down to earth: Gone nuts
Going nuts!
Winter is a good time to plant both fruit and nut trees. If you have room, and the time, then growing nuts in your backyard will add diversity to your diet.
Most nut trees prefer well drained, slightly acidic soil. Ripping heavy clay soils is recommended. Shelter from harsh winds will help them grow and increase the crop. Take care when transplanting them, and feed with woody compost annually. Do a soil test to correct deficiencies in boron and zinc, for example. Keep them mulched or mown for easy harvesting in autumn. Most nuts are ripe when they are ready to fall from the tree.
Note: Most nuts grow productive trees from seed, though seedlings can vary in quality. Grafted trees usually crop earlier and are more reliable. Most nut varieties need another for pollination: check before you plant.
Almond: The almond likes similar conditions to its relative, the peach. It grows best in areas with wet winters and dry summers, and prefers good airflow and rich, free-draining soils. Bees must fertilise the flowers for fruit set, but frosts can affect pollination and fruit formation. First harvest is generally in the tree’s third or fourth year, peaking at six to ten. Grows to around 6m, so suits the home garden.
Chestnut: The sweet chestnut can grow up to 20m (although modern varieties are smaller with bigger nuts) so suit a large section. You’ll need a pollinator or a two-in-one grafted tree, though some new varieties are self-fertile. Plant 10m apart, but not where their prickly husks fall where young children play. The delicious nuts are produced from the fourth or fifth year onwards (two to three after planting).
Hazelnut: Ideal for most gardens in temperate zones (some frost in winter, warm summers, plenty of rainfall). Most varieties grow 4- 5m high. Hazels grow best in a sunny position, but tolerate partial shade and a wide range of soils. Poor soils need additional compost when planting. More like a bush than a tree, they make excellent windbreaks. They grow quickly and produce nuts sooner than many other trees (two to three years after planting) where compatible varieties ensure good pollination. Plant 4m apart.
Walnut English/ Persian walnuts are commonly grown for nuts. They are hardy and pest-resistant and like well-drained soil and a sheltered, sunny position. Some species are self-fertile; otherwise plant two unrelated trees to ensure pollination. Japanese walnuts have smaller nuts but are faster and self-fertile. Grafted varieties bear in their third to fifth year; seedlings generally between their fourth and eighth. Plant 7 to 10m apart.
Macadamia nuts: These thrive in a high rainfall, warm, frost-free climate with wind protection. They prefer sandy loam soil, and good air flow, as they form a dense evergreen canopy. More than one is needed for cross pollination and good fruit set. Crops four to five years after planting (longer from seed). Can grow to 10m; grafted trees are smaller.
Fruit care
Watch stored fruit for spoils.
Plant fruits and nuts, eg hazelnut, in sizeable holes with compost and ensure good drainage. Firm well and stake.
Spray stonefruit and pipfruit with cutonic copper vs bacterial diseases once leaves fall, or use liquid seaweed as a tonic.
Plant perennial herbs and flowers around the orchard to attract beneficial insects.
Prune fruit trees; avoid big cuts in winter.
Clear grass and other weeds away from fruits and re-mulch with woody compost.
Apply fertilisers to fruits, eg rock phosphate, lime, boron and wood ash.
Herb Care
Place cuttings of rosemary, sage and other semi-woody herbs in coarse sand under cover.
Vegetable Care
Cloche for frost protection.
Prepare ground for onions.
Plant winter crops now: garlic, shallots, cabbage, broad beans, corn salad, spring salads under cover.
Liquid fertilise in the morning once a week.
Weed and mulch (eg seagrass around cabbages).
Stay observant for pests and diseases. Check under rocks or wood edging for slugs and snails.
Fertilise asparagus beds with lots of compost and straw.
Hothouse
Plant salads. Check out seed catalogues and get inspired for spring. Plan garden cropping and spring rotation
For transplanting: Leafy greens (winter spinach, lettuce, endive, cabbages, Chinese cabbage and onions). Flowers.
Sow direct: Radish, spring onions, salads and spinach, broad beans. Flowers, eg snapdragon.
Plant: 17-19 July. Garlic, shallots, salad greens, spinach, cabbages, spinach beet. Flowers, eg divided perennials.
General Garden Care
Prune back flowering plants and hedges. Shred prunings. Remove overcrowded trees and shrubs. Prune trees for greater sun on edible garden.
Wrench trees and shrubs for moving in two/three weeks.
Clean and fix garden tools. Make a tub with used cooking oil and sand/sawdust mix to dip tools in after use. Rest and stay warm.
Sol Morgan, GroWise Consultancy. Ph 525 9110.
