This is an old revision of the document!
Table of Contents
🌳 Secondary Orchard Layout – Detailed Planting Plan (Starter Block)
🎯 Goal
- Continuous harvest (early → mid → late season)
- Diversify fruit production beyond core orchard
- Strong summer income driver
- Clean, scalable orchard block
- Support farm stand + U-pick
🧠 Secondary Orchard Strategy
Role on the Farm
- Faster return than core orchard
- Bridges gap between:
- Flowers (early income)
- Fall orchard (apples/pears/plums)
👉 This is your summer production engine
Key Difference from Core Orchard
- Less pollination complexity overall
- Focus on:
- Harvest timing
- Crop diversity
- Income flow
🌳 Orchard Composition (Balanced Mix)
Peaches (Primary – 12 Trees)
👉 Main summer income crop
Supporting Crops (8 Trees Total)
Blueberries (4 plants / grouped rows)
- Separate row or section
- Prefer grouped planting (not scattered)
Elderberries (2 plants)
- Edge planting or row ends
- Good for:
- Value-added products
- Pollinator support
Fig (2 trees)
- Warmest, most protected area
- Test crop (expand later if successful)
🌞 Harvest Flow Strategy
| Stage | Crop | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Early | Early peaches | Kick off fruit season |
| Mid | Main peaches + blueberries | Core production |
| Late | Late peaches + figs | Extend income |
| Late+ | Elderberry | Value-added |
🌳 Peach Variety Strategy (Core Block)
Early Season (late May – June)
- Candor
- Derby
Mid Season (June – July)
- Contender
- Redhaven
Late Season (July – August)
- Elberta
- Cresthaven
👉 Gives 6–8 weeks of harvest instead of 1–2
📐 Orchard Layout (4 × 5 Grid – 20 Trees Equivalent)
Row 1 (North – EARLY + BLUEBERRY EDGE)
Candor Derby Blueberry Blueberry Candor
Row 2 (EARLY → MID)
Derby Contender Redhaven Contender Derby
Row 3 (MID – CORE PRODUCTION)
Contender Redhaven Contender Redhaven Contender
Row 4 (SOUTH – LATE + MIX)
Elberta Cresthaven Fig Elderberry Elberta
🧠 Why This Layout Works
1. Harvest Flow
👉 Moves north → south as season progresses
2. Strong Mid-Season Production
- Most trees in peak-producing window
3. Mixed Crop Integration (Controlled)
- Non-peach crops placed on edges
- Keeps layout clean and manageable
4. Scalable Design
👉 Same block can be repeated or expanded
📏 Spacing
- Trees: 12–15 ft apart
- Rows: 15–18 ft apart
Special Spacing Notes
- Blueberries: 4–6 ft apart (grouped row)
- Elderberries: 6–10 ft apart
- Figs: 10–15 ft
🌱 Ground Setup
Around Trees
- 3–4 ft mulch ring
- Keep trunk clear
Between Rows
👉 Fescue grass (recommended)
Optional:
👉 Clover mix (soil improvement)
✂️ Training & Pruning
Peaches
👉 Open Center (Vase Shape)
- Heavy annual pruning
- Keep center open
- Maintain picking height
Blueberries
- Light pruning
- Remove old canes over time
Figs
- Minimal pruning early
- Shape as needed
Elderberries
- Cut back aggressively (they respond well)
💧 Irrigation
- Drip line per row
- Consistent watering during fruit set
- Blueberries need consistent moisture
📦 Yield Expectations
Peaches
- 1–3 bushels per tree
Blueberries
- High yield per plant once established
Figs / Elderberries
- Moderate yield
- Better for:
- Variety
- Value-added products
🛍️ Sales Strategy
Phase 1
- Fresh peaches
- Small fruit mix (blueberries, figs)
Phase 2
- U-pick (peaches + blueberries)
Phase 3
- Value-added:
- Peach jam 🍑
- Berry products
- Mixed bundles
⚠️ Key Challenges
- Brown rot (peaches)
- Insects (plum curculio, etc.)
- Short shelf life
- Bird pressure (blueberries)
- Water consistency
🧠 Key Rules
✔️ Keep layout clean and simple
✔️ Don’t overcrowd with mixed crops
✔️ Prune aggressively (especially peaches)
✔️ Harvest often
✔️ Keep crops grouped, not scattered
🔁 Expansion Strategy
👉 Same as core orchard:
- Build in blocks
- Repeat layout
- Leave spacing between blocks
🔥 Long-Term Vision
- Summer U-pick rows
- Mixed fruit baskets
- Farm stand stocked daily
- Strong overlap with flowers + vegetables
📝 Notes Section
Best producers:
·
Disease pressure:
·
Harvest timing:
·
Crop performance:
·