5 YEARS IN! - Things I WOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY in the Backyard Orchard 😬🌿

[@TheBusyGardener]

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[@bradlafferty]

You address issues I need to know about as I plan a food forest. Wow. Thank you! I’ll be watching again and taking close notes.

[@michaelagibbs9695]

I wish more people would show where they would do things differently. I think we learn better from mistakes 😉 I only have 3 lines for my irrigation: containers, shrubs and trees. That means that my citrus and deciduous trees are on the same line. I was thinking of putting shut off valves to each deciduous tree. So that I could turn them off in winter. Things I would do differently, not keep adding mulch upto the trunk of my trees as I did on my first tree. When the mulch broke down it created great compost but it also buried the root flair and most of the trunk. I spent a day digging it out after the tree showed signs of distress. Also I planted citronella grass about a foot away from the trunk of one tree to shade it from the AZ sun but didnt realise how much it would spread, had to move it somewhere else, not an easy task 🤪

[@TheBusyGardener]

For irrigation, you could EASILY shut each individual tree off with small in-line shutoff valves. Having them on different zones would be ideal, but you can do each tree too. Any reason you couldn't split the one line and effectively run a second line alongside the original one? Then you could transition your citrus (or deciduous) onto the new line, plug up the holes from ones you've switched over, and put each zone on its own in-line shut-off valve. As far as stuff growing, I'm so reluctant to plant other stuff near the trees for that reason. I'm afraid of the unintended consequences!

[@TheBusyGardener]

I hope this vid gives you some additional things to consider as you plan and plant YOUR fruit trees! Even with "mistakes", it's clear that trees are resilient and want to do well :). Here are a number of items that have helped me over the past 5 years: www.amazon.com/shop/thebusygardener

[@Free_Falastin2024]

This is probably your most informative video for someone just starting their own backyard orchard. The perspective you're able to share after having done it now is more valuable than some of the stuff Tom has shared with us on your channel. Thanks, Cam.

[@rickershomesteadahobbyfarm3291]

I realized I was making a few mistakes when planting and realized it early on. So I’m correcting my design now and my trees that get tall are going in the back.

[@TheBusyGardener]

So good to get on that early enough to make the change. I think you'll be happy you did!

[@stanmack6171]

Cool walk around! Though I kept eyeballing the citrus snacks in the background, I was still listening. Thanks for giving this info. I love learning through others as well as practicing myself. The more ideas, the better....Hoping that all have a great growing season😍

[@TheBusyGardener]

Thanks, Stan! I've got a citrus comparison video coming up. Wish the flavor could make it from the citrus onto the video, but I'm afraid you'll only be able to view it, lol

[@evanever]

Blackberries are simultaneously my favourite fruit and least favourite plant to deal with. Didn't choose for mine to be there though, that's the consequence of living next to power-lines!

[@TheBusyGardener]

Tell me about it! They're so tasty and exciting, but also really precocious and hard to contain.

[@matthewevans7239]

Great to see how things have come together in the orchard over the past few years. I always find your videos informative and entertaining. Looking back at things and as your channel grows you should have your intern, that taller guy, film with you more often. That will give you more a chance to focus on the material and production rather than a camera.

[@TheBusyGardener]

Kyle the Intern is awesome! But he’s in high demand with other channels, and not always available when I want to shoot.

[@spendleton360]

Great video. I sincerely appreciate you speaking honestly about things you would have done differently. So few gardeners on KZbin do that. It's so refreshing. Second, have you ever considered laying out builders paper over top the areas where you have grass growing up? You could then put mulch on top of that layer. It worked really well in my yard. Grass still comes up, but it comes up in the areas where I didn't have any paper and mulch. Lastly, your video editing was delightful. Please keep it up!

[@TheBusyGardener]

Thanks, Spencer! I'm not immune from making mistakes, so I figure why hide that. Though I DO try to avoid repeating them, lol! Builders paper is a great idea, and I may end up doing that. The reservation I have is the broken down mulch won't then further amend the soil in the orchard. Though, that'd only matter if I plan to plant where that paper is. Thanks for the kind words!

[@spendleton360]

@@TheBusyGardener I'm not quite sure what you mean. The builders paper breaks down after a few months, like cardboard. The nutrients from the mulch will for sure be able to get into the soil to begin amending it. It may take a little longer, but it will eventually. Please have a wonderful day!

[@TheBusyGardener]

@@spendleton360 Oh, not a wrap like tyvek, but the black paper they often use. You're talking about putting it down on the grassy areas to kill the grass there right now, as opposed to spraying. That makes sense!

[@spendleton360]

@@TheBusyGardener Correct! It just makes it so that you don't have to put as much mulch down.

[@BACKYARDGARDENER]

This is very good information I appreciate you sharing this. starting my backyard Orchard this spring

[@TheBusyGardener]

How's it going in your orchard?

[@Dragon762387]

Very good insights! I am starting my backyard garden in just a few weeks. This was a great vid to watch before I do! Thanks man!

[@TheBusyGardener]

Let's go!! 🔥

[@cochambre62]

That happened to us too. We were buying and growing trees as we liked fruits or as we were getting fruit trees that we were interested in having, but without any planning. At the end we end getting used to the needs of each tree and enjoy it the same. What we did well is putting 12 inches of woodchips... not a single weed. Sorry for the translation my language is spanish

[@TheBusyGardener]

Planning and Mulch make you a winner in the orchard!

[@Tinyteacher1111]

As a retired English teacher, let me say that you did great!

[@cochambre62]

@@Tinyteacher1111 thank you!!

[@bobcuster8930]

Great overview of your orchard! I noted you planted a Pinkerton avocado- My brother planted a small Pinkerton avocado tree at my sister's house 25 years ago--This tree is now a great producer-Pinkertons make huge avocados, too!

[@TheBusyGardener]

Oooh! I am looking SOOOO forward to these Pinkertons solidly fruiting! I haven't ever tried a Pinkerton, and hoping that this is the year 😋

[@KDOGGER11]

Great content, honestly these are the best videos. Recapping and passing those learnings on to the rest of the KZbin community is one of the good parts of social media. One thing that has helped in my garden area is planting a few species of clover (nitrogen fixer). Its a vigorous perennial and outcompetes most of the grasses and weeds here in WI. Just needs a few mowing's a year and it'll last for years. Plus gives a great cover for the ground so the soil retains more moisture and stays cooler.

[@TheBusyGardener]

Thanks, Kerr! I'm glad to share my mistakes so someone can avoid the painful, difficult to fix ones (like trees in a less than ideal spot). Are you planting the clover as a cover crop as your garden lies fallow? Or are you talking about in areas besides where you're planting?

[@KDOGGER11]

@@TheBusyGardener kind of a cross between a cover crop, eye pleasing filler, and soil improver. Its space between my fruit trees, berries, and garden. For most of the season those walkways don't see much travel so it would be bare ground or grass, which isn't doing much for soil health. Also, directly around the fruit trees Ive been putting in herbs that'll garden keep the rabbits at bay. The garden rotation doesn't have enough time at the end of the season for a cover crop or I might give that a try too. Side note, ran into a similar problem with the different tree heights. Had a bunch of full sized apple trees that will shad out most of my other fruit trees in years to come.

[@tbluemel]

Another informative video! I planted 24 fruit trees last February (2020). I prepared the soil in the entire area the year before, tilling in tons of organic matter (manure, Nutrimulch, peat moss, compost) because we have clay loam soil. This was an area of about 32 ft x 40 ft. After one year, I built 2 raised beds 6 ft x 36 ft, 6 inches high. I planted 12 trees in each bed and mulched them with 4 - 5 inches of wood chips. With a staggered configuration, the trees are spaced about 4 feet apart. I built the beds as a sort of layout for the 6 ft high arbor I will build to cover the trees during late frosts and protect from birds with netting. So far, so good. I have learned a lot from Tom Spellman... AND FROM YOU! Thank you!

[@TheBusyGardener]

Wow, Thom; that's amazing! Congrats on the great project! What have you planted that you're most excited about?

[@tbluemel]

@@TheBusyGardener I am an apple freak, so I planted 9 apple trees (2 honeycrisp-yum) plus 2 peaches (O'Henry, Elberta) , 1 nectarine (red gold), 3 cherry trees (Utah giant, Ranier, Lapins), 2 apricots (Chinese, Tilton), 2 plums (Santa Rosa, Elephant Heart), 2 pluots (Flavor Supreme, Dapple Dandy), 2 Asian pears (Hosui, 21st Century) and 1 Bartlett pear. It was tough finding a nursery that knew anything about root stocks, but I did. According to USDA, I am in in zone 6b, so my choices are limited. We moved here two years ago from So Cal (zone 10). I think, judging from backgrounds, that you are either in San Bernardino or Riverside counties... and the fact you can grow citrus. :) I have learned so much from you, except how to spell your name. I took all your lessons to heart. In many ways, I have learned as much from you as I have from Tom Spellman. Thank you!!

[@ButlerFamily12]

Looks like you live down the street from me! I’m in Alta Loma… I’m just getting ready to start our own little orchard and your tips/advice will be helpful to us!

[@TheBusyGardener]

Howdy neighbor! What tips are you looking for? The videos and guidance on this channel are all gonna precisely apply to you

[@SeededandRooted]

Hello I’m new to your channel and one year new into fruit trees so I’m here to learn thank

[@TheBusyGardener]

Thanks for coming!

[@SeededandRooted]

@@TheBusyGardener You’re welcome

[@Shane_O.5158]

you can move citrus, thair small enough, dig them up 1 month before winter or in winter, move them plant them, water them so they don't dry out care more for the first year or 2. them apples can be moved the same way too ( when dormant) .

[@BruceWayne-ur3bs]

That's what I was thinking, too.

[@TheBusyGardener]

Transplanting a tree will cause some stress on the trees, and in my situation, it would be swapping the Citrus with some of the deciduous trees further back. I'm resigned to just advise people based on my experience because I think it's too late to do that with these pretty established trees, unfortunately.

[@dellrand3628]

Yea I am in Ms.about 80 mi.north of Baton Rouge on the west side of the state.

[@learntobloom8912]

I would love to see video on trellis. I need something more substantial for my blackberries

[@jaysgardenjournal]

Great tips!

[@TheBusyGardener]

Glad you like them!

[@lwjenson]

I've been thinking I need to group my drought tolerant trees together and my more water hungry tree together and not mixed together. (Planting mine orchard out next spring)

[@charlesburkhart800]

Permaculture loves comfrey. Well, I planted comfrey (none self seeding thankfully) about 3 feet from each of my dwarf fruit trees. On both sides of each fruit tree. Tiny orchard: 14 trees. The comfrey loves the soil, gets huge, over grows the fruit tree trunk area, my husband hates spraying around the comfrey, and I have to prune it 3-4 times every summer. I do make mulch with the leaves but I wish I would have kept the comfrey back away from the fruit trees. Nobody else is stupid enough to do what I did, I hope!

[@AJ-by6pd]

Cameron you might want to try the baby cakes blackberry from bushel and berry. It’s a more contained plant that does grow out of control. How did your David Austin Roses planting turn out?

[@TheBusyGardener]

I'm actually OK with my berry plant going crazy. I just want them to do it in the right spot! The roses got planted and I'm editing a vid of the planting now. Stay tuned!

[@Tinyteacher1111]

What zone are you in? I want to make sure I’m getting info that I can use in 5b. Thank you!

[@TheBusyGardener]

9b!

[@zachlloyd9392]

Mulch is a great idea, however, my Bermuda here in western oklahoma laughed at my double layer cardboard and 6 inches of mulch. Came up everywhere 🤣 My #1 is the same as your avacado, I would have selected better varieties and payed more attention to what each tree needed, about half have died in this very heavy clay.

[@TheBusyGardener]

That Bermuda grass is NO JOKE. And on soil, if you can get your avocado to survive the guest few years, you're on your way to fruit 🥑 !

[@dellrand3628]

HI it looks nice ,what part of the country do you live in?

[@TheBusyGardener]

Hi Dell! We’re in Southern California, about an hour east of Los Angeles

[@aprilcoignard6261]

Where are going growing?

[@matthewfarrell317]

I think Google is spying on me, I was thinking about this topic today. When the lockdowns started, I needed a project. So we ripped up the front lawn to plant fruit trees. We had a nice spot, the southern side of the house (In Melbourne so normally the other way around lol). The neighbour on the morning sun side has no big trees and no plans to put any in. So as soon as the sun rises the garden is flooded with light, all the way to late afternoon which then gets shaded by a medium-sized gum tree (Aussie arvo sun can really hurt). So planted 7 fruit trees in winter, and the original plan was veggies between the trees, and a bramble front fence. I say original because after watching more KZbinrs like James Prigioni, and watching how the kids reacted to the change. Decided a food forest would look better and function nicer, its only 60 sq metres (10x6), but the problem is IF I had known 8-10 months ago I would have planted the fruit trees closer together, and had more (plans are to double the number of trees). Would have had spaces for bushes thought out better etc We all learn, but I still have nice room to box in the garden with grapes now lol.

[@TheBusyGardener]

Hindsight is always a wonderful teacher! The good news, is that you can add more plants into the landscape. It sounds like you have the space between the existing trees to plant more trees

[@matthewfarrell317]

@@TheBusyGardener Oh it is, luckily I placed the trees 2m apart from each other. So I have room between them, and can keep the trees a little shorter to make sure there is plenty of light. Biggest regret was not video recording the process lol

[@craigparker3640]

This is exactly what we are starting to do in SE Melbourne. Just moved in and trying to plan out a front yard food forest about the same size as yours. Already made some mistakes in planting and will have to move a freshly planted apple tree.

[@JobbaMoscha]

Weeds and grasses IMPROVE and fertilize your soil instead of robbing nutrients from it! Such an important change of belief and obvious one when one observes nature!

[@TheBusyGardener]

Hmmm. I think it depends on the particular plant and the aim. Things existing in nature doesn't mean it's optimal for a homegrower. In some respects, keeping the weeds and grass at bay is an aesthetic decision. That, and using surface-fed fertilizer will limit the amount getting down to the feeder roots of many of these trees.

[@matthewfarrell317]

Yes and no, not everything is good for the garden. Dandelions for example, while I will pull out of what's left of the lawn, in the food forest I leave them alone, good taproot and the flower brings in the pollinators. But we also have a lot of couch and couch like grasses. If those are even left alone for a week or two they get out of hand and can kill bushes, my brambles, and severely stress out the fruit trees. The mistake is going too far one side or the other, balance is the key.

[@bradmaas6875]

#HS2020, we all have it. I've lost a few plants to it.

[@funks5730]

How do you like jujubes?

[@TheBusyGardener]

They're the best! A great fall fruit, and totally different than anything else we've got in the orchard

[@annakwon9627]

Most of your trees are still small enough to transplant. Why not move some?

[@TheBusyGardener]

The root structure of most of these plants will likely be several feet across! The tree tops are smaller because of pruning, but I think the root structures are too big to dig up by hand in most cases. If I needed to rearrange, I'd probably just start with new plants

[@Elenrro]

You didn’t prune your trees right at all you didn’t train them

[@TheBusyGardener]

Yeah? What would you have done differently?