Can I grow vegetables in the middle of an orange orchard? Will the chemicals they use on the trees affect it?

Hi Mr Bits,

The best answer to your question whether the chemicals used to spray the orange trees is to do some research about it. If you can have an empty container of the chemicals used, that will be be a good start because normally, the containers have some information of the chemicals. If you can not have an

empty container, the next step is to ask the owner. Get the correct spelling of the chemical used and then do the research yourself.

Yes, you can grow vegetables in the middle of an orange orchard. I have 2 grapefruits, an orange tree a nectarine tree in my yard. I plant vegetables under them. Please be informed that I live here in Phoenix, which is very hot & the soil is clay. I do this method for 2 reasons. 1st, the leaves & branches of the trees are shading my vegetables under. 2nd, the vegetables are sharing the water for the trees from the drip system.

Let's get specific. Sweet potatoes grow very well here and they enjoy to be under the trees. I even planted peanuts under them and they seem to be doing all right. Early in the spring, I planted Chinese cabbage, lettuce, regular cabbage & cauliflower. Now, there are tomatoes, pepper, eggplants, peanuts, sweet potatoes, parsley and some squash. And they are doing great!

Ask the owner. He will know all the precautions of the chemicals.