Orchard fully stocked

Finally, my 'orchard' is fully stocked, with the arrival today, of my second order from Daleys of Kyogle. I am impressed with their delivery process. I ordered on Wed 17th, received the despatched email Tues 23rd, and the box was on my porch (under cover, as requested) today, Wed 24th. The plants were all still upright, and the mix still moist. The planting instructions are comprehensive, and in plain English. In this consignment I received: a Black Genoa Fig; two Heritage Raspberry canes; a Tahitian Lime; two Brightwell Blueberry bushes; and one Misty Blueberry bush. I will plant all out tomorrow, save the raspberries, which I will pot for the time being.

Is there a tipping point?

Is there a size tipping point from fruit garden to orchard? Regardless, I am calling this area our orchard. It has taken many hours of hard slog to render it free from the roots of the old fig tree [non-fruiting except for lorikeet and bat fodder]. My guess is it was a Port Jackson fig. The root system is massive, and extensive. Less so now that our slave-gang has attacked it with his mattock, and his axe, and his chain-saw!

I was astounded to see the extensive footings for what is a most unremarkable front fence, but which indicates the slope that lay upon the block in its original state. Taken together with the tier-ing of the rear garden, the block must have sloped by many feet to the south-east as it ran down to Middle Harbour via a catchment of small creeks still visible in the area. Look at this fence - more like a brick retaining-wall. There are seven courses of brick above the surface, and I can see six courses already below the surface. The fig roots that riddled this area have been severed, and there is enough loam and space to plant fruit trees directly into the ground.

For a computer network engineer, said slave has created a terrific 'bed' for our trees: a mandarin, a lime, and a lemon. The rocks has been reused from the original landscaping for gardenias. Indeed, the only new materials we have brought in are the raised beds themselves. Everything else is recycled. I have enough compost ready to go to fertilise the orchard AND one of the raised beds, and hope to have this spread by mid-May.

Now specifically what trees do I contemplate: a Satsuma Mandarin a Tahitian Lime, and a Eureka Lemon. They will get us started. I already have two olives and a Black Genoa Fig. I think one of the olives is for the high-jump, and into its large pot will go the BG Fig. I need to upgrade its feeding. I now have three empty large pots from which I removed murrayas as I already have a hedge of murraya along the front of the house. Into these pots will go a cumquat and two grafted Nelly Kelly Black passionfruit - once I have determined what I will trail them over! And got yet another hair-brained scheme through the management!