There are only a few instances in the ancient historical record concerning cherry trees. This absence in the record perhaps resulted in the fragile nature and perishability of the fruit, unlike the fruit from the apple tree. There are strong suggestions that the cherry tree originated in the territories of Asia Minor near the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. Other suggestions that the cherry trees were used in the Greek and Roman cultures come from literary historians, and it appears that cherry wood from the trees of cherry was important in many professional applications for the ancients.
Among the fruit seeds that were sent in 1628 to the settlement at Plymouth, Massachusetts, by the Massachusetts bay Colony were cherry, peach , plum, filbert, apple, quince, and pomegranate and "according to accounts, they sprung up and flourished."
William Bartram found bird cherry, Prunus padus, growing near Augusta, Georgia in 1773 as reported in his book, Travels, when he was taking an inventory of plants growing in the South after the Spaniards abandoned and ceded the land to the English.
Luther Burbank, two centuries later, believed that the bird cherry should be incorporated into the parentage of future cherry hybrids, because it was the most cold hardy cherry known; with its heavy bearing characteristics and its immunity to most insect and disease problems of the cherry trees already in commercial pipelines, it was the hardiest cherry tree yet.
In 1847, Henderson Lewelling brought to Oregon in a covered wagon "cherry trees, apples, pear, plum, and quince."
Luther Burbank, in his extensive book, Fruit Improvement in 1922, combined characteristics from the Sand cherry tree, Prunus besseyi, with the American plum, Prunus chickasaw, and the Japanese plum, Prunus triflora, that ripened in California around mid-August. Burbank described the fruit as deep crimson in color, transparent flesh, rich sweet flavor, juicy and firm with a strong resemblance of the parental form of the American plum, Prunus chickasaw. This cherry-plum hybrid was able to withstand the cold and rigorous climatic conditions, even to the Dakotas.
Professor N.E. Hansen of the South Dakota Experiment Station developed and improved the Sand cherry, Prunus besseyi, that was marketed as the "Improved Dwarf Rocky Mountain Cherry," with fruit growing as large as the Richmond cherry. Luther Burbank argued in his 1922 book, Fruit Improvement page 149, that this Sand cherry tree was more truly a plum tree.
Cherries are usually marketed with the stem still attached to the fruit. When canned or preserved, the stems are customarily removed from the cherry. Hybridizers such as Luther Burbank concentrated on improving several characteristics that were important in marketing the fruit: the size, color, flavor, and sweetness. Burbank produced one cultivar so rich in sugar and it hung on the tree, instead of the rapid decay, after ripening on the tree as experienced with most cherry cultivars.
Cold hardiness was considered to be very important in cherry tree hybridization and Burbank used the bird cherry, Prunus pennsylvanica, that had withstood temperatures of negative 60 degrees Fahrenheit near Hudson Bay as one parent of the cherry hybrid, since it was considered to be the most cold hardy of all cherry trees. In considering the many disease and insect problems that cherries experienced, Burbank suggested that hybridizers concentrate on breeding immunity genes into cherries to bypass "spraying and gassing." Burbank is greatly admired for his strong environmental stand by modern day conservationists.
The common wild black cherry, Prunus serotina, is found growing in most of Eastern North America. The small cherries are grown in great abundance and are reliably produced in large crops, even in the coldest regions of the United States. There are efforts to hybridize the desirable genes of this cherry into existing clones of commercial cherry cultivars. The problem with this native cherry tree is that all parts of the tree and fruit contain the deadly toxin cyanogens, which have caused death and illness to children from cyanide poisoning in the fruit, even though birds don't appear to be affected from eating the fruit.
Cherry trees in orchard situations grow 10 to 15 feet tall to manage the fruit harvesting properly, even though the can grow to 30 feet if not pruned. Cherry trees are very cold hardy down to negative 20 degrees Fahrenheit, and require approximately one thousand or more chill hours for an abundant fruit set. Pollination is not a great problem with cherry tree production. Rootstock selection for cherry trees is "Mazzard," Prunus mahaleb, or "Gisela" or the recent Geissen, German rootstocks.
The principal cherry commercial fruits grown in the United States are the sour cherries, Prunus cerasus L., that make up 99% of all production. These cherries are important in baking cherry pies and cherry tarts, as well as in frozen fruit packs or in canning.
The most famous sour cherry is the "Maraschino" cherry that is used in cherry pies, cakes, juices, jams, jellies, mixed drinks, ice cream, and a host of other ways. This cherry is bright red in color and commonly seen on grocery store shelves in clear glass jars and bottles.
Sweet cherry cultivars, Prunus avium L., are increasingly in demand and sold at U.S. markets. Bing cherries are well known as a fresh fruit item. This cherry is dark purple-red and is firm and has excellent shipping qualities. Other important sweet cherries are 'Napoleon' and 'Ranier,' a USDA release that is bright red with yellow undertones in the background. The Lambert cherry is good to use in canning as is the Stella. The Black Tartarian cherry is a sweet cherry commonly available from mailorder and internet catalogs.
Cherries are rated high in antioxidant levels that offer great health benefits such as treating Gout. Many internet sites promote fresh cherry consumption as being the miracle cure and fast recovery from attacks of Gout. Some internet sites offer concentrated cherry extracts and powders of dried cherries as a cure. Cherries offer other health benefits in their high content of Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin C, Niacin, and the minerals Calcium, Phosphorus, Iron, and Potassium.
Japanese flowering cherry trees are the most widely adapted and popular flowering tree growing in the United States today. The multi-colored flowers of Yoshino cherry, Prunux x yodoensis, and Kwanzan cherry are seen early in the season, and the buds open into clusters of abundant, long lasting flowers that dominate the landscape of our nation's capitol , Washington, D.C. Japanese flowering cherry trees Prunus serrulata 'Kwanzan' were planted in Washington D.C. as a gift of the Japanese people to American citizens, largely through the efforts of President Taft's wife, the first lady. Thousands of these Japanese cherry trees were planted, and many tourists flock to the Capitol in the spring to experience that flowering extravaganza. Cherry blossom festivals, celebrations, and get-togethers are held yearly in cities throughout the country, when cherry trees are in flower to crown "Cherry Queens" and to schedule beauty pageants.
The most popular Japanese flowering cherry trees are Prunus serrulata 'Kwanzan'; Akebono Cherry, Prunus x yedoensis 'Akebono'; Weeping Japenese Cherry, Prunus subhirtella var. pendula; Takesimensis cherry, Prunus takesimensis; Usuzeumi Cherry, Prunus spachiana f. ascendens; Autumn Flowering Cherry, Prunus subhirtella var. autumnalis; Sargent Cherry, Prunus sargentii; Fugenzo Cherry, Prunus serrulata 'Fugenzo' and Okame Cherry, Prunus 'Okame'.
Copyright 2006 Patrick Malcolm
Learn more about various trees by visiting the author's website: http://www.tytyga.com
Article Source: http://www.EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patrick_Malcolm
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
Growing Apples for Great Wine
There are countless varieties of apples in general cultivation in this country and all have their likes and dislikes - yet all the all-round varieties seem to do well almost anywhere.
Like all fruits they like to be treated well and will reward those who remember this. I am concerned with growing apples and other fruits such as plums for wine-making; therefore there seems little point in covering the growing of these fruits in the espalier fashion or as cordons. Apart from the fact that the average home-grower will not want this type of tree, he will want as much fruit as he can get from as little space as he can allow. No one will dispute the quality of fruits grown as cordons, but they are expensive to start with and cannot hope to compete with the bush tree when a lot of fruit is the aim of the grower.
The bush tree is the most suitable for the small garden where the owner wants as much fruit as he can get from a small space and for a minimum of labor.
Deep digging is essential, for it must be remembered that trees, once planted, will remain perhaps the lifetime of the owner.
The roots of apples go a great deal deeper than is generally imagined and provided the right variety for the type of soil is planted, the trees will settle down and fruit well. Unless your garden is in what we call a frost hole - a natural depression in the lie of the land that catches the spring frosts harder than elsewhere and then catches the first rays of the morning sun - you can grow apples without fear of the frosts depriving you of your crops.
Bush apples are usually planted ten to twelve feet apart and are put in before Christmas. Early February is the latest that I would leave this job.
Prepare the soil well in advance and allow it to settle before planting. Six months in advance is not too early to get the first digging done if the soil has never before been broken.
When planting, take out holes a good bit larger than are required to accommodate all the roots without cramping. The depth of the hole will depend on the depth the young tree had been planted before it was delivered to you and this will be clearly marked on the young trunk.
Any roots damaged in transit should be cut off cleanly with a sharp knife.
It is best to drive a stake firmly into the middle of the hole and to tie the tree to this while planting. Spread out the roots, shovel sifted soil over them and firm each layer by treading. Rattle the tree occasionally so that the soil is shaken down between the roots. Plant firmly; insecure planting is the most frequent cause of deaths among young trees. When firmly planted, untie the tree from the stake and bind the trunk with felt or some other material and bind this part to the stake. This will prevent chafing of the bark.
For general purposes it is best not to prune a young tree during the first season after planting, but pruning thereafter is of the greatest importance. Not only does it keep the tree in shape but it prevents overcrowding and ensures regular and heavy fruiting.
In the case of bush apples, each leading shoot - that is the growing tip of each main branch - is cut back by about six inches. The young growths growing off this main branch are laterals; these must not be allowed to become branches otherwise the tree will become overcrowded. These laterals are pruned back to leave four or five buds.
The following precautions should be taken against pests and diseases. Spray during winter with a tar-distillate wash. Spray with a nicotine wash in spring, when the buds begin to open and again a week after the petals have fallen. Fix grease bands to the trunks.
Brian Cook is a freelance writer whose articles on home wine making have appeared in print and on many websites. You can find more of these at: Homemade Wine
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brian_Cook
Like all fruits they like to be treated well and will reward those who remember this. I am concerned with growing apples and other fruits such as plums for wine-making; therefore there seems little point in covering the growing of these fruits in the espalier fashion or as cordons. Apart from the fact that the average home-grower will not want this type of tree, he will want as much fruit as he can get from as little space as he can allow. No one will dispute the quality of fruits grown as cordons, but they are expensive to start with and cannot hope to compete with the bush tree when a lot of fruit is the aim of the grower.
The bush tree is the most suitable for the small garden where the owner wants as much fruit as he can get from a small space and for a minimum of labor.
Deep digging is essential, for it must be remembered that trees, once planted, will remain perhaps the lifetime of the owner.
The roots of apples go a great deal deeper than is generally imagined and provided the right variety for the type of soil is planted, the trees will settle down and fruit well. Unless your garden is in what we call a frost hole - a natural depression in the lie of the land that catches the spring frosts harder than elsewhere and then catches the first rays of the morning sun - you can grow apples without fear of the frosts depriving you of your crops.
Bush apples are usually planted ten to twelve feet apart and are put in before Christmas. Early February is the latest that I would leave this job.
Prepare the soil well in advance and allow it to settle before planting. Six months in advance is not too early to get the first digging done if the soil has never before been broken.
When planting, take out holes a good bit larger than are required to accommodate all the roots without cramping. The depth of the hole will depend on the depth the young tree had been planted before it was delivered to you and this will be clearly marked on the young trunk.
Any roots damaged in transit should be cut off cleanly with a sharp knife.
It is best to drive a stake firmly into the middle of the hole and to tie the tree to this while planting. Spread out the roots, shovel sifted soil over them and firm each layer by treading. Rattle the tree occasionally so that the soil is shaken down between the roots. Plant firmly; insecure planting is the most frequent cause of deaths among young trees. When firmly planted, untie the tree from the stake and bind the trunk with felt or some other material and bind this part to the stake. This will prevent chafing of the bark.
For general purposes it is best not to prune a young tree during the first season after planting, but pruning thereafter is of the greatest importance. Not only does it keep the tree in shape but it prevents overcrowding and ensures regular and heavy fruiting.
In the case of bush apples, each leading shoot - that is the growing tip of each main branch - is cut back by about six inches. The young growths growing off this main branch are laterals; these must not be allowed to become branches otherwise the tree will become overcrowded. These laterals are pruned back to leave four or five buds.
The following precautions should be taken against pests and diseases. Spray during winter with a tar-distillate wash. Spray with a nicotine wash in spring, when the buds begin to open and again a week after the petals have fallen. Fix grease bands to the trunks.
Brian Cook is a freelance writer whose articles on home wine making have appeared in print and on many websites. You can find more of these at: Homemade Wine
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brian_Cook
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Organic Gardening - Growing Your Own Backyard Orchard
If you are looking for a new edition that can be exciting and rewarding to your backyard garden, planting a small orchard can be the answer. It can be a great way to improve the appearance of your landscape while producing a fresh crop of fruit for you and your family and friends to enjoy.
Cultivating these sweet and tasty treats in your own orchard isn't that hard to do. Fruit trees, like apples, peaches or pears and other berries like strawberries or blueberries are great choices for a home orchard and can be grown by organic methods that are healthy for you and the environment.
It all starts out with choosing the type of fruit you want to grow. These choices can be for different reasons, it can be either because it is a fruit you enjoy to eat or for landscape reasons. Whatever your choice growing condition in your yard need some thought before you run out and buy your plants. Things like how much room you have, or how big the plant will grow. The type of fruit that will grow best in your particular environment or climate condition and how advanced you are personally with your gardening skills.These are all things that need some thought before you start, it can mean the success or failure of the crop you want to grow.
Success or failure of plants of any type can depend largely on the condition of the plant when purchased, always deal with a reputable source. The health of the plant is very important. When choosing tress, look for signs of healthy, strong limbs with healthy looking buds. When choosing plants that are in containers or bare root, look for a well developed root system. Trees especially when sold in containers, check to see that they were taken care of by looking at the root system to see that they have adequate space and not root bound, stress on many plants from it's early stages of growth can harm the plant.
Once you have decided on what you are going to grow and purchase your plants, the next step is to plant them in there new location, your yard.Proper planting is very important, choose a location that has the required sun light and that the soil condition is best for that plant, soil can be amended by organic methods to fit the plants specific needs.
Another important decision is picking a location that has the proper shelter for the plant. Even though a fruit mature fruit tree can withstand a period of strong winds, it is best to choose a location that can give it some shelter, and not an area that is known to have a constant strong wind pattern.
Now that your location has been chosen, it is time to prepare the hole. It should be at least three time bigger that the plants existing root ball and mix the existing soil from the hole with some well composted organic matter to improve it's soil structure. Once you have the plant in place and back-fill, if a tree it needs to be tied off to a stake for additional support while it's root system has time to get established and kept watered.
Now that you have your fruit trees planted, it is time care for the plant.Watching for signs pest problems and make sure that the plant has an adequate supply of water.
A environment friendly and healthy way of gardening. Organic Gardening is away of gardening in harmony with nature. Growing a healthy and productive crop in a way that is healthier for both you and the environment.
John Yazo
http://www.organicheirloomgardening.com
Article Source: http://www.EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Yazo
Cultivating these sweet and tasty treats in your own orchard isn't that hard to do. Fruit trees, like apples, peaches or pears and other berries like strawberries or blueberries are great choices for a home orchard and can be grown by organic methods that are healthy for you and the environment.
It all starts out with choosing the type of fruit you want to grow. These choices can be for different reasons, it can be either because it is a fruit you enjoy to eat or for landscape reasons. Whatever your choice growing condition in your yard need some thought before you run out and buy your plants. Things like how much room you have, or how big the plant will grow. The type of fruit that will grow best in your particular environment or climate condition and how advanced you are personally with your gardening skills.These are all things that need some thought before you start, it can mean the success or failure of the crop you want to grow.
Success or failure of plants of any type can depend largely on the condition of the plant when purchased, always deal with a reputable source. The health of the plant is very important. When choosing tress, look for signs of healthy, strong limbs with healthy looking buds. When choosing plants that are in containers or bare root, look for a well developed root system. Trees especially when sold in containers, check to see that they were taken care of by looking at the root system to see that they have adequate space and not root bound, stress on many plants from it's early stages of growth can harm the plant.
Once you have decided on what you are going to grow and purchase your plants, the next step is to plant them in there new location, your yard.Proper planting is very important, choose a location that has the required sun light and that the soil condition is best for that plant, soil can be amended by organic methods to fit the plants specific needs.
Another important decision is picking a location that has the proper shelter for the plant. Even though a fruit mature fruit tree can withstand a period of strong winds, it is best to choose a location that can give it some shelter, and not an area that is known to have a constant strong wind pattern.
Now that your location has been chosen, it is time to prepare the hole. It should be at least three time bigger that the plants existing root ball and mix the existing soil from the hole with some well composted organic matter to improve it's soil structure. Once you have the plant in place and back-fill, if a tree it needs to be tied off to a stake for additional support while it's root system has time to get established and kept watered.
Now that you have your fruit trees planted, it is time care for the plant.Watching for signs pest problems and make sure that the plant has an adequate supply of water.
A environment friendly and healthy way of gardening. Organic Gardening is away of gardening in harmony with nature. Growing a healthy and productive crop in a way that is healthier for both you and the environment.
John Yazo
http://www.organicheirloomgardening.com
Article Source: http://www.EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Yazo
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Varieties of Apple Trees to Grow at Home
There are three sizes of apple trees to choose from. These are the dwarf tree, the semi-dwarf, and the standard. The dwarf apple tree grows to about 5 to 8 feet tall, the semi-dwarf grows to 12 to 16 feet and the standard 20 to 30 feet. The dwarf varieties will not produce as much fruit as the semi or standard trees, however the wait for apples to develop are faster with a dwarf tree.
When considering what kind of apple trees to plant in your yard, you will also want to take into account the kind of taste you're looking for in the apples. The most common apple trees for home growing are honey crisp, granny smith, macoun, liberty, and red delicious. If you desire an apple that has a sweet taste then you'll want to go with the honey crisp. If you're looking for a tart tasting apple, the granny smith is the best choice. For a real crisp and firm apple, macouns are the best choice and for pie making you will want to go with the liberty or red delicious apples.
Apple trees are susceptible to 4 different diseases. These consist of conditions called fire blight, apple scab, apple rust, and powdery mildew disease. There are several kinds of trees that are less likely to contract these diseases. These are the enterprise, liberty, redfree, and freedom apple trees.
Now, on to how to best plant an apple tree. You'll want to pick a place in your yard that gets plenty of sunlight and preferably with early morning sun since this will help to reduce the chances of the tree getting the powdery mildew disease. Make sure the place you have chosen has good air circulation. The best time to plant apple trees if you live in the North is in early spring. If you reside in the South the best time to plant is in the fall.
Be sure to remove the weeds and grass from the spot you have picked in order to form a bare circle about 4" in diameter. Be sure to keep the trees roots moist during the time its waiting to be transplanted. Soak the roots in water 30 minutes prior to planting. When purchasing an apple tree its best to buy a bare root stock tree that is not any older than one year.
Begin digging a hole approximately twice the diameter of the root. Spread out the roots in the hole and make sure the bud union is raised about 2" above ground level. The bud union is where the scion meets the rootstock.
You don't want the bud union too low of a level. The reason for this is it could cause crown rot.
Apply water as you fill the hole back in with soil so any air pockets can be removed. At this time, add any soil amendments if needed. Water again after the transplant is complete. To help retain some of the moisture, apply mulch around the plant about 2"-3" deep.
Patton has a garden of his own that includes a dwarf apple tree. Gardening is a great way to relax while having the satisfaction of producing your own crops.
Article Source: http://www.EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patton_Andres
When considering what kind of apple trees to plant in your yard, you will also want to take into account the kind of taste you're looking for in the apples. The most common apple trees for home growing are honey crisp, granny smith, macoun, liberty, and red delicious. If you desire an apple that has a sweet taste then you'll want to go with the honey crisp. If you're looking for a tart tasting apple, the granny smith is the best choice. For a real crisp and firm apple, macouns are the best choice and for pie making you will want to go with the liberty or red delicious apples.
Apple trees are susceptible to 4 different diseases. These consist of conditions called fire blight, apple scab, apple rust, and powdery mildew disease. There are several kinds of trees that are less likely to contract these diseases. These are the enterprise, liberty, redfree, and freedom apple trees.
Now, on to how to best plant an apple tree. You'll want to pick a place in your yard that gets plenty of sunlight and preferably with early morning sun since this will help to reduce the chances of the tree getting the powdery mildew disease. Make sure the place you have chosen has good air circulation. The best time to plant apple trees if you live in the North is in early spring. If you reside in the South the best time to plant is in the fall.
Be sure to remove the weeds and grass from the spot you have picked in order to form a bare circle about 4" in diameter. Be sure to keep the trees roots moist during the time its waiting to be transplanted. Soak the roots in water 30 minutes prior to planting. When purchasing an apple tree its best to buy a bare root stock tree that is not any older than one year.
Begin digging a hole approximately twice the diameter of the root. Spread out the roots in the hole and make sure the bud union is raised about 2" above ground level. The bud union is where the scion meets the rootstock.
You don't want the bud union too low of a level. The reason for this is it could cause crown rot.
Apply water as you fill the hole back in with soil so any air pockets can be removed. At this time, add any soil amendments if needed. Water again after the transplant is complete. To help retain some of the moisture, apply mulch around the plant about 2"-3" deep.
Patton has a garden of his own that includes a dwarf apple tree. Gardening is a great way to relax while having the satisfaction of producing your own crops.
Article Source: http://www.EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patton_Andres
Monday, June 28, 2010
Caring Properly for your Fruit Tree
If you have just recently planted a new fruit tree, I think it is safe to assume you are not yet an expert on the subject. More fruit trees die in their beginning years due to poor care habits than any disease or pestilence. Therefore it is vital that you understand how to care for trees in a way that will ensure their immediate success as well as future good health.
During the first stages of the tree’s life, the roots, trunk, and branches have not yet fully developed to a self supporting strength. Therefore if your tree is growing fruits, occasionally the combined weight is enough to snap off an entire branch. If this is the case, you should provide external support for your branches – prop them up with boards, or tie them to something at a higher altitude. As long as you can provide your tree the support it needs in these early years, it should grow to be independent in no time at all.
Proper nutrition is not only necessary for the production of healthy fruits, but is also necessary for the tree to survive longer than one season. The exact specifications vary with the area, climate, and type of tree, but I’ve found that there is no better source than a nursery employee. Maybe they’re just eager to sell you the right type of fertilizer, but in my experience they are almost never wrong. Just inform them about the conditions your tree is living in and how healthy it is looking, and they should be able to help you find something to improve the state of your tree.
Lots of people think that the only way to ensure a tree’s healthiness is to provide it insane amounts of water. This is not the case at all. As a matter of fact, giving too much water to a tree can be more harmful than making it go thirsty. At the best it will have a negative effect on the taste of the fruit. But at worst, your entire tree could die and prevent you from ever growing fruit in the future. So do not ever try to solve your problems by giving it lots of water! Solve your tree’s health problems at the root, so to speak. Go to where the problem originates from, and fix that.
If it is too late and you’re already starting to see unhealthy branches that look either diseased or damaged, you should always remove them. If the tree is wasting nutrients by sending them out to the branch that cannot be saved, it is practically throwing away all the nutrients that it could use on the other, healthier branches. As soon as you start to see a branch that is deteriorating or becoming unhealthy, chop it off right away. At the very least, trim down the unhealthy part but leave all the segments that still look like they could continue growing.
Once your tree has started to enter the picking stage, never leave any of the fruit on the ground that is bound to fall. Also, be careful to get every piece off of the tree. Even if it is an ugly looking fruit that you don’t want to keep, you should still pick it and throw it away. Once these fruits begin to rot, they provide a perfect home for unwanted insects or diseases that can transfer to the tree itself. So always remember to rake up these fallen fruits, and prevent yourself a lot of future grief.
Getting a fruit tree and caring for it throughout its life can be a daunting task. It may even seem impossible sometimes to keep track of all the factors that make a tree healthy. But if you just pay attention to the nutrients that your tree needs, you should be on a good path. In addition to nutrients, figure out the precise amount of watering that you should be doing to keep your tree’s thirst quenched without drowning it. Just do all these things, and you will have a great tree that produces delicious fruits.
Your Garden Homestead on Inches, Yards, or Acres
Weston Fruit and Wine Press
Omega J8005 Multi-Purpose Juicer Food Process Chrome +Juice Jar
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Fruit Trees For a Small Garden
November and the months until March are the perfect time to plant fruit trees. Now that the leaves are off the trees, and the ground is not too cold, roots can establish themselves without any burden of feeding the tree. And in northern latitudes fruit trees are all deciduous, they lose their leaves in the winter.
Why plant fruit trees? Apart from the fact that many are very beautiful they are also extremely useful and help us to make our personal contribution to reducing climate change. Fruit, or for that matter vegetables, grown on our own piece of land reduce CO2 emissions. Avoiding delivery from far flung orchards or distant countries means no use of oil and no greenhouse gases.
In my own small garden the fruit tree of most importance is my Bramley apple. This is large enough to sit under in the summer, provide wonderful blossom in spring and a large and reliable crop of cooking apples each autumn. All winter I can watch birds moving onto it and through it to find a seemingly inexhaustible supply of food. What more could anyone ask from a single tree?
The range of fruit trees suitable for a garden is enormous. Most types of fruit, be they apples, pears, cherries, plums, damsons or gages have been grafted onto rootstocks to control their heights. This is a process where the top of the tree, above the graft, is the variety you want for its fruit but the bottom, below the graft, has been chosen for its vigour. The same variety, a Bramley apple for instance, may be available on very dwarf, dwarf, semi dwarf, semi vigorous or vigorous rootstock allowing you to choose the one which suits your garden best. In addition there are trees trained in the nursery to give different shapes such as cordons, espaliers, fans, stepovers and ballerinas. Cordons, fans and espaliers are trained flat to give small trees useful as a hedge or trained on a wall. Stepovers are so low that you can literally edge a garden bed with them and ballerinas give tall thin trees. Whichever form you choose is likely to be available in a huge range of apples. The other fruit, pears etc., are also likely to be available in a considerable number of varieties. So how would you choose the type of fruit to suit you?
This of course is a very personal matter. To consider only apples, there are lots of factors, starting with taste. This is entirely a personal matter but such issues as time of fruiting, ease of growing (some varieties are far more fussy and may need lots of spraying to produce decent crops - anathema to the organic gardener), whether dessert or cooking or both, ease of storage and pollination group should be considered. Get these wrong and you may have plenty of years to regret your mistake.
The best place to start is with a gardening book and one or more catalogues. There are many reliable nurseries with free catalogues of fruit trees which have been developed from ancient times to the present. But before you start looking at them you would be well advised to think about which varieties taste best. Then the finished size of the tree and lastly the pollination group. Some trees are self pollinating but most will need another tree flowering at the same time if they are to produce fruit. Some indeed, such as my Bramley, need two other pollinators flowering at the same time and these would usually have to be within around 100metres of my tree for the bees to travel between them. In towns or near orchards this is rarely a problem but with more remote gardens you may have to plant more than one tree to get decent amounts of fruit. Again a good book and a decent catalogue will help you out here.
After you have planted your tree don't expect a crop for the first year. If it produces a small one you should probably remove it as soon as you see the fruit set and leave the tree to gather its strength during that first crucial year. Water it well in dry spells during the first couple of summers and get ready to wrestle with the joys of pruning. It is quite possible to get crops without pruning but better crops produced more frequently, ie yearly instead of every two years, are more likely if you learn the beginnings of the art.I would always recommend referring to the Royal Horticultural Society, http://www.rhs.org.uk, for books and information on the subject.
Fruit tree catalogues in the UK can be obtained from http://www.frankmatthews.com or http://www.kenmuir.co.uk. Googling will produce very many more fruit nursery addresses.
The Author, John Ingham, works for Impact Plants providing large trees, hedges and living green screens throughout the UK. He also provides free advice. Impact Plants can be viewed at http:www.impactplants.co.uk
Article Source: http://www.EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Ingham
Why plant fruit trees? Apart from the fact that many are very beautiful they are also extremely useful and help us to make our personal contribution to reducing climate change. Fruit, or for that matter vegetables, grown on our own piece of land reduce CO2 emissions. Avoiding delivery from far flung orchards or distant countries means no use of oil and no greenhouse gases.
In my own small garden the fruit tree of most importance is my Bramley apple. This is large enough to sit under in the summer, provide wonderful blossom in spring and a large and reliable crop of cooking apples each autumn. All winter I can watch birds moving onto it and through it to find a seemingly inexhaustible supply of food. What more could anyone ask from a single tree?
The range of fruit trees suitable for a garden is enormous. Most types of fruit, be they apples, pears, cherries, plums, damsons or gages have been grafted onto rootstocks to control their heights. This is a process where the top of the tree, above the graft, is the variety you want for its fruit but the bottom, below the graft, has been chosen for its vigour. The same variety, a Bramley apple for instance, may be available on very dwarf, dwarf, semi dwarf, semi vigorous or vigorous rootstock allowing you to choose the one which suits your garden best. In addition there are trees trained in the nursery to give different shapes such as cordons, espaliers, fans, stepovers and ballerinas. Cordons, fans and espaliers are trained flat to give small trees useful as a hedge or trained on a wall. Stepovers are so low that you can literally edge a garden bed with them and ballerinas give tall thin trees. Whichever form you choose is likely to be available in a huge range of apples. The other fruit, pears etc., are also likely to be available in a considerable number of varieties. So how would you choose the type of fruit to suit you?
This of course is a very personal matter. To consider only apples, there are lots of factors, starting with taste. This is entirely a personal matter but such issues as time of fruiting, ease of growing (some varieties are far more fussy and may need lots of spraying to produce decent crops - anathema to the organic gardener), whether dessert or cooking or both, ease of storage and pollination group should be considered. Get these wrong and you may have plenty of years to regret your mistake.
The best place to start is with a gardening book and one or more catalogues. There are many reliable nurseries with free catalogues of fruit trees which have been developed from ancient times to the present. But before you start looking at them you would be well advised to think about which varieties taste best. Then the finished size of the tree and lastly the pollination group. Some trees are self pollinating but most will need another tree flowering at the same time if they are to produce fruit. Some indeed, such as my Bramley, need two other pollinators flowering at the same time and these would usually have to be within around 100metres of my tree for the bees to travel between them. In towns or near orchards this is rarely a problem but with more remote gardens you may have to plant more than one tree to get decent amounts of fruit. Again a good book and a decent catalogue will help you out here.
After you have planted your tree don't expect a crop for the first year. If it produces a small one you should probably remove it as soon as you see the fruit set and leave the tree to gather its strength during that first crucial year. Water it well in dry spells during the first couple of summers and get ready to wrestle with the joys of pruning. It is quite possible to get crops without pruning but better crops produced more frequently, ie yearly instead of every two years, are more likely if you learn the beginnings of the art.I would always recommend referring to the Royal Horticultural Society, http://www.rhs.org.uk, for books and information on the subject.
Fruit tree catalogues in the UK can be obtained from http://www.frankmatthews.com or http://www.kenmuir.co.uk. Googling will produce very many more fruit nursery addresses.
The Author, John Ingham, works for Impact Plants providing large trees, hedges and living green screens throughout the UK. He also provides free advice. Impact Plants can be viewed at http:www.impactplants.co.uk
Article Source: http://www.EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Ingham
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Selling at your fruit at a Farmer's Markets
Selling at Farmer's Markets
Usually the main motivation for planting a fruit tree is just the joy of maintaining a tree and eating the delicious fruit that comes from it. However, in my personal experience it is possible to go on a quite lucrative venture with fruit trees by operating a fruit stand or participating in a farmer’s market.
When I moved to Florida, I was slightly depressed at the fact that I had just left behind years and years of hard work to get my lawn to the point it was. However, I was able to healthily channel this depression into the desire to get a new and more beautiful garden and lawn setup going. The house I moved into was nice, but the previous owner obviously had no gardening prowess. The lawn was barren of any features besides grass. Lots and lots of grass.
I decided that since I was now in a new climate that I had never experienced before, I would grow some trees that I didn’t have the opportunity to grow before. I decided to do the truly Floridian thing to do, and get a few orange trees. It was a lot easier than I had imagined. I’ve had some rather disastrous experiences with planting trees in the past, and planting the orange trees was no problem at all. I decided to go with Valencia oranges, just because they are the most popular orange to grow and almost everyone is able to grow them successfully.
After I picked out what type of orange I wanted, I decided to get three trees. It took me about 3 days to dig all the necessary holes and install the trees. It was a flawless operation, and I truly felt like an expert. The trees grew healthy and straight, and produced fruit at the time of year they were expected to.
For the three or four years, my orange trees didn’t produce very much fruit. Sure I never ran out of oranges for my own personal usage, and I drank almost nothing but orange juice, but I didn’t have the ludicrous amount that you might expect from 3 trees. I wouldn’t say I was disappointed with my trees. I was happy to be getting any fruit at all. But I had heard of people getting thousands and thousands of oranges from several trees, and I was slightly baffled as to why I wasn’t so fortunate.
About a year after that, my orange trees really took off. I walked outside one day to see about 5 times as many oranges as I had grown in any previous seasons. I thought I was seeing things, but they all stuck around. I harvested so many oranges that year, I hardly even knew what to do with all of them. That was when my neighbor suggested to me that I sell at a farmer’s market. I found out the time that they go on, and rented a spot for my truck (some farmers markets allow you to come and sell for free, but mind charged rent just to park your truck).
Within the first day at the farmer’s market, I had made back all the money I spent on the original trees. My oranges were truly a hit, and I was getting more customers than any of the other participants. After that week, I didn’t miss a day at the farmer’s market. It wasn’t enough money to live off of, but it was a good amount for just selling some oranges. Besides, what else would I have done with them? I certainly couldn’t have eaten them all by myself. So if you have an excess of fruit, you should never throw it away or try to eat it all by yourself. Take it to the farmer’s market and try to get some extra cash for your gardening labor. If your products are delicious, you might just be a hit with the consumers.
Usually the main motivation for planting a fruit tree is just the joy of maintaining a tree and eating the delicious fruit that comes from it. However, in my personal experience it is possible to go on a quite lucrative venture with fruit trees by operating a fruit stand or participating in a farmer’s market.
When I moved to Florida, I was slightly depressed at the fact that I had just left behind years and years of hard work to get my lawn to the point it was. However, I was able to healthily channel this depression into the desire to get a new and more beautiful garden and lawn setup going. The house I moved into was nice, but the previous owner obviously had no gardening prowess. The lawn was barren of any features besides grass. Lots and lots of grass.
I decided that since I was now in a new climate that I had never experienced before, I would grow some trees that I didn’t have the opportunity to grow before. I decided to do the truly Floridian thing to do, and get a few orange trees. It was a lot easier than I had imagined. I’ve had some rather disastrous experiences with planting trees in the past, and planting the orange trees was no problem at all. I decided to go with Valencia oranges, just because they are the most popular orange to grow and almost everyone is able to grow them successfully.
After I picked out what type of orange I wanted, I decided to get three trees. It took me about 3 days to dig all the necessary holes and install the trees. It was a flawless operation, and I truly felt like an expert. The trees grew healthy and straight, and produced fruit at the time of year they were expected to.
For the three or four years, my orange trees didn’t produce very much fruit. Sure I never ran out of oranges for my own personal usage, and I drank almost nothing but orange juice, but I didn’t have the ludicrous amount that you might expect from 3 trees. I wouldn’t say I was disappointed with my trees. I was happy to be getting any fruit at all. But I had heard of people getting thousands and thousands of oranges from several trees, and I was slightly baffled as to why I wasn’t so fortunate.
About a year after that, my orange trees really took off. I walked outside one day to see about 5 times as many oranges as I had grown in any previous seasons. I thought I was seeing things, but they all stuck around. I harvested so many oranges that year, I hardly even knew what to do with all of them. That was when my neighbor suggested to me that I sell at a farmer’s market. I found out the time that they go on, and rented a spot for my truck (some farmers markets allow you to come and sell for free, but mind charged rent just to park your truck).
Within the first day at the farmer’s market, I had made back all the money I spent on the original trees. My oranges were truly a hit, and I was getting more customers than any of the other participants. After that week, I didn’t miss a day at the farmer’s market. It wasn’t enough money to live off of, but it was a good amount for just selling some oranges. Besides, what else would I have done with them? I certainly couldn’t have eaten them all by myself. So if you have an excess of fruit, you should never throw it away or try to eat it all by yourself. Take it to the farmer’s market and try to get some extra cash for your gardening labor. If your products are delicious, you might just be a hit with the consumers.
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