Rob Smith has found a winning planting combination of sweet peas and fruit trees
Sweet peas and fruit trees are the perfect planting partners
With all the fruit trees starting to show signs of life again, I’ve not only been marvelling at some of the blossom they produce, but I’ve also been thinking about their wellbeing for the year ahead. As spring starts to get into full flow, I like to give them a top dressing of manure and compost around the base – after all they’re just waking up so having food readily available will really help with their growth.
As many of you will know, sweet peas fix nitrogen into their roots; it’s normally in the white little nodes you’ll see connected to the roots if you dig them up. Nitrogen is needed by fruit trees to crop well, so my thinking is to grow them together! As usual, I’ve sown far too many sweet peas, plus some everlasting ones this year, too. I’m going to grow one or two at the base of each fruit tree, not only providing the tree with nitrogen, but the flowers should also encourage more pollinating insects to my plot. This won’t really help my fruit tree to set fruit, as their flowers will have already been pollinated by the time the sweet peas flower, but more pollinators means a healthier and more productive plot on the whole, and the nitrogen will help to feed the fruit trees, resulting in a larger crop.
I’ve grown everlasting sweet peas through an evergreen hedge before. They really do add interest and colour all summer. When the sweet peas die back, just cut them to ground level and wait for them to re- emerge next year and do the same again.
This method of planting also works well with normal sweet peas, climbing beans and peas, too. So, when you realise you’ve got far too many seedlings (as we all do every year), instead of leaving them to go leggy in their seed trays, try planting them by smaller fruit trees, or even fruit bushes, such as blackcurrants. In essence, what you’re doing is companion planting, using one plant to benefit and aid another.
Just remember to water the plants well, as they both need enough water to thrive. However, don’t be afraid that the sweet peas are taking the fruit tree’s food – they’re actually helping to feed the tree.