A quick case-study in siting a project orchard

A question came up in the comments asking about planting apple trees near a school.

Lacking any details except sort-of remembering that this reader might live in New England, I choose to address the project by selecting a random, un-named high school in New England and applying the rule-sets:

1. Sun
2. Soil
3. Access to water 

Sun

There is nothing but pavement on the north side of this school complex. Planting on the north side is a moot issue.

In the higher latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere the north sides of buildings are heavily shaded. Since fruit trees are "edge-species" in terms of succession, they need at least a half-day of good sunlight.

This is the south half of the complex

 

This is the south half with shaded areas purpled-out. The shade is mostly from trees.

If you can choose between morning sunlight and afternoon sunlight, pick morning sunlight because it burns off the dew more quickly. Wet leaves and fruit often have disease issues. Also, prevailing winds tend to be from the west and structures/trees that block winds are a plus for several reasons.

Soil

Soil types in the Area of Interest

Low pH, very fast draining, low water retention, low-to-moderate native fertility due to low cation retention capacity.

Access to water

Description of the surrounding area

There is a ridge that runs north-south 1/4 mile to the west. There is probably ground-water fairly close to the surface but still deeper than young fruit trees can reach.

Proximity to a spigot on the building or a door can be highly advantageous. So is being out of the normal pedestrian traffic patterns because ripe fruit attracts vandals and fallen fruit attracts stinging insects.

There is a tear-drop of open area in the southeast corner of the property

 

In round numbers it is 80 feet in the N/S direction and 16 feet in the E/W direction.

Hand-drawing in 8', mulch-filled basins for maximum water retention, it looks like it can hold five trees on a 12'-to-15' spacing. Placing them in a straight line makes it easier for the grounds-keeper to mow around them.

 

Application of limestone is warranted. Supplemental fertilizer, over and above mulch, is probably warranted because the mulch with the lowest maintenance, stones, wood chips, sawdust, bark chips, contribute very little in terms of nutrients.