Your favorite fruit trees are an investment that will pay you back, possibly for decades, with an abundance of fruit. In terms of harvestable food, fruit trees are the most productive of any plants you grow. Once your trees are established, watering when there is inadequate rainfall, and a little pruning and pest control are all you need to do to keep your trees healthy and productive.
Whether you plan on planting just a couple of apple trees or you plan to have an orchard with several types of fruit trees, the success will be greatly impacted by when and how you plant your trees.
First, you need to decide what types of fruit you want to grow. Keep in mind the growing zone where you live. If you live in southern California, a tree that is bred to withstand 20 degrees below zero might not be your best choice. On the other hand, if you live in the north, you can grow citrus trees but only in a container and they will have to be moved indoors for the winter.
Fruit trees need full sun to grow and produce lots of fruit. The sunlight must hit the leaves of the tree. It won’t matter if the lower part of the trunk is in shade. In other words, an area that wouldn’t work for low growing vegetables could be a good location for your orchard.
Shop Trees and Shrubs For Your GardenAnother consideration is training and pruning your fruit trees to grow against a fence or wall. Only the lateral branches are allowed to grow. This method of growing your fruit trees is called espalier. There are six basic patterns, including:
There are advantages and disadvantages to growing trees in this method. There is a big commitment of time to prune and train the tree in the shape desired, especially until the pattern is achieved. The tree is attached to a frame with ties or wire while it is growing to the completed pattern.
Once your tree is in the correct shape, pruning will be needed to keep the shape and eliminate any branching that is directed outward from the tree. The advantage of espalier is that you don’t need a large open area to grow your tree. Also, because the tree does not need to expend energy to support a large tree form, the energy is spent on fruit production instead.
Espaliered trees are more productive, and the fruit is much easier to harvest as well. Apple and pear trees are the easiest to grow in this style, but other fruit trees can be as well. There are many decorative trees and shrubs that also work well when espaliered.
Keep in mind when planning your garden that there are two types of fruit trees: self-pollinating and those that require a pollinator. Self-pollinators include most apricots, peaches, nectarines, and sour cherries. Fruit trees that require a pollinator include most apples, pears, plums, and sweet cherries.
Once you decide the type of fruit you want to grow, there is one more consideration when choosing varieties. You will want to stagger the harvest times. This isn’t very important when your trees are young and you are picking a couple dozen apples or pears, but as the trees mature a couple dozen pieces of fruit turns into bushels.
If you have three or four trees all ripening at the same time, the amount of fruit that needs to be picked and processed can be overwhelming. Make a chart that shows when each tree is expected to be ready to harvest.
If you see that there is a period that is concerning, see if a different variety would be better. Apples have varieties that are harvestable as early as mid-summer and as late as the very end of fall.
Now that you have decided on what you want to grow and where your orchard will be located, it is time to order your fruit trees. Your trees will be either container grown or bare root.
Fruit trees can be planted in late spring, summer, and early fall if the trees are container grown. Their roots are already developed in the soil of the container. However, the tree has much less time to become acclimated to your conditions and to harden off before winter.
The trees will also be stressed if there are high temperatures and low moisture. Only consider planting in late fall or early winter if you live in zone 8 or above.
Once you have your trees, it is important to plant them as soon as possible. If you can’t plant immediately, place the trees in a cool place out of the warming sun. Check the material surrounding the roots for moisture.
The tree will die if the roots dry out. Add water if necessary. The main focus for this first year is developing strong healthy roots as the roots are critical to the health of your tree.
Planting a fruit tree is straight forward. Here are the 9 basic steps for planting your bare root fruit trees, including:
If you are planting a tree that is container grown, dig a hole that is larger than the container. Mix the soil you dig out with compost as you did with bare root trees. Remove the tree from the container and place it in the hole keeping the roots and the soil they are growing in intact.
Backfill around the root ball with the soil amended with compost. Make sure the level that the tree is growing in is level with the soil now surrounding the root ball. Water well to settle the soil and to keep the roots moist.
Until the root system has grown to the size of the tree it is supporting, your fruit tree is vulnerable to damage or even death. Water your tree once or twice each week with a deep soaking. Be particularly alert to high temperatures and drought conditions. Keep your weed barrier and mulch to prevent competition from weeds and grass.
Another way to help your tree through the critical first year is to remove any blossoms from the tree. That means no fruit in the first year but a healthier root system to support a bounty of fruit in subsequent years.
Timing the planting of your fruit trees involves many factors. Grow zones, container vs. bare root trees, and other factors should all be considered.
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