Planting under apple trees

[Icyberjunkie]

I've inherited three apple trees and was wondering what you lot thought would be good to plant under it.  I've thought about herbs but the ground is to rich and I prefer those around the house so more interested in other things.

[Icyberjunkie]

[undercarriage plan]

To eat? Or look nice?

[Palustris]

Answered this as a long list of plants, but it went.So this time, we have plants which draw in bees and benficial insects, make up your own list.

[Icyberjunkie]

To eat,  I can do the looking nice bit!

[Icyberjunkie]

Oops,  just realised what I just said!  I meant I can select plants to look nice but its whether or not I can get anything to eat out of it....!

[terrace max]

Poached-egg plants are the best (but inedible) beneficial bug attracting, easy growing, living mulch around apple trees due to their shallow roots. Young trees would probably be more than a bit upset if you were to cultivate anything too exciting within a few feet of them...

I did hear that tansy and apple trees get on well together, though...but how much tansy can you eat??

[undercarriage plan]

Is OK Icy, knew what you meant, I think!! What about one of your brambles? Don't think many edibles will do well under tree! But think you could have lovely blackberries! Your loganberry plant is rooting well, perhaps place for that?

[moonbells]

Under my apples there's a mixture of edibles and non-edibles. Bulbs do fantastically - I've been planting clumps of daffs and tulips and bluebells for a few years now which are lovely when everything's bare in spring.

Surrounding the trees I have blackcurrants,  rhubarb, and above all, raspberries. The latter are shallow-rooted and naturally woodland plants, so are quite happy to grow under the deeper-rooted apples.  It also means that one dousing with potash each season does two crops - what doesn't get hoovered by the rasps gets washed down to the apples.  (A large unknown eater, a russet and a monstrous Bramley)

moonbells

[GardnerJ]

Hiya
I have alpine strawberries under mine and they look sweet and taste sweet!

Jemma x

[Mrs Ava]

Flipping brambles and nettles make themselves at home under my trees!  Also have daffs.

[Icyberjunkie]

THanks all,  got the rhubarb already there but hadnlt thought about raspberries so may do that.

They are quite old trees and need a bit of pruning so shouldn't get upset like young ones.  Give me a job for January as well!

[selwyn-smith]

I just want to say to Terrance Max, how thrilled I am to see Snuffkin......My hero.
Sorry do carry on. 

[HO]

I grow ivy and dandelions, very well too, but not intentionally. However  on this basis I recommend variegated ivies and Compositae family decorative plants. Every so often I lose my temper and try and clear them out. I know they love me, though, as they always come back. I would visit the Lost Gardens of Heligan and view the earth mounds shaped into nymphs etc and covered in grass. Then make your own earth mound like a seat, plant it up with a shade-loving grass and sit on it, under the spreding branches..... you did say you could do the looking nice bit, Iceberjunkie...

[terrace max]

I just want to say to Terrance Max, how thrilled I am to see Snuffkin......My hero.

Whoops - sorry s-s. But time for a change. You have great taste in existentialist philosophers though  :) BTW in all honesty Moominmamma is my mentor...