Planting through bracken

[ArthurBottlesworth]

I have a patch of bracken where I want to plant some apple trees

 

I've scraped off the top layer of dead bracken, but obviously the new shoots will be up soon - is it best to keep the area fallow and bracken bruise / top for a year before planting

 

Or

 

Just plant it up and keep the bracken down until the trees are established

[njtimber]

We plant the trees and roll the bracken between the rows twice a season until the trees are established . (Using a narrow tractor)

[agg221]

Unless you are growing full sized standards on a crab rootstock you won't really want to grass the trees right in anyway. Assuming you are growing something on MM106 or bigger you can keep an area around 6' diameter weed free around the base and that will work fine. On this basis, you are going to need to kill the bracken properly in these locations anyway which realistically means a herbicide, although you can do it with a hoe if you are a masochist or the number of trees is very small.

 

Alec

[spandit]

I'd plant it up but use a really heavy mulch mat - carpet or cardboard. The bracken will steal all the light from the trees otherwise. Not a fan of chemical control

[Goaty]

I'd plant it up but use a really heavy mulch mat - carpet or cardboard. The bracken will steal all the light from the trees otherwise. Not a fan of chemical control

 

 

Agree entirely. Also keep an eye on it and follow up with swift action.

[Mull]

Or if you have lots and lots of bracken........

http://www.farmingfutures.org.uk/blog/could-bracken-be-next-big-biofuel-source

[ArthurBottlesworth]

Ive got alpine tractor and bracken bruiser so I think I will give it a try ......

Shouldn't take more an an hour every few weeks

Hopefully will steal a year

[matelot]

How many trees are you talking about?

 

I plant in bracken and have done ok - I use a hand held scythe to knock the bracken back.

[spandit]

Or if you have lots and lots of bracken........

Could bracken be the next big biofuel source? | Farming Futures

 

That's interesting. I'd like to see some independent tests of their claims but it's an often underused resource

[Goaty]

It used to get cut in the summer for winter animal bedding.