Why don't councils plant fruit trees?

[NewYearNewTwatName]

I have wondered this since I was a child.

The local council are busy planting trees on any bit of green space available at the moment, especially round residential areas.

Why couldn't some of them be a mix of things like cherry, apple, plum, pear?
may be nut trees too

Our council planted apple trees in a small park a few years ago and they bear fruit. They then did pear trees last year with wildflowers around.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/community-orchards-a-how-to-guide

www.theorchardproject.org.uk/

www.rhs.org.uk/get-involved/greening-great-britain

I know it sounds like a lovely idea. but in reality you should only grow edible plants on soil that you know is safe.
Farmers are only allowed to use a restricted range of chemicals on farm land, and many of the ones used in parks are not safe to use on soil used to grow food. Many are persistent and hang around in the soil for decades. And sometimes soil becomes contaminated by industrial waste.

Well I will put my thought of the day back in its box and put it away.

I shall be in the corner --> with my pet lip out, sulking that my grand plan to feed the world won't work.

I'm sure another wierd thought will waft into my head pretty soon, so I won't be the corner for long.

Actually I think it’s a nice idea op. I understand the reasons why not, mainly rotting fruit, but I like the idea of it.

@Thelnebriati

I know it sounds like a lovely idea. but in reality you should only grow edible plants on soil that you know is safe. Farmers are only allowed to use a restricted range of chemicals on farm land, and many of the ones used in parks are not safe to use on soil used to grow food. Many are persistent and hang around in the soil for decades. And sometimes soil becomes contaminated by industrial waste.

Also pollution levels in many areas are high , I would not want to eat fruit from from a highly polluted area .

@Thelnebriati

I know it sounds like a lovely idea. but in reality you should only grow edible plants on soil that you know is safe. Farmers are only allowed to use a restricted range of chemicals on farm land, and many of the ones used in parks are not safe to use on soil used to grow food. Many are persistent and hang around in the soil for decades. And sometimes soil becomes contaminated by industrial waste.

Could you provide a link that supports your comment about persistent chemicals being used by councils on recreation and amenity land.

Farmers use MUCH nastier stuff than is allowed in public areas.

And could you provide a link for contaminated soil producing fruit that is unsafe to eat in the UK ?

@OhShitShit I want to live near you! I face we are looking to move soon, where in the world are you (roughly!)?

@NewYearNewTwatName
Look at the links I gave.
Talk to your local council.
Get involved and get them to do it.

@ListeningQuietly
I think you must know that the rules around chemicals used in parks today are much stricter than they used to be. Its pointless pointing to todays legislation when we are talking about persistant chemicals.

We planted some heritage apples and plums on the green space opposite our HA houses last year. The HA was very enthusiastic about the whole thing, and even paid for the trees. Last year our entire harvest was One Single Damson, which we ceremonially shared. Massively looking forward to seeing what happens this year. Woe betide any children that dare to incur our wrath by chucking fruit around....

I tell my children specifically not to eat random cherries and plums - I don’t trust they can differentiate between that and poisonous berries.

How on Earth can you mix up fruit from a tree and a poisonous berry?

Thank you ListeningQuietly

I know of a disused orchard and nuttery. very few people know its there.(it is private land so they wouldn't) unfortunately the owner is waiting for a time that they will eventually get some kind of planning permission on the land then they'll sell it.
So for now everything is just for the squirrels and birds.

@NewYearNewTwatName

Think of all the households who could use the fruit, or kids walking by and grabbing and apple.

There was an apple tree leaning over the path on the way to my primary school, we all use to pick and an apple on the way there and back. it was probably this tree that prompted my question when I was a child.

Round here the kids would be more likely to grab apples off the trees and lob them at each other or through house/car windows. So that could be a reason they don't do it.

@NewYearNewTwatName

Bubblebu if not planted near a pavement then why can't the fruit just rot into the ground? I don't pick it the fruit up that's fallen.

Rotten food attracts rodent. When I was a child our neighbour fell seriously ill and was long-term in a rehabilitation center. The house was rented and had a pear and apple tree in the garden, lovely fruit.

Because she had noone to sort out her garden the fruit fell down, started to rot and we had the rats and other rodents around. In the end my parents had a long discussion with the landlord and all the neighbours (same landlord for the road) had issues with rodents in their garden and in two cases, houses.

Thanks but not a good idea.

Could you ask the owner to let you look after the trees until they are cut down?
(many fruit trees are pretty short lived so its not the end of the world)
even a couple of seasons could be fun ?

Also, have a look at this
www.organiclea.org.uk/2019/09/community-wine-4/

or this
www.kimptonapplepress.co.uk/

There are LOTS of ideas around making use of fruit trees and growing fruit
that bring groups together
your local Transition Group will have ideas
transitionnetwork.org/

@QueenOfCakeandCoffee

I’m in Yorkshire.

If you’re looking this way, give me a DM and I’ll offer some suggestions. Don’t want to out myself too much

I think OP it was a valid question to ask. If Councils did not have to deal with busybodies who object to every small thing, the general lack of discretion they have, and all the other brickbats they face (some of which brought upon themselves), then perhaps your suggestion could happen.

ListeningQuietly

Err yeah my problem is time, and also there are three types of people.

Thinkers
doers
day dreamers

I'm definitely number 3

OP I'm with you all the way. Can't imagine why people are so negative.

Our last house had a hedge that had a grape vine growing through it and a plum tree and blackberries in the front. Loads of kids stopped to eat them on the way to school, the birds loved them, all good.

I think this would be wonderful!

Maybe not banks of fruit trees together but well spaced around parkland would be fantastic.

My kids are already talking about when they will start to find wild raspberries, then blaeberries, & brambles!

My council don't plant anything at all, not just fruit trees. They are vey happy to see the trees disappear completely.

A local 'friends of' community group did this, every year kids swung off the trees, stripped all the growing fruit and hurled/smashed it into the road, now nobody bothers to maintain the trees and they barely fruit as they're so damaged and misshapen.

There are several community orchards within a mile of my house in inner London, but no doubt for reasons mentioned upthread, the council doesn't plant fruit trees on streets. Even if they did, I doubt people would pick the fruit.

If kids are trashing trees,
get the head teachers to sign up for this
schoolgardening.rhs.org.uk/home
as the RHS will put resources in to help get everybody on board.

Fruit trees on streets : yup silly
Fruit trees on amenity land : should be done everywhere

OP
If you are a daydreamer, you can help inspire people to think laterally
and that will help achieve the goals.