Creating an orchard in the garden: why autumn is the right time to start
Planting a few fruit trees seems quite simple: choose your favorite fruits, dig a few holes, and wait for the first harvests.
In practice, an orchard is mostly about the planning before planting.
A fruit tree will occupy the land for several decades. A few decisions made at the start will determine its growth, maintenance, and ability to produce fruit.
Autumn is indeed the right time to make these decisions without rushing.
1. Observe the land before choosing the trees
Not all spots in the garden are equal.
Sunlight, soil moisture, wind exposure, and areas where cold air accumulates directly influence the development of fruit trees.
September still allows for observing the last shadows of summer. The return of rain then reveals the places where water infiltrates quickly and those where it lingers.
The goal is not to conduct a complete soil study before planting any tree. It is mainly about avoiding the most obvious mistakes: placing a light-demanding fruit tree in a too-shaded area or choosing a moisture-sensitive species for the wettest spot in the land.
Trees are then chosen based on the garden, rather than trying to adapt the garden to the purchased trees.
2. Imagine the space they will take tomorrow
A young nursery tree always seems reasonable.
But the variety indicated on the label does not say everything. The rootstock and the chosen shape strongly influence the future development of the tree.
A small fruit tree suitable for a residential garden and a standard tree intended to form a true orchard will not occupy the same space. They will also not require the same maintenance and will not enter production at the same rate.
Before planting, one must therefore imagine the adult tree: its volume, the shade it will produce, the access needed for harvesting, and the relationship it will have with other uses of the garden.
A few well-positioned trees can be much more pleasant than an overly dense orchard that has become difficult to manage.
3. Choose trees that can bear fruit together
Planting an apple tree does not always guarantee apples. Many varieties of apple, pear, cherry, and plum trees produce better, or only produce properly, in the presence of a compatible variety blooming at the same time. Other fruit trees are self-fertile.
The presence of orchards or fruit trees in neighboring gardens can also contribute to pollination, but it should not be assumed without observation.
One must therefore think of the orchard as a small coherent set, and not just as a collection of varieties chosen separately.
This reflection also allows for staggered harvests: some early fruits, others to be consumed in autumn, and certain varieties that keep longer.
In September, we prepare more than we plant.
For bare-root fruit trees, planting is generally done after the leaves have fallen, when the trees are in vegetative rest and the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged.
September is mainly for observing, sketching the layouts, choosing the varieties, and reserving the trees from nurseries.
Waiting until the day of planting to think about all this often leads to choosing from what is left in stock, rather than from the trees that are actually suited to the project. The orchard therefore begins well before the first spade's thrust.
A few trees or a true orchard project
It is not necessary to have a hectare. Two or three well-chosen fruit trees can already provide flowers, shade, and beautiful harvests for a family garden. On larger plots, the orchard can become the main structure of a true living environment: tall trees, meadows, hedges, small fruits, and ecological continuities.
Some projects may benefit from a grant from the Public Service of Wallonia. The current scheme notably provides a flat-rate aid for the planting of orchards that meet specific conditions: tall fruit trees, recognized or certified varieties, minimum diversity, and minimum number of trees. The announced aid is currently €25 per eligible tree. The conditions must always be verified before finalizing the project on the official portal of Wallonia.
Petites Terres can assist with the design of the orchard, the selection, and the planting of the trees. For larger projects, we can also study their eligibility and prepare the grant application file with the SPW.
Want to create your orchard?
A few trees for the family or a more ambitious landscaping project: it all starts with a good reading of the land.
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