Never done it or seen it done.....but I know of no reason not to try it. What varieties are you planning to plant together? There are always issues of growth rates and bearing seasons to consider.

Harry

I have 3 in a hole. They are growing great but have only been in the ground about two years and have not held much of a crop yet. I basically have them pruned in the shape of one tree so it while eventually grow into about 1/3 sweetheart, 1/3 mauritius, and 1/3 Kaimana. I have them planted with about 18 inches between them. Unless you really look for the trunks you would not even be able to tell that there was more than one tree there. Right now the kaimana is still really small because it was planted much later but I am hoping it will eventually catch up by pruning the other two trees. I think you should give it a try. You obviously won't get as much fruit per tree as you would with one per hole, but it is a good way to be able to grow more varieties when space is limited.

Hey Guys,

Thanks for the input. Right Now, I am thinking about planting a Kaimana and Hak Ip in the same hole. Also, I want to plant a Biew Kiew and Another Variety Longan, Maybe Diamond River or Kohala. How Close do you think that I should plant them together?

Hope to hear from you soon!

Thanks Again,

Jacob

Anyone else have any thoughts?

- Jacob

If you look up backyard horticulture, you will find some info on planting fruit trees in close proximity although they do not talk about Lychees. Like Lycheeluva stated, if you are ok with them not growing as large, then I would plant them close together but if you want them to grow huge, I would plant them further apart.

Nice selection on the lychee varieties. I am considering planting my three lychees in one spot, about 2 feet apart. The only thing keeping me from doing it is that my three lychees are completely different sizes. My Kwa Luk (Hanging Green) is only about 18 inches, my Kaimana is about 3 feet and my Sweetheart is about 5 feet.

My Kwa Luk is in the slow growth rate phase becuase it is a relatively newly planted air layer and has very few leaves for photosynthesis. My Kaimana is in the medium growth rate phase and many growth buds are starting to pop from the internodes. If I plant it into the ground this year, I should be able to maximize its growth potential by pushing organic or chemical fertilizers on it. Ocassional dilute foliar feedings during growth phases may make it possible to add hopefully 12-24 inches by next year.

My sweetheart is the tree I've had the longest and I purposely delayed its growth because I had to move several times and didn't want to plant it into the ground untill I moved into a house of my own. Its been in the same pot for about 2 years, you can search Sweetheart Lychee, and I am scared to death of what its potbound roots are going to look like.

When I first got my sweetheart, I didn't know much about planting fruit trees in pots and about 2 years ago, I planted it into a pretty large pot but I didn't pay much attention to the single hole it had as drainage. This will cause very poor drainage and aeration which in turn can stress your tree. Thinking back, I am lucky that I planted a lychee since they can tolerate some prolonged periods with wet roots. If I had planted a citrus tree instead, it would surely be dead.

My Sweetheart is still in that same pot I posted pictures of a couple years ago and it is about the same size. If I don't plant it into the ground this year, it will probably die. I'm really dreading the thought of pulling my Sweetheart out of the pot and seeing the mess. There is still hope that it is not super pot bound but I have to prepare for the worst. I am prepared to trim its branches and roots heavily and pampering it for a year until she gets back into shape.

Sorry for unloading my lychee thoughts on your thread. I guess what Im trying to say is that whether you plant them close together or far apart, do it sooner rather than later unless you want your tree to grow slower. Let us know what you decide on and how your trees do.
Simon

because of my small yard I spaced my 3 varieties ten foot apart in a triangle formation, I plan to prune them back every year so they do not shade each other.

lychees need full sun to produce fruit, they will not if shaded, they can not really be grown in close rows. planting in the same hole with some smart pruning may help you end up with a cocktail tree one day