How would you arrange the listed plants/beds in this space?
by epresberg
2 Comments
imakeit_
I don’t know but I came to say I’m jealous and you’re going to have a beautiful garden!
WillemsSakura
Daaaang….You’ve got room for an orchard, a working kitchen garden, an ornamental herb garden, and probably a petting zoo…
Ok, first glance: blueberries are the odd one out, because out of all of those fruiting trees & shrubs, they prefer acidic soil. You’re going to need an ericaceous compost to keep them alive. It can be as simple as incorporating oak leaves in your leaf mulch, or using pine needle mulch. Their needs are similar to plants like hydrangeas, azaleas/rhododendrons, and heather. So don’t plant those in a colony with your other berries.
Raspberries do best with a little dappled shade. They like protection from the summer heat, especially in the afternoon. Planting them behind a line of fruit trees would be ideal.
For best ease of harvesting, you’re going to want to plant your raspberries in a row separate from your blackberries. Do you know what kind you’ll be growing? Typically raspberries and blackberries fruit on 2nd year wood. so you grow maybe 4 strong leaders off each crown, tie them up as cordons, cut all the way back any other weaker growth. Then, next season, those will produce fruit, and you’ll get more fresh cane growth from the base – do NOT cut those back yet, just watch for how strong they get. In autumn, cut down the canes you harvested from, all the way to the base. Select your best canes from the new season growth, tie them up for next year. Cut away any you don’t select.
Now if you get autumn fruiting raspberries, that’s 100% easier. They always fruit on the current year’s growth. Tie your best 4-5 canes up, cut back straggly ones. Harvest when ready, and when it’s time to clean them up for the year, cut the harvested canes all the way back. You’ll get new growth from the crown the following spring.
From the N fence line, I’d go: berries, fruit trees, and then split the front most portion across the yard into veg/flowers/herbs. If you put the flower bed in front of the veg and start growing crazy tall sunflowers, dahlias etc, you might give too much shade to some veg (although lettuces will benefit from sun protection). Although if you’re going for a more permaculture setup, definitely mix your flowers and veg. Just be aware of heights and companion planting. Some plants do not like being grown near others (dill and fennel don’t play well with others).
2 Comments
I don’t know but I came to say I’m jealous and you’re going to have a beautiful garden!
Daaaang….You’ve got room for an orchard, a working kitchen garden, an ornamental herb garden, and probably a petting zoo…
Ok, first glance: blueberries are the odd one out, because out of all of those fruiting trees & shrubs, they prefer acidic soil. You’re going to need an ericaceous compost to keep them alive. It can be as simple as incorporating oak leaves in your leaf mulch, or using pine needle mulch. Their needs are similar to plants like hydrangeas, azaleas/rhododendrons, and heather. So don’t plant those in a colony with your other berries.
Raspberries do best with a little dappled shade. They like protection from the summer heat, especially in the afternoon. Planting them behind a line of fruit trees would be ideal.
For best ease of harvesting, you’re going to want to plant your raspberries in a row separate from your blackberries. Do you know what kind you’ll be growing? Typically raspberries and blackberries fruit on 2nd year wood. so you grow maybe 4 strong leaders off each crown, tie them up as cordons, cut all the way back any other weaker growth. Then, next season, those will produce fruit, and you’ll get more fresh cane growth from the base – do NOT cut those back yet, just watch for how strong they get. In autumn, cut down the canes you harvested from, all the way to the base. Select your best canes from the new season growth, tie them up for next year. Cut away any you don’t select.
Now if you get autumn fruiting raspberries, that’s 100% easier. They always fruit on the current year’s growth. Tie your best 4-5 canes up, cut back straggly ones. Harvest when ready, and when it’s time to clean them up for the year, cut the harvested canes all the way back. You’ll get new growth from the crown the following spring.
From the N fence line, I’d go: berries, fruit trees, and then split the front most portion across the yard into veg/flowers/herbs. If you put the flower bed in front of the veg and start growing crazy tall sunflowers, dahlias etc, you might give too much shade to some veg (although lettuces will benefit from sun protection). Although if you’re going for a more permaculture setup, definitely mix your flowers and veg. Just be aware of heights and companion planting. Some plants do not like being grown near others (dill and fennel don’t play well with others).