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  • #1

    growing in the forest

    the cottage where I live is basically in a clearing in a forest, the open space I have is almost filled with my polytunnel and raised beds and pots.

    if I planted a dwarf fruit tree or possibly a cordon in the forest would it thrive? survive?

    either an apple or maybe a pear would like a cherry but can't see it surviving.

    it would obviously be in more or less permanent dappled shade not dense shade but shade nonetheless don't think the duke would like me felling one of his oaks to grow an apple
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  • #2
    I don't know how much of a clearing you have but I have several mature oaks and ash in the garden and grow a lot of fruit trees that are in their shade for much of the day.
    Have you come across "Forest gardening" - a bit about it at https://www.agroforestry.co.uk/about...est-gardening/
    Other websites are available!

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    • #3
      There isn't a dodgy looking old oak nearby which might fall down in an early winter storm by any chance? If not then I'd probably try an apple or a pear. I know you want something fairly small but as it's going to be constantly a bit shaded I wouldn't go for too dwarf a root stock as its vigour is likely to be tempered slightly by the shade, similarly I'd be inclined to let it find a fairly natural shape instead of a cordon or other shape for similar reasons. Also I'm only guessing but you may be better served with a cooking apple rather than a dessert as it may not sweeten up as well without sun.

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      • #4
        I live in a semi-forested area, I'd say no to trying an apple in the situation you describe, they generally need full sun for most of the day. You could try a plum - particularly a culinary one, they tend to be bigger and more able to compete as long as not on dwarfing stock.

        Nuts of various kinds grow OK, but the squirrels here eat them all unless I go out of my way to protect the crop.

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        • #5
          You could try growing the apple tree in a pot for one or two years in the part shaded area,see if it can cope?
          Location : Essex

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          • #6
            Not a fruit tree but gooseberries should do ok
            Another happy Nutter...

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            • #7
              I'm in a very similar situation. We have a small orchard and it's reasonably productive. Apples do okay and the Victoria plum was loaded last year. We also have lots of currant bushes which do really well, and a couple of pears which do not so well. All on dwarf/semi dwarfing stock. They get sunshine for about half the day over the summer but pretty well shaded through the late autumn to early spring.

              Dwell simply ~ love richly

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              • #8
                What's your soil ph, if it's a conifer forest on peat soil, that might have an effect on your choices.

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                • #9
                  I must measure the ph that patch is mostly oak and silver birch but there are some conifers in there,

                  starting to think I am trying for too much again, my postage stamp front garden now has two step over apples, melrose and saturn. a cherry I am trying to fan train against a wall and plum and a cordon pear in pots, all planted when I moved to this cottage in late 2015 and progressing fairly well for scotland, which is to say dead slow, might actually get the first fruits this year

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                  • #10
                    didn't mention the equally small back garden which is quite heavily shaded most of the day , there I tried black currants, with surprisingly little success, have gooseberries growing, blackberries in hanging baskets, strawberries in vertical bags, redcurrants in pots, a lemon tree that goes into the tunnel in winter and a wishful thinking avocado that lives largely in the tunnel

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                    • #11
                      Blueberries?(if the it's acidic, oh and if you want a honeyberry you can collect one from me for free).

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                      • #12
                        If there's silver birch that's a relatively short lived and low value tree... His Grace might not mind you thinning some of them out, if you feel like asking?

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                        • #13
                          Chanterelle mushrooms grow in Scottish birch woods and are utterly delicious. I don't know how easy it is to introduce them if not there already, but there is a lot on the internet about it.

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                          • #14
                            You are trying to grow things in the dark of a forest, with little sun,but surely that is a problem for everyone trying to grow things anywhere in Scotland,for 3yrs I have had melons, in a greenhouse, die in the cold of August so its not a one off, last year the spring started in late June and summer was over in the August so it does restrict what you can choose to grow. I must admit I now bung them in and let them get on with it, if they struggle they go on the compost heap..

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                            • #15
                              Maybe of interest Buffs.
                              https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/pub/dat...aisleydata.txt

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