On Tue, 18 Mar 2008 18:49:13 -0500, 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


Find the county extension office for the area. They will have good
advice on what kind and what variety grows well in your area.

http://www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension/index.html

--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974)