get the fruits if it gets any higher.