Apricot as a tool for land restoration

Apricot as a tool for land restoration

The apricot can be a very useful tree for restoring dry, rocky, and formerly agricultural lands. It combines ecological and economic functions: it creates a root system and tree cover, produces early flowering, fruit, organic matter, and a relatively quick income.

But it is important to understand the limitation:apricot by itself does not automatically restore the soilIf a monoculture apricot orchard is established, the row spacing is left bare, and organic matter is not added, over time the trees can deplete their moisture and organic matter reserves. A study of rainfed apricot orchards on the semi-arid Loess Plateau showed an increase in deep water stress and a subsequent decrease in soil organic matter in old stands under extensive management.ScienceDirect)

Therefore, it is better to use apricot not as the only means of restoration, but asproductive element of a mixed recovery system.

How apricots are beneficial to the earth

1. Quickly creates a tree layer

The apricot grows faster than many long-lived forest trees. After just a few years, it is already capable of:

shade part of the surface;

reduce soil overheating;

reduce wind speed near the ground;

retain raindrops;

create a milder microclimate;

form a shelter for grasses and shrubs.

This is especially important on former arable land where there are no trees and where temperature fluctuations are severe.

2. Strengthens the upper layers of soil

Branched roots retain soil particles and increase slope resistance to surface erosion. Apricot can contribute to the restoration of:

gentle dry slopes;

terraces;

abandoned agricultural lands;

stony loams;

опушек;

anti-erosion fruit strips.

However, actively eroding gullies, riverbanks, and shifting sands require grasses, shrubs, stone lines, or engineering measures first. A single apricot won't stop severe erosion.

3. Returns organic matter

Apricot produces annually:

leaves;

small branches;

root secretions;

dying thin roots;

flowers;

fallen fruits;

wood after trimming.

If these materials are left on the site, they gradually turn into soil organic matter.

Especially useful:

chop up branches after pruning;

use them as wood chips;

leave healthy foliage under trees;

compost damaged fruits;

return the pomace to the system after processing the harvest.

If you remove fruits, leaves, grass and branches every year, the nutrient cycle is disrupted.

4. Creates a permanent root system

Unlike annual arable land, apricots don't require annual soil erosion. Their permanent roots:

maintain soil pores;

create channels for water;

feed microorganisms;

stabilize the units;

connect different soil horizons.

The beneficial effect is sharply reduced if the garden is regularly deeply plowed.

5. Provides early resources for pollinators

Apricot blossoms very early, often before the leaves emerge. It is a valuable spring source of pollen and nectar where wild pollinators are nearby.

However, early flowering also poses an economic risk: subsequent frosts can destroy the harvest. Therefore, apricot trees should not be planted in low-lying areas where cold air accumulates. Sunny slopes and sheltered locations are better.RHS)

6. Provides food to people and animals

Used:

fresh fruits;

dried fruits;

lozenge;

puree;

juice;

jam;

vinegar;

sauces;

feed waste;

oil from specially processed kernels.

Fallen fruits are also consumed by birds, insects, and small mammals. However, the pits and kernels of some varieties may contain significant amounts of cyanogenic compounds, so they should not be used uncontrollably as food or feed.

7. Creates early economic returns

Oak or valuable walnut trees can take decades to mature. With proper care, apricots begin to produce a significant harvest much sooner.

This makes it possible to finance further restoration:

planting long-lived trees;

arrangement of water catchments;

creation of a nursery;

purchase of fencing;

processing of products;

restoration of grass cover.

On what soils is apricot suitable?

Apricot grows best on:

sunny areas;

deep or moderately deep soils;

well-drained loams;

calcareous and stony soils with sufficient structure;

slopes without stagnant cold air;

areas with warm summers;

lands where the roots do not stand in water.

Apricot trees prefer soil that both retains some moisture and drains well. Waterlogged or constantly waterlogged soil increases the risk of root damage and rot.RHS)

Where apricot is not a good first tree

It is not well suited for initial recovery:

steel;

regularly flooded lowlands;

heavy structureless clays with stagnant water;

highly saline soils;

moving dunes;

very windy open areas without protection;

northern frosty lowlands;

areas without the possibility of irrigation during the first period;

heavily contaminated man-made soils.

In such areas, water, grass cover, soil structure, and protective shrub layer are first restored.

Main risk: soil drying out

Apricot is considered a relatively drought-resistant fruit crop, but this does not mean that it does not consume water.

In a semi-arid zone, a mature tree can utilize moisture from deep layers. With high planting density and a lack of soil cover, this can lead to:

formation of a deep dry horizon;

reduction in tree growth;

reduction in yield;

death of grass cover;

gradual consumption of organic matter.

This is precisely the effect that was observed in long-existing rainfed monoculture apricot orchards on the Loess Plateau.ScienceDirect)

Therefore, to restore the land it is necessary:

do not thicken the planting;

collect and retain rainwater;

preserve soil cover;

return organic residues;

thin out old plantings;

combine apricot with herbs and shrubs;

do not plant it in a continuous array throughout the entire area.

The right recovery system with apricot

1. Apricot is not in the center of bare ground, but in a prepared microzone

Around the tree they create:

wide catchment basin;

a small shaft on the lower side of the slope;

layer of mulch;

grass cover;

protection from animals;

temporary protection from the wind.

On a slope, the planting bowl is positioned so that it intercepts part of the surface runoff, but does not turn into a swampy hole.

2. Contour landing

On slopes it is better to plant apricot:

along the horizontals;

on the terraces;

in a checkerboard pattern;

near the drainage crescents;

within the strips of perennial vegetation.

Avoid making straight planting rows from top to bottom of a slope, as they can become rapid runoff paths.

3. Sufficient distance

For a regenerative forest orchard, the distance usually needs to be greater than in an intensive industrial orchard.

Landmarks:

5–6 m- a productive garden with regular maintenance;

6–8 m— mixed forest garden;

8–10 m- dry rainfed system;

10 m and more- very dry lands with limited water supply.

The less rainfall and the weaker the soil, the more space a single tree requires.

4. Permanent covering between trees

The spaces between the rows must not be left bare.

Suitable for:

sainfoin;

alfalfa - with sufficient moisture and competition control;

lotus;

low clovers;

fescue;

thyme;

sage;

yarrow;

local steppe cereals;

floral herbs.

On average, soil cover management in orchards improves soil health, reduces erosion, and promotes carbon accumulation. A meta-analysis found that the effect on moisture content varied depending on climate, orchard age, and management method, but overall, covered soil retained more moisture than pure tillage systems.ScienceDirect)

In very dry climates, grasses can compete with young apricot trees. Therefore, during the first few years, a mulch circle is left around the trunk, and the taller cover is placed further away from the tree.

Apricot Guild

Apricot performs best in a small plant community.

Central tree

apricot on a stable rootstock.

Low fruit trees and shrubs

On the sunny side:

lavender;

thyme;

sage;

currants in more humid climates;

rose hip;

low varieties of blackberries on the border;

steppe cherry;

almonds in a warm, dry area.

Soil-improving plants

sainfoin;

lotus;

clover;

shouts;

sweet clover - temporary and under control;

local legumes.

Biomass and deep roots

comfrey in moderately humid areas;

chicory;

yarrow;

perennial cereals;

Oilseed radish at the initial stage.

Plants for pollinators

thyme;

hyssop;

catnip;

Phacelia as a temporary crop;

local Asteraceae;

early bulbous plants.

The trunk area should be kept free of dense vegetation for approximately 50–100 cm in the first years and covered with mulch.

What trees go with apricot?

For dry fruit orchard

almond;

mulberry;

pear on a stable rootstock;

pistachio in the appropriate climate;

hawthorn;

wild plum;

cherry blossom;

red;

hazelnut;

downy oak or sessile oak in a long-term frame.

For the temperate climate of Switzerland

apple;

pear;

plum;

merry;

quince;

red;

hawthorn;

domestic rowan;

walnut at a great distance;

grapes on a separate support;

linden or field maple in an ecological framework.

Avoid placing apricot trees in the deep shade of oak, linden, walnut, or tall coniferous trees. They require full sunlight.

The rootstock is critical

The same apricot variety behaves differently on different rootstocks.

Rootstocks based on:

apricot;

buyer;

plums;

peach;

interspecific hybrids.

The rootstock influences:

drought resistance;

lime tolerance;

growth force;

durability;

resistance to waterlogging;

frost resistance;

soil compatibility;

speed of entry into fruiting.

For a dry restoration system, it is not the most dwarf rootstocks that are needed, but vigorous and well-rooted forms adapted to the local soil.

Planting apricot on degraded land

First year: preparation

Determine the water flow.

Stop erosion.

Sow perennial herbs.

Create contour stripes.

Add mature compost on top of the soil.

Prepare water collection bowls.

Install protection against roe deer and hares.

Stage two: landing

plant during the dormant period;

do not bury the root collar;

do not make a small hole filled only with rich substrate;

loosen a wide area around the roots;

mix compost mainly with the surface layer;

water well;

mulch;

install a stable support.

Stagnant water in the planting hole is especially dangerous for apricots. In heavy soil, it's better to create a wide, shallow mound rather than a deep "bath."

The first three years

control moisture;

do not allow fruit formation in the first season after weak rooting;

to form an open, illuminated crown;

protect the trunk;

renew mulch;

monitor for diseases;

keep grass between trees;

do not allow the mulch to come into contact with the trunk.

Density per hectare

Approximately:

For ecological restoration, I wouldn't recommend filling a hectare with only apricots. A more sustainable model is40–100 apricots per hectare, complemented by other trees, shrubs, grass strips and natural areas.

An example of the structure of one hectare

Productive part

60 apricots;

20 plums and cherry plums;

15 pears;

10 mulberries;

10 walnut trees;

100–200 shrubs.

Ecological framework

hawthorn;

rose hip;

red;

hazel;

local oaks;

field maple;

rowan;

hedges.

Soil cover

40% local herbs;

20% legume and forage strips;

10% of flowering areas;

10% mulched tree circles;

The rest is roads, watersheds, shrubs and natural islands.

Economic value

Apricot allows you to create a whole chain of products:

fresh fruits;

dried apricot;

dried apricots;

lozenge;

jam;

juice;

puree;

sauces;

vinegar;

fermented drinks;

frozen fruits;

seedlings;

rootstocks;

flower honey;

wood chips;

wood products after sanitary felling.

Processing second-grade fruits, which are difficult to sell fresh, is especially profitable.

Apricots can also be combined with annual crops in agroforestry systems. Research in semi-arid systems has shown that combining apricot trees with field crops, especially millet, can utilize sunlight more efficiently than growing them separately.ScienceDirect)

Main disadvantages

Apricot:

blooms early and suffers from spring frosts;

does not tolerate stagnant water well;

susceptible to fungal and bacterial diseases;

can consume deep soil moisture;

does not fix atmospheric nitrogen;

does not tolerate deep shade;

requires crown shaping;

has an unstable yield in an unsuitable climate;

does not replace anti-erosion grasses and shrubs;

How monoculture produces limited biodiversity.

Conclusion

Apricot is a strong transition tree between restoring land and building an economy.It is capable of relatively quickly forming a fruit-bearing tree layer, providing shade, roots, organic matter, flowering and commercial products.

But it’s not just one apricot tree that restores the soil, but the entire system around it:

Catchment + permanent vegetation + mulch + grasses and legumes + shrubs + mixed trees + organic return + moderate planting density.

In such a system, apricot becomes not just a fruit crop, butthe pioneer economic tree of the forest gardenIn a dry monoculture without soil cover, on the contrary, it can accelerate the depletion of water reserves.