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Quick update on the project: Treated steel arch ordered in 2 sections 4.5m long each. That's to allow a break in the middle to pass through. Ordered from Agriframes in Bristol who seem pretty good.

Now looking to buy fruit trees and bushes to grow up the outside. Apple, pear, damson, pomegranate (a boy can dream), mirabelle, mulberry, blackcurrant, gooseberry, jostaberry, red currant and white currant.

It's all a bit intimidating...what if I'm making a horrible mistake???

@JimmyB Mulberry is gigantic. Even the 'early' fruiting cultivars. Do you really have space for a tree?

@JimmyB
You can grow apple, pear, quince as cordons.

But mulberry I would think 4 metres and 10 years.

@lionelb If I prune hard to keep it small, it just won't fruit? Is that the issue?

@JimmyB

Commercially, seeing 3 metre pyramids in California.

@lionelb Me too! 😀 😀

The frame is 2.3 high so probably 2.5 with spread. Hmmmm.

@JimmyB

Yep. Absolutely avoid inside the frame.

Which begs the question, can you protect against birds even if you get fruit?

Solutions are explosives or hawks...

@lionelb Yes - we are planning to plant outside the frame.

I have a few issues I need to resolve though. I think I have to do some ground prep because this is going, mostly, up the middle of the lawn. So will be compacted - and the soil will be pretty poor.

Sir Monty of Don says not to improve soil when you plant a tree, but then he hasn't seen our soil! Think I have to ignore that a bit and get some organic matter in there. I have had success with a massive seaweed mulch on top so maybe..

@JimmyB

Probably lots of leatherjackets in a lawn? They might nibble the new roots?

Would saturating the lawn bring them up to the surface where the birds can feast?

JimmyB (he/him)

@lionelb OK - yes - image searching there: we do get some of these. I'll do some research.