Brian wrote:

TWIMC:

I'm new to this group, but not to tree-growing/gardening. However, I
have a challenging plot of lowland that I'd like to make productive. It is:

Near Kansas City, so hot/humid summers and cold/dry winters (middle of
Zone 5);

Can have lots of rain/snow/ice, and/or a couple months of drought with
watering restrictions in a year;

Is in a floodway, so 0 - 6 times a year it is a shallow, slow-moving river;

Has heavy, deep black soil, but is high in clay content and low in iron;

Is currently covered in tall fescue grass, has lots of insects, and
occasionally has deer and other wildlife.

I've got time -- 20+ years, hopefully -- and I'd like to make the land
productive. I've been thinking of planting some fruit or nut trees on
it, or failing that some type of desirable-wood tree. Or other ideas?

Here's some trees I see in the mass-market catalog(s):

Hardy almond
Hardy walnut (no tomatoes too near)
Hardy pecan
American hazelnut
Chinese chestnut
Black walnut
Golden delicious apple
Red delicious apple
Bartlett pear
Stella cherry
Superior plum
Goldcot apricot
Reliance peach
Seedless pink reliance grape (vines)

Are any of these likely to do well (assuming well-planted and protected
from the deer)? Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

-Brian

Hi Brian,

Can't speak much about the nut trees, but on the fruit trees I think you can
select more interesting varieties
of apples. Besides all the environmental concerns, you should decide what size
trees you want, dwarf, semi-dwarf,
or full standard size. The smaller trees are easier to maintain, but may
require some staking. The standard trees take
longer to bear fruit, but are more firmly rooted in the ground. You have to
pick the right rootstock, both for your
sizing and to best meet your climate conditions. Most of the varieties you
selected are good for zone 5. Apricot is
a bit fussy and the blossoms may suffer from early frosts. Stella cherry is
supposed to be self-fertile, but mine never
really gave abundant crops. You may want to consider a sour cherry like
Montmorency, which is a more reliable
producer. The Superior Plum is hardy to zone 4, should not be a problem for
you. Reliance Peach is also very
hardy and good for zones 5-8. Apples are generally not a problem for cold
hardiness. Bartlett Pear is hardy for
zones 5-7, but may require a pollinator unless you consider yourself in the arid
West.

Sherwin