Vertical Vision, Rising Roots and Berry Blues
Your questions answered
Do you have a food-growing question you’d like me to answer? Check out these guidelines to find out the best way to ask.
Vertical vision a complex choice
I have a large weatherboard wall approximately 6 metres long that faces west-south-west. I’d love to utilise it to grow something and help shade the bedroom from the afternoon summer sun. What kind of (preferably edible) espalier plant could I grow? The wall gets about three to four hours of afternoon/evening sun in summer.
There will potentially be more sun as I have my eye on removing an old tree that’s near the end of its life and not a great specimen. I’m inland on the Mornington Peninsula. I was thinking a couple of kiwifruit but the Internet gives me mixed messages about how much sun it’ll need.
Bart K, Balnarring, Vic
Choosing plants for specific spaces is complex. There are so many considerations, and without seeing the space it is difficult for me to give you a single recommendation. The good news is that there are plenty of options for filling the space and shading it. It’s the productivity part that may be a little more challenging for you.
Here are a few considerations:
Three to four hours of direct sun is not enough for most food-producing plants to thrive and be productive (but some varieties will survive).
How will the sunlight change over the year? Will the space receive much sunlight in winter? Deciduous trees don’t have leaves in winter, so a lack of sun may not be an issue for them. But deciduous trees are prone to fungal disease, which brings me to the next point.
Morning sun is ideal for trees prone to fungal diseases (morning sun dries out dew and reduces humidity). Given you won’t have morning sun, I’d avoid apricots and cherries and most other stone fruit (a plum may be okay though).
Afternoon summer sun is harsh and can burn sensitive trees (so I would rule out avocados).
Evergreen trees tend to handle limited light better than deciduous trees. Citrus, olives and feijoas are potential choices, but even then, you may not have enough light for those.
Kiwifruit are rampant. They can cover a house in the blink of an eye. If you plant one, then be prepared to spend a lot of time pruning it back as it chases the sun over and across your roof. Kiwiberries are typically less vigorous and may be a better choice. Passionfruit are also worth a try if you want to grow a vine.
Reduced light access may result in reduced sweetness of fruit. Lemons and limes may be good candidates as you are not after the sweetness with those fruits. More on that here.
Different trees suit different espalier shapes. If you are thinking about the typical horizontal cordon, then an apple or a pear will be best. Citrus would need to be trained as a green wall. More on that here.
Seeing a space in person enables me to make more specific plant suggestions. Folks residing in Victoria can book a consult and I’ll pop over to discuss garden design, planting suggestions and anything else you like that’s related to food growing.
Adventitious roots stabilise stems
The roots on my corn plants come out of the ground. Is this normal? Or do I need to top up with more soil? The corn cobs are forming beautifully.
Eva J., Melbourne