Growing your own fruit can be a very enjoyable and rewarding experience. Just imagine being able to step out to your garden and pick a scrumptious peach or a big juicy apple! Just like home-grown vegetables, home-grown fruit are more delicious and are better for you than commercial produce. Tree-ripened fruits are full of natural vitamins, and they are juicy and rich in flavor. Fruit trees can also be attractive and useful in establishing your landscape.
Climate
Before you plant your fruit trees, there are several factors to consider. The climate in which you live has a great deal to do in determining which types of trees you can plant.
Fruit trees need a chilling period of about 45 days for them to bloom and bear fruit. However, extreme cold for long periods of time will kill or damage the tender buds. The hardiest fruit is the apple, followed by the plum, sour cherry, sweet cherry, and apricot. The least hardy fruit is the peach. In choosing which trees to plant, you will be more successful if you choose the ones that are adapted to your particular area. That may not necessarily by what you find in the grocery store. You need to choose a fruit that is appealing to you in appearance and taste, as well as adaptability. You also need to decide whether you want early bearing trees, mid-season bearing, or late season bearing. Are your favorite varieties self-pollinating, or do you need to plant more than one variety? Are they subject to pests and diseases?
Know your tree's needs
Fruit trees have specific needs-an appropriate site, suitable soil, sufficient sunlight, and proper irrigation. The trees should be set in well-drained soil with a ph in the range of 6.0 to 6.5. If the soil is waterlogged, you should wait until it drains. The soil should not come up in sticky clumps that stick to your shovel. Most trees can be grown in any number of mineral soils as long as irrigation matches the rate of percolation.
To assist in moisture conservation, you should use a good layer of mulch around the base of the tree extended out to the drip line. To determine the drip line, tie a string around the trunk of the tree and extend it to the tips of the limbs. Draw a circle around the tree. As the mulch decomposes, it will improve the soil, and you will see an increase in yields and a decrease in insects and diseases. Make sure that you increase the amount of mulch each year as the tree grows. The best time to mulch is late fall after the trees have lost their leaves. Then by the time the trees bear fruit, the soil will be greatly improved.
Another factor to consider is location. You need to select a site that has plenty of direct sunshine. Also, you must allow enough space for the trees to grow. Don't plant them too close to the house or under power lines. Just try to imagine what the trees will look like when they are full grown and space them accordingly.
Normally, you will not plant trees from seeds, but choose healthy nursery-grown stock 1 to 2 years old and about 4 feet tall. You may choose a bare root or a burlap ball. Either will grow just as well.
In addition to direct sunlight, choose a site that is well-drained with a minimum of 18 inches of soil above the ledge or hardpan. You should cut through the surface soil about a foot wider than the diameter of the root ball. Pull the top soil away, and then dig a hole big enough to allow the tree to be planted with the graft union two or three inches above the ground. This planting depth is important to prevent dwarf or semi-dwarf fruit trees from growing into standard-size trees. Before planting the tree, you should trim off any broken or damaged roots. Then place the tree in the planting hole, make sure the depth is correct, and then fill the hole with clean topsoil and water. Never put fertilizer in the hole. If you need to improve the soil, you can mix a ratio of 50/50 peat moss or organic compost to the soil. It is a good idea to stake the tree to keep it straight, especially if you live in a windy area.
In about two weeks you can feed your trees with a nitrogen fertilizer. Add one ounce of nitrogen to a 12 inch circle around the base of the tree and water well. Watering the new trees is very important in the first few weeks. Apply 5 gallons every week during the growing season when there is less than 1 inch of rainfall.
