Fruit tree planting question!

[veggiechicken]

Imagine you have 12 mini fruit trees (2 of apple, pear, cherry, plum, apricot and nectarine) to plant and the same number and more already planted in the garden.

Would you plant all the same fruit in a group (eg all plums together) or wouldn't it make much difference when they're all in the same garden.
Thinking about pollination and disease spread with neighbouring trees.

Just curious really.

[nickdub]

Only real question in my mind VC would be the ultimate size of the trees - obviously the root-stock plays a major part in this, but so to a lesser extent does the cultivar - of the ones you mention, if I was to guess, I'd say that the apples and plums are likely to need a bit more room ultimately than the others. Of course if any tree does grow a bit bigger than you expect, its always possible to move it later, but the downside is that this means more work

I wouldn't worry about other considerations like pollination or disease.

[Snadger]

That's not a garden...……..its an orchard!

I would worry about mixing dwarf varieties with normal sized fruit trees in case the shade from the bigger affected the smaller?

[veggiechicken]

I'm not worried about the ultimate size - if you could see how closely I've planted some trees, you'd understand.
Its more whether I should plant the plums near other plums or dot them about in my usual haphazard fashion.
Oddly, for me, I have planted 5 mini plums together in the same cluster so I could squeeze 2 more in there or bung the new trees together in this patch..........

[Snadger]

I'm not worried about the ultimate size - if you could see how closely I've planted some trees, you'd understand.
Its more whether I should plant the plums near other plums or dot them about in my usual haphazard fashion.
Oddly, for me, I have planted 5 mini plums together in the same cluster so I could squeeze 2 more in there or bung the new trees together in this patch..........

[ATTACH=CONFIG]85247[/ATTACH]

A miracle has happened. Your plums have turned into dogs!

[veggiechicken]

Imagine if trees could run around the way dogs do!!
Fancy a plum to eat, just whistle for the plum tree and it comes running.

Snadge, you're nuts, even thinking such things

[nickdub]

On other end of things you could plant some dogs and end up with a load of puppies to look after - sometimes I think I'm a bit weird. Maybe playing with baths full of mercury when I was about 8 didn't so me any favours - I used to float the old type pennies in them :-)

[Lardman]

You lot really are mad as hatters aren't you

I couldn't possibly tell you what to do VC but my trees are grouped by fruit type and ordered in picking season from early to late.

[SarrissUK]

I wouldn't put them in any particular order, and somehow I can't imagine that you will either VC LOL

[veggiechicken]

You must be the only sensible one here, Lardman

By fruit type it will be. Thank you.

[Chrissyteacup]

plums tuning into dogs you lot are barking up the wrong fruit trees!!
I think I’d plant them haphazardly!

[Nicos]

Can I be one of the 'sensible ones' for a change?

Have you thought about whether they are early or late flowering?
I only ask because I inherited 3different types of pear with differing flowering dates.
Had I planted them , knowing what I know now, I'd have put the early flowerers in a more sheltered spot. Such a waste losing the blossom and therefore fruit due to frost.

[Greenleaves]

If you buried your feet VC you could could grow a dwarf fruitcake

[Nicos]

Te he....^^^^^

[veggiechicken]

I'm a dwarf Nut tree

Thank you for being sensible, Nicos - there's a first time for everything.
Don't have much trouble with frost here, fortunately, think its the tree cover keeping it at bay.
There are 2 big pear trees that are immovable but I have the baby ones that came last year that I could dig up and move and be planted with the 2 new baby ones that came yesterday - to have 4 in a cluster...................or I could leave them where they are and save myself the effort.