GardenSeeker.Co.Uk Pruning Businesses Search Gardening Gifts
 ›  ›   ›

The ground under apple trees! Should it be Lawn or clean? 

There is ongoing debate as to whether the ground under apple trees should be allowed to grow into a grass covering, or cultivated as bare earth.

From experience, generally shrubs and small trees do not grow as well when the grass is allowed to grow right under the tree - up to the trunk,

However, with more established trees then this becomes lees of a problem. Most commercial growers keep the ground under apple trees clean, with a grass 'path' between the rows.

With younger apple trees, if the ground underneath is allowed to grow to grass, then the trees will have to compete with the grass for available nutrients. (The same incidentally, goes for shrubs growing in the lawn.)

There is no doubt, from my own experience, that the ground under apple trees should be kept free from any type of vegetation. A clean area will result in healthier growth, and o course, make it more difficult for many apple tree pests to over-winter there.



Apple tree orchard with weedkiller appliedIn tests carried out by The New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, much larger concentrations of Nitrogen (Food) were found in apple trees where the ground underneath had been controlled by herbicides (weedkillers). This resulted inevitably in better growth for the tree. Additionally, the same study found a greater incidence of over-wintered mites in the soil where the grass had been allowed to grow.

A mulch of organic matter in the autumn is possible with 'clean' soil areas, and this considerably enhances the overall health and well-being of the trees. 

The orchard in the image has gone part way to clearing the ground under the young apple trees, but how much more food would be available to the apples if it were not for the lush and greedy grass!

The clearance in this case has barely cleared the outer perimeter of the root growing zone - just where the feeding roots are having to compete with the grass.

The only thing in favour of growing a 'lawn' under fruit trees is the aesthetic appeal of the green grass, and also the convenience of walking on grass rather than soil in damp weather.

Set against that argument, the fact that in virtually any other commercial and gardening growing environment, we do all we can to keep the competition from weeds at a minimum. We certainly don't encourage it, and for good reason!






extraAdvert


Popular Gardening Sections

Card image cap
Sections

Learn - all aspects of lawn maintenance, how to build and maintain a pond, care and grow vegetables and fruit, fit for your table.

Sections
Card image cap
Problems

Identify Weeds in The Garden - How to deal with weeds. Diseases and Pest which harm your garden and plants, learn how to prevent, deter and erradicate your garden problems.

Garden Problems
Card image cap
Pruning

Pruning Guide. Shrubs flower better with correct pruning. Many illustrations and examples of what to do - and when. Includes evergreens, roses, flowering shrubs, spring flowering shrubs and pruning for stem effect. This is our most viewed and comprehensive section,

Pruning
Card image cap
Gardening Businesses

Gardening Businesses listed in the UK counties and USA states. County and State Listings of businesses involved in Garden supplies and services. If you wish to be added to the Directory, please send us your information. Having problems, use the search box

Businesses
Card image cap
Gardening

In this section you will learn about Gardening Basics, Containers, Landscaping, Propagation and Soil.

Gardening

Copyright © GardenSeeker.Co.UK - 2000 - 2022

Advertising listing / Privacy Policy
Contact Us

| DMCA.com Protection Status