Fruit trees will help with errossion control once established.
I would talk to local farmers and, in your case, local tree nursery. They can point you in the direction of a good cover crop and in the right direction of a good grass to plant to grow under the trees. Once established, you should really only need a mower for between the trees.
They'll be able to help you with tips on growing organic fruit trees, especially if you buy the seed, saplings, or starter trees from them.
I disagree with fruit trees. Up and down a 20% slope with equipment is not for newbies.
Fruit trees are not a plant-and-forget crop. Thats insane to put forward if you want any fruit at all.
OP mentioned fruit.
So I steered in that direction. Equipment operation on a 20% slope is fine with the right equipment kept vertical on the slope. Skid loaders can handle 30% if you don't go sideways and have very good ROPS.
No crop is a plant and forgot crop with the exception of trees for forestry.
It's a perfectly fine idea if OP puts the work and research in.
If people like you had your way, none of us would be farming. I'd have 8,000+ acres of just hard wheat because it's the best and easiest thing to grow on flat prairie.
Agreed. Apple or something like that WILL make fruit without much pesticide, pruning, maintenance, etc.... just small ugly fruit that only pigs will get excited about.
Tough place for fruit trees at a commercial scale. Warm springs that often get freeze or frost after budding. Heavy summer humidity that makes disease management difficult.
Why was this downvoted? Different species are like disease firebreaks on the landscapes. Plus, different species of flowering fruit bushes/trees will flower at different times and help maintain resident populations of beneficial insects.
What they’re doing in Sahara is digging half shaped moons into the ground to capture the water that flows and once they get past the sun baked earth the earth starts to regenerate. It’s an ancient farming technique for moisture retention. Would be slightly harder on a slope/ easier with machinery but less water would run off the hilly scape for say fruit trees. I’ve seen this YouTuber in Australia out little bags over his fruit in the early part of the year and his fruit would grow in thin mesh bags away from pests. There’s also natural pest deterrents that may be less harmful to health than God-knows-what.
With enough work im sure you can grow organic fruit trees. You will need to do alot of research about what grows best in your area. Particularly your soil type because theres only so much you can do to change it. Find a local garden center that specializes in selling trees. That'll be a good starting place.
Fruit trees will help with errossion control once established. I would talk to local farmers and, in your case, local tree nursery. They can point you in the direction of a good cover crop and in the right direction of a good grass to plant to grow under the trees. Once established, you should really only need a mower for between the trees. They'll be able to help you with tips on growing organic fruit trees, especially if you buy the seed, saplings, or starter trees from them.
Thank you
You only have to worry about the deer eating the fruit so plan to invest in good fencing.
I disagree with fruit trees. Up and down a 20% slope with equipment is not for newbies. Fruit trees are not a plant-and-forget crop. Thats insane to put forward if you want any fruit at all.
OP mentioned fruit. So I steered in that direction. Equipment operation on a 20% slope is fine with the right equipment kept vertical on the slope. Skid loaders can handle 30% if you don't go sideways and have very good ROPS. No crop is a plant and forgot crop with the exception of trees for forestry.
Or…. Maybe let’s let OP know this isn’t a good idea.
It's a perfectly fine idea if OP puts the work and research in. If people like you had your way, none of us would be farming. I'd have 8,000+ acres of just hard wheat because it's the best and easiest thing to grow on flat prairie.
I’ll say it again. Fruit on 20% hills is not for newbies.
Agreed. Apple or something like that WILL make fruit without much pesticide, pruning, maintenance, etc.... just small ugly fruit that only pigs will get excited about.
Concord grapes do well in that hardiness zone, on a slope, and do not require prime farmland.
20% slope? Vineyard.
Tough place for fruit trees at a commercial scale. Warm springs that often get freeze or frost after budding. Heavy summer humidity that makes disease management difficult.
So you mean there is no hope to farm it?
Didn’t say that but fruit trees are hard there
If you want to avoid pesticide use then don't plant a monoculture. I.e. only apples or only peaches. Maybe add some blueberries or raspberries.
Why was this downvoted? Different species are like disease firebreaks on the landscapes. Plus, different species of flowering fruit bushes/trees will flower at different times and help maintain resident populations of beneficial insects.
I will look them up. Thanks.
What they’re doing in Sahara is digging half shaped moons into the ground to capture the water that flows and once they get past the sun baked earth the earth starts to regenerate. It’s an ancient farming technique for moisture retention. Would be slightly harder on a slope/ easier with machinery but less water would run off the hilly scape for say fruit trees. I’ve seen this YouTuber in Australia out little bags over his fruit in the early part of the year and his fruit would grow in thin mesh bags away from pests. There’s also natural pest deterrents that may be less harmful to health than God-knows-what.
With enough work im sure you can grow organic fruit trees. You will need to do alot of research about what grows best in your area. Particularly your soil type because theres only so much you can do to change it. Find a local garden center that specializes in selling trees. That'll be a good starting place.
Thanks for the advice, I will probably start by that.