Underplanting apple trees

redser7

Hi - I'm about to plant a couple of bareroot apple trees (Elstar and Breaburn) on an allotment and was wondering if there was anything I could underplant them with, or in the space between them. I'm not sure what stock they are on, labels say they are suitable for potting up on patios so maybe M9 or 26. They are about 5 foot in height now. I wouldn't put anything right around the trunks but the allotment is small and I'd like to use the space between and around them. I'm planning on planting them about 6 or 7 feet apart. The site is very sunny with no shade. Ideally it would be some sort of fruit bushes or something edible but open to suggestions. Thanks a million!

dardevle

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not a fan of underplanting apple trees- since they already have enough of a hard time of it without having competition from other plants for nutrients etc....the only thing i plant under apple trees is comfry which i use as a weed suppressant and when in full foliage cut and use as a top dressing around the base...any extra i use as to make up a liquid fertiliser so its not really a waste of space.



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Corsendonk

Clover too works.

yellowlabrador

Have you thought of planting them in a row and making espaliers out of them?
If you prune them and train them along wires, you can them have beds in front and back. I wouldn't atempt if they are not dwarf stock though.

redser7

Thanks for the replies. I looked into training them in various ways, like stepovers, but seems the yields would be smaller. Might just make some small raised bed boxes and put in strawberries or rhubarb.