Fruit Trees: Adding Beauty and Bounty to Your Garden

Fruit trees do more than provide fresh, delicious produce—they bring privacy, shade, and vibrant blooms to your garden. Though they require some seasonal care, these tasks are simple and keep trees healthy and productive. With a little effort, your fruit trees will reward you with abundant harvests for years to come.

1. Planning & Choosing a Location

  • Find the Right Spot: Fruit trees need full sun (at least 6 hours daily), good air circulation, and well-drained soil. Plan for the tree’s full growth, even if pruning will control its size.
  • Consider Pollination Needs: Many fruit trees need a compatible pollinator nearby (within 100 feet). Check plant tags for pairing details, or consider planting two trees for better pollination.
  • Ideal Planting Time: Late winter to early spring is perfect, though summer planting is possible with vigilant watering.

2. Planting Guidelines

  1. Dig a Spacious Hole: Make the hole 1.5 to 2 times the root ball size, adding well-rotted compost, bark mulch (fir or hemlock), and bone meal to enrich the soil.
  2. Backfill and Stake: Position the tree, backfill with soil, and stake if it’s a dwarf tree. Avoid staking large trees to allow natural strength.
  3. Water and Mulch: Water thoroughly, apply a root starter, and cover with a 3” layer of mulch to protect roots and retain moisture.

3. Seasonal Care & Feeding

  • Spring: Loosen soil gently, add compost, and apply 10-15-19 fertilizer to promote root and fruit development.
  • Summer: Deep-water weekly, especially as fruit ripens. Use a soaker hose around the drip line. Remove any suckers (unwanted shoots).
  • Fall: Rake and compost fallen leaves and fruit to prevent disease. Apply the first dormant spray once leaves drop.
  • Winter: Apply dormant spray two more times (December and January) and prune on dry, mild days for tree health and fruit quality.

Tip: If you miss winter spraying, use a Growing Season Ratio in early spring (see package instructions) and spray at key stages: blossom pink, petal fall, and 3-5 weeks post-petal fall.

4. Choosing Your Fruit Tree Types

  • Espalier Trees: Train branches to grow flat, perfect for decorative walls and small spaces.
  • Fruit Cocktail Trees: Grafted to produce multiple fruits on one tree—ideal for variety in small spaces.
  • Grafted Trees: Created by joining separate parts to improve hardiness, size, and fruiting time.
  • Standard vs. Dwarf Trees: Standard trees grow larger and take longer to bear fruit (7-10 years), while dwarf varieties are smaller, fruit earlier, and fit better in home gardens.

5. Popular Varieties & Their Needs

  • Apples: Usually grown on dwarf or semi-dwarf stock, requiring a pollinator. Crabapples are a great pollinator and add aesthetic value. Varieties ripen from September to October.
  • Apricots: Best with lots of sun; some varieties are self-fertile. Ripen in late July-August.
  • Cherries: Varieties range from 10-25’ in height. Sour cherries are self-fertile, but most sweet varieties need a pollinator. Ripen in August.
  • Peaches & Nectarines: Both prefer a warm, sunny spot, with peaches often helping pollinate nectarines. Dwarf varieties are available. Ripen in August-September.
  • Pears: Generally need a pollinator and offer a slightly shorter storage life. Asian varieties are partially self-fertile. Ripen in late summer.
  • Plums: Available in European (better for cooler climates) and Japanese (ideal for fresh eating) varieties. Require good air circulation.

Tip: Fruit drop can happen due to abrupt weather shifts or a boron deficiency. Apply a boron solution (15 mL per 4 liters) to help stabilize fruiting.

6. Essential Maintenance for a Productive Tree

Dormant Spraying: Three applications from November to February protect against insects, algae, and disease. Use a mix of horticultural oil and lime sulfur for best results.

Pruning: Prune in winter to remove deadwood and diseased branches. Summer pruning helps control size and encourages flowering.

With a little seasonal care, your fruit trees will be a source of joy, beauty, and delicious fruit for years. For specific pruning or care techniques, refer to our pruning guides or attend one of our in-store seminars!