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
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
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.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Fruit Trees For a Small Backyard
Easy Steps to Fruit Tree Pruning (DVD)
"Fruit Tree Care And Production Primer"
Yellow Delicious Apple Tree
It's a great feeling to walk into the garden and be able to pick a basket of tasty fresh fruit that you have grown yourself. No longer are you at the mercy of commercial growers having to have only the varieties that they decide to offer. You can choose the fruit that you want and know that it will be much tastier.
Peaches, apricots, nectarines and plums grown for the supermarkets are often picked so green then cooled and stored for so long that they do not ripen correctly and we are unable to enjoy their true taste. With the present economic climate tightening our purse strings, along with the guidelines on health issues being reported daily on how and what to eat, there is no better time than now to start growing your own delicious healthy fruit. You don't need a huge backyard to cultivate your favorite fruit, as containers can be used very successfully. However, it should be remembered that plums, pears, apples and cherries need another variety close by for pollination so you need to plan for a couple of trees of each variety. There are many dwarf stocks available to suit a small garden; although they will produce fruit of normal size in 3 to 5 years you won't get the same quantity as from a standard sized tree.
Growing fruit trees in containers is a relatively easy exercise, and pruning and harvesting is also much easier. Containers are manufactured from plastic, clay, wood, metal etc; there is sure to be one that will be suitable for you. There are many varieties of fruit which can be grown successfully in containers in a small garden or placed on a balcony. This is very useful for people with small or even no garden.
If you decide to use pots because of limited space issues, remember you need to have a pot about 6 inches bigger than the pot which holds the tree when you buy from the garden centre. Repot one size up every two years. Well drained sandy, fertile soil is generally suitable for dwarf fruit trees; your garden centre will advise on what is most suitable. As with all plants, suitable light conditions apply, so make sure they get the benefit that maximum sunlight will give. Your dwarf tree can even be moved inside in cold spells.
Regular pruning is necessary for proper care of most fruit trees. To maintain the shape of your miniature fruit tree light pruning to remove broken or diseased branches can be done any time of the year. Thinning out early summer time or alternatively in September after you've harvested the fruit is ideal to get the desired shape for your fruit tree and to restrict undesired growth. However, the main removal of branches is much easier to do in winter when they are dormant, as they are much more accessible without their leaves and you can see what you're doing. Just make sure this is completed before growth starts again in spring. During the growing season, fertilize every 4-6 weeks. When watering your dwarf fruit trees, let the surface dry out a little before adding more water.
Yet another way for the small garden owner to grow his own fruit is to use a form of pruning called "Espaliering" which allows you to train the trees branches laterally, or even to the shape of a fan, and so you can grow your fruit against a wall or garden fence. There are many different shapes that the espalier may take. Apples and pears adapt very well to this style of training, however other fruit trees such as plums, cherries, peaches, nectarines, almonds, apricots and fruiting vines can also be espaliered with great success. The overall effects are stunning, the best reward from this type of pruning being when they are in flower. Also the fruit is a picture to behold, and sometimes it's a shame to have to pick the fruit. An advantage of growing espaliers is that it is much easier to pick the fruit and its also easier using netting to protect your delicious fruit. Espaliered trees have the same growing requirements as other fruit and deciduous trees; they need adequate watering in summer and fertile soil conditions are essential to maintaining a healthy tree.
Initially you need to regularly prune and tie in the branches to create the flat shape. When the desired shape and size are reached, this must be maintained with regular pruning; winter is the best time for this job when the tree is dormant. Make sure the lower branches get their fair of sunshine by pruning the excessive growth in early summer.
Colin Price has gained a great deal of knowledge over many years by working in his garden. He has now built a website covering gardening techniques and ways to enjoy your backyard. Find out how you can take advantage of his knowledge and success and create your own beautiful and productive garden at http://www.OutdoorAndGarden.com
Article Source: http://www.EzineArticles.com/?expert=Colin_D_Price
"Fruit Tree Care And Production Primer"
Yellow Delicious Apple Tree
It's a great feeling to walk into the garden and be able to pick a basket of tasty fresh fruit that you have grown yourself. No longer are you at the mercy of commercial growers having to have only the varieties that they decide to offer. You can choose the fruit that you want and know that it will be much tastier.
Peaches, apricots, nectarines and plums grown for the supermarkets are often picked so green then cooled and stored for so long that they do not ripen correctly and we are unable to enjoy their true taste. With the present economic climate tightening our purse strings, along with the guidelines on health issues being reported daily on how and what to eat, there is no better time than now to start growing your own delicious healthy fruit. You don't need a huge backyard to cultivate your favorite fruit, as containers can be used very successfully. However, it should be remembered that plums, pears, apples and cherries need another variety close by for pollination so you need to plan for a couple of trees of each variety. There are many dwarf stocks available to suit a small garden; although they will produce fruit of normal size in 3 to 5 years you won't get the same quantity as from a standard sized tree.
Growing fruit trees in containers is a relatively easy exercise, and pruning and harvesting is also much easier. Containers are manufactured from plastic, clay, wood, metal etc; there is sure to be one that will be suitable for you. There are many varieties of fruit which can be grown successfully in containers in a small garden or placed on a balcony. This is very useful for people with small or even no garden.
If you decide to use pots because of limited space issues, remember you need to have a pot about 6 inches bigger than the pot which holds the tree when you buy from the garden centre. Repot one size up every two years. Well drained sandy, fertile soil is generally suitable for dwarf fruit trees; your garden centre will advise on what is most suitable. As with all plants, suitable light conditions apply, so make sure they get the benefit that maximum sunlight will give. Your dwarf tree can even be moved inside in cold spells.
Regular pruning is necessary for proper care of most fruit trees. To maintain the shape of your miniature fruit tree light pruning to remove broken or diseased branches can be done any time of the year. Thinning out early summer time or alternatively in September after you've harvested the fruit is ideal to get the desired shape for your fruit tree and to restrict undesired growth. However, the main removal of branches is much easier to do in winter when they are dormant, as they are much more accessible without their leaves and you can see what you're doing. Just make sure this is completed before growth starts again in spring. During the growing season, fertilize every 4-6 weeks. When watering your dwarf fruit trees, let the surface dry out a little before adding more water.
Yet another way for the small garden owner to grow his own fruit is to use a form of pruning called "Espaliering" which allows you to train the trees branches laterally, or even to the shape of a fan, and so you can grow your fruit against a wall or garden fence. There are many different shapes that the espalier may take. Apples and pears adapt very well to this style of training, however other fruit trees such as plums, cherries, peaches, nectarines, almonds, apricots and fruiting vines can also be espaliered with great success. The overall effects are stunning, the best reward from this type of pruning being when they are in flower. Also the fruit is a picture to behold, and sometimes it's a shame to have to pick the fruit. An advantage of growing espaliers is that it is much easier to pick the fruit and its also easier using netting to protect your delicious fruit. Espaliered trees have the same growing requirements as other fruit and deciduous trees; they need adequate watering in summer and fertile soil conditions are essential to maintaining a healthy tree.
Initially you need to regularly prune and tie in the branches to create the flat shape. When the desired shape and size are reached, this must be maintained with regular pruning; winter is the best time for this job when the tree is dormant. Make sure the lower branches get their fair of sunshine by pruning the excessive growth in early summer.
Colin Price has gained a great deal of knowledge over many years by working in his garden. He has now built a website covering gardening techniques and ways to enjoy your backyard. Find out how you can take advantage of his knowledge and success and create your own beautiful and productive garden at http://www.OutdoorAndGarden.com
Article Source: http://www.EzineArticles.com/?expert=Colin_D_Price
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Planting and Caring for your New Fruit Tree
"Fruit Tree Care And Production Primer"
When you have decided on which kind of fruit tree you would like, and
where you would like it, you can finally start to plant it. If you buy
your tree from a nursery, be especially careful when you are taking it
from the nursery to your house. I once had a friend who put the tree in
the back of his truck, but clipped a sign on the way home. The entire tree
snapped in half, and my friend was left a very sad man.
When you have gotten your tree safely back to your yard, look at the
bottom of it and see how big the clump of roots is. It may seem like a lot
of work now, but you want to dig a hole that is twice as wide as the
clump, and just a little less deep. Making the hole slightly bigger than
the clump of roots allows there to be room for the soil that you dug out
to be put back in. Otherwise you would be stuck with a giant heap of
unwanted dirt, and nowhere to put it. After you have dug the hole, line
the hole with some compost or fertilizer so that the tree will grow
better. After you have done this you should set your fruit tree into the
hole, and spread the roots out evenly so that the tree will be strong and
stable.
When all of this business is done, take the soil that you dug up and fill
in the hole completely. Unless you want big piles of dirt everywhere, you
should be sure you use all of the dirt even is it is a couple inches
higher than the rest of your yard. This is because it will compress when
watered. Before you firm up the soil, make sure that the tree is
completely vertical and will not fall over. After you have checked that
the tree is perfectly vertical you can gently firm up the soil.
If the tree's trunk is not yet completely sturdy and can be bent, you need
to tie the tree to a stake with a bit of rope. Be sure not to tie the rope
tightly to the tree, as you need to allow room for the trunk to grow. Once
the tree is sturdy enough to withstand all types of weather, you can take
the stakes off of it. When all of this is done you should mulch around the
base of the tree. If you live in an area where wildlife can access your
yard, then you should put a fence around your tree, because some animals
will eat the bark off of young trees.
Once you have successfully planted your fruit tree it will start to bear
fruit after it is three to five years old. Once your tree starts to carry
a lot of fruit you should periodically pick some of the fruit so that the
branches aren't weighed down too much. If the fruit gets too thick, the
branches can break off. On some years your tree might not bear as much
fruit as others, but this should not worry you. Healthy trees often take
years on “vacation” where they produce little or no fruit.
After you've planted your tree you might start to have some problems with
pests. To help keep these pests away, always rake away old leaves, brush,
or any other decaying matter that could be holding bugs that could be
harmful to your tree.
To make sure that your tree always stays healthy in the long run, you
should prune it during winter or spring. Water your tree every two weeks
during dry times, and be sure not to hit your tree with a lawn mower or a
weed eater because it could severely damage the growth process. Also just
make sure that your tree gets plenty of water and plenty of sun, and your
growing experience should be just great.
Planting Fruit Trees: The Amateur's Handbook on the Planting and Care of Fruit Trees (Gardening & Farming Series)
Growing fruit trees;: How to choose, plant and care for fruit trees in the Pacific Northwest (Garden notebook series)
DWARF FRUIT TREES: THEIR CARE AND MANAGEMENT
When you have decided on which kind of fruit tree you would like, and
where you would like it, you can finally start to plant it. If you buy
your tree from a nursery, be especially careful when you are taking it
from the nursery to your house. I once had a friend who put the tree in
the back of his truck, but clipped a sign on the way home. The entire tree
snapped in half, and my friend was left a very sad man.
When you have gotten your tree safely back to your yard, look at the
bottom of it and see how big the clump of roots is. It may seem like a lot
of work now, but you want to dig a hole that is twice as wide as the
clump, and just a little less deep. Making the hole slightly bigger than
the clump of roots allows there to be room for the soil that you dug out
to be put back in. Otherwise you would be stuck with a giant heap of
unwanted dirt, and nowhere to put it. After you have dug the hole, line
the hole with some compost or fertilizer so that the tree will grow
better. After you have done this you should set your fruit tree into the
hole, and spread the roots out evenly so that the tree will be strong and
stable.
When all of this business is done, take the soil that you dug up and fill
in the hole completely. Unless you want big piles of dirt everywhere, you
should be sure you use all of the dirt even is it is a couple inches
higher than the rest of your yard. This is because it will compress when
watered. Before you firm up the soil, make sure that the tree is
completely vertical and will not fall over. After you have checked that
the tree is perfectly vertical you can gently firm up the soil.
If the tree's trunk is not yet completely sturdy and can be bent, you need
to tie the tree to a stake with a bit of rope. Be sure not to tie the rope
tightly to the tree, as you need to allow room for the trunk to grow. Once
the tree is sturdy enough to withstand all types of weather, you can take
the stakes off of it. When all of this is done you should mulch around the
base of the tree. If you live in an area where wildlife can access your
yard, then you should put a fence around your tree, because some animals
will eat the bark off of young trees.
Once you have successfully planted your fruit tree it will start to bear
fruit after it is three to five years old. Once your tree starts to carry
a lot of fruit you should periodically pick some of the fruit so that the
branches aren't weighed down too much. If the fruit gets too thick, the
branches can break off. On some years your tree might not bear as much
fruit as others, but this should not worry you. Healthy trees often take
years on “vacation” where they produce little or no fruit.
After you've planted your tree you might start to have some problems with
pests. To help keep these pests away, always rake away old leaves, brush,
or any other decaying matter that could be holding bugs that could be
harmful to your tree.
To make sure that your tree always stays healthy in the long run, you
should prune it during winter or spring. Water your tree every two weeks
during dry times, and be sure not to hit your tree with a lawn mower or a
weed eater because it could severely damage the growth process. Also just
make sure that your tree gets plenty of water and plenty of sun, and your
growing experience should be just great.
Planting Fruit Trees: The Amateur's Handbook on the Planting and Care of Fruit Trees (Gardening & Farming Series)
Growing fruit trees;: How to choose, plant and care for fruit trees in the Pacific Northwest (Garden notebook series)
DWARF FRUIT TREES: THEIR CARE AND MANAGEMENT
When, Where and How to Grow Fruit Trees
One of the most rewarding aspects of home gardening is to succeed in growing fruit trees right there in your own backyard. It is possible even in the suburbs to create a miniature orchard of your favorite ones, growing fresh, ripe fruit for all to share.
The hard work begins in earnest from the start of winter until the end of winter. This includes, planting new trees, pruning and shaping existing ones, or any moving and transplanting should be done during this time.
Towards the end of winter and close to early spring, as the weather warms and the days extend, most trees are beginning to grow tender, new roots. Any movement such as planting or transplanting can damage these roots. In the least it may lose one year of valuable growth and at worst - well, I think you know.
Choosing the right type of fruit to grow is entirely a personal choice. In Melbourne, Australia you can choose from several varieties of, peaches, apples, cherries, apples, and pears, pomegranates and persimmons, plums, apricots, almonds walnuts, and chestnuts. This is just to name a few, not including berry or grape types which are also suited to Melbourne's temperate climate.
A key thing to remember when buying any fruit producing trees is that some types call for a cross-pollinator. This is important for trees like cherries, some almond types, pears, apples, and plums. Even trees which are self-fertile can benefit from having a different variety of the same fruit as a cross pollinator, but still often manage to produce enough seasonal fruit to keep their owners happy.
Several dwarf varieties of fruit trees are now becoming available, but at a premium price. The process involved in grafting fruit scions onto rootstocks which will keep them miniature is more tedious and costly. However, the benefits of dwarfed fruit trees are fantastic.
- They can easily be grown in pots
- Are readily transportable should you need to change address
- Are much easier to prune and otherwise maintain
- Small backyards can support several fruit tree types
Some fruit trees can prove high maintenance, particularly around the Melbourne area and similar temperate climate locations. While fruit trees such as, plums, prunes, almonds, chestnuts, walnuts, quinces, persimmons, and walnuts grow with very little to no maintenance, other trees do need attention.
Fruit trees such as peaches and nectarines can suffer from curly leaf, a disease which ultimately causes leaf loss. The tree does need to be sprayed just before spring with a curly leaf spray. These and other fruit trees can be affected by fungal disease, white fly, aphids, caterpillars, slugs and snails. There are remedial chemicals available on the market and a plethora of bio-organic and natural, homemade remedies. A check on the net can eventually set you in the right direction.
Other items to consider when planting fruit trees are:
Good Soil with Plenty of Composted Material
If you live on clay soil or otherwise have unsuitable soil, you can easily convert this into a suitable growing medium. Regular incorporation of Gypsum aids clay soils. Nutrient deficient soils can have a trailer load of well rotted manure dug in with the existing soil. Keep hard soil soft and loosened and give fruit trees a good dose of fertiliser just on spring.
A Sunny Position
Without sun fruit can rarely become sweet. Sugar comes from one place - the sun. If you want sweet fruit, the more sun the better.
Regular Water and Fertiliser
Through the growing season, you need to ensure regular watering and sufficient fertiliser. While the tree itself will benefit from manures, manure I not enough. A fruit tree while fruiting, also needs potassium to aid in the production of healthy fruit. Potassium sulphate is readily available in garden centers and can be used on fruit trees.
As for watering, set a regular pattern. Irregular or sporadic watering can cause fruit to split. While the tree is dry, the skin around the fruit calcifies or hardens. When you next water the tree, as it tries to swell it splits because the skin has lost its elasticity.
Prune And Trim Tree Correctly
When you first buy a two to three-year old fruit tree, you don't need a tall tree or a tree with too many branches. Prune it right back to about 30cms. From the trunk. You will be living with this tree for years and most fruit trees are vigorous in growth. Prune back each winter and be sure to remove inner growth. Keep to a vase shape as best as possible, aiming always to outward growth.
Following these simple rules for growing fruit trees is the best way to ensure a bountiful crop of your very own, delicious fruit.
One of the greatest and healthiest pastimes of all is gardening. A home is not complete unless it boasts a garden. It doesn't have to be a big dollar landscaped architecture, because at The Garden Sphere the whole idea is to help you create a budget garden that's worth a million bucks! Whether you want an Alpine setting, espaliered fruit trees, a Japanese garden, a Tropical paradise or a plain old and functional vegetable patch, you will find plenty of good material on my gardening blog at: http://theplantwhiz.com.
Article Source: http://www.EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Koutlis
The hard work begins in earnest from the start of winter until the end of winter. This includes, planting new trees, pruning and shaping existing ones, or any moving and transplanting should be done during this time.
Towards the end of winter and close to early spring, as the weather warms and the days extend, most trees are beginning to grow tender, new roots. Any movement such as planting or transplanting can damage these roots. In the least it may lose one year of valuable growth and at worst - well, I think you know.
Choosing the right type of fruit to grow is entirely a personal choice. In Melbourne, Australia you can choose from several varieties of, peaches, apples, cherries, apples, and pears, pomegranates and persimmons, plums, apricots, almonds walnuts, and chestnuts. This is just to name a few, not including berry or grape types which are also suited to Melbourne's temperate climate.
A key thing to remember when buying any fruit producing trees is that some types call for a cross-pollinator. This is important for trees like cherries, some almond types, pears, apples, and plums. Even trees which are self-fertile can benefit from having a different variety of the same fruit as a cross pollinator, but still often manage to produce enough seasonal fruit to keep their owners happy.
Several dwarf varieties of fruit trees are now becoming available, but at a premium price. The process involved in grafting fruit scions onto rootstocks which will keep them miniature is more tedious and costly. However, the benefits of dwarfed fruit trees are fantastic.
- They can easily be grown in pots
- Are readily transportable should you need to change address
- Are much easier to prune and otherwise maintain
- Small backyards can support several fruit tree types
Some fruit trees can prove high maintenance, particularly around the Melbourne area and similar temperate climate locations. While fruit trees such as, plums, prunes, almonds, chestnuts, walnuts, quinces, persimmons, and walnuts grow with very little to no maintenance, other trees do need attention.
Fruit trees such as peaches and nectarines can suffer from curly leaf, a disease which ultimately causes leaf loss. The tree does need to be sprayed just before spring with a curly leaf spray. These and other fruit trees can be affected by fungal disease, white fly, aphids, caterpillars, slugs and snails. There are remedial chemicals available on the market and a plethora of bio-organic and natural, homemade remedies. A check on the net can eventually set you in the right direction.
Other items to consider when planting fruit trees are:
Good Soil with Plenty of Composted Material
If you live on clay soil or otherwise have unsuitable soil, you can easily convert this into a suitable growing medium. Regular incorporation of Gypsum aids clay soils. Nutrient deficient soils can have a trailer load of well rotted manure dug in with the existing soil. Keep hard soil soft and loosened and give fruit trees a good dose of fertiliser just on spring.
A Sunny Position
Without sun fruit can rarely become sweet. Sugar comes from one place - the sun. If you want sweet fruit, the more sun the better.
Regular Water and Fertiliser
Through the growing season, you need to ensure regular watering and sufficient fertiliser. While the tree itself will benefit from manures, manure I not enough. A fruit tree while fruiting, also needs potassium to aid in the production of healthy fruit. Potassium sulphate is readily available in garden centers and can be used on fruit trees.
As for watering, set a regular pattern. Irregular or sporadic watering can cause fruit to split. While the tree is dry, the skin around the fruit calcifies or hardens. When you next water the tree, as it tries to swell it splits because the skin has lost its elasticity.
Prune And Trim Tree Correctly
When you first buy a two to three-year old fruit tree, you don't need a tall tree or a tree with too many branches. Prune it right back to about 30cms. From the trunk. You will be living with this tree for years and most fruit trees are vigorous in growth. Prune back each winter and be sure to remove inner growth. Keep to a vase shape as best as possible, aiming always to outward growth.
Following these simple rules for growing fruit trees is the best way to ensure a bountiful crop of your very own, delicious fruit.
One of the greatest and healthiest pastimes of all is gardening. A home is not complete unless it boasts a garden. It doesn't have to be a big dollar landscaped architecture, because at The Garden Sphere the whole idea is to help you create a budget garden that's worth a million bucks! Whether you want an Alpine setting, espaliered fruit trees, a Japanese garden, a Tropical paradise or a plain old and functional vegetable patch, you will find plenty of good material on my gardening blog at: http://theplantwhiz.com.
Article Source: http://www.EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Koutlis
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Fruit Trees for Small Spaces
We are continually being told, in the media and by our doctors, that we should all lead healthier lifestyles, eating more fresh fruit and taking more regular exercise. One of the best ways to do this is to grow our own produce but it is often difficult to grow fruit and vegetables in small spaces. This article takes a look at growing fruit trees in small spaces.
Fruit trees can look spectacular in any garden, as well as the incredible blooms of blossom you, of course, benefit from the annual production of fruit. By growing your own fruit it is possible to grow it organically (by not using artificial chemicals and fertilizers) which could save you a large amount of cash. Furthermore the fruit can be picked at the exact moment you wish to eat it. Fruit this fresh is far better for you as stored fruit tends to lose it's flavor and the vitamins and minerals can degrade over time.
For the health conscious amongst us you should be aware that gardening is one of the best ways to make sure that you get some regular exercise and the garden can be the perfect place to enjoy other energetic pastimes. Unfortunately most modern, urban backyards are only small spaces. Sometimes the backyard has barely enough space to have a small patio and a tiny lawn with a few flower borders. However, with a little time and effort, it is possible to create a fantastic garden design for the very smallest of backyards.
Unfortunately trees are not always the most suitable plants to grow in small spaces. In general trees tend to grow extremely large and the spreading branches and roots can end up causing some serious damage to nearby buildings and pools. Having a large mature tree in a small space can become a nightmare as the restricted space can cause problems when attempting to remove such a tree. Obviously it is far better to plant only suitable trees and shrubs in the first place.
Happily the increasing demand for smaller species of trees and shrubs has led to the development of some very interesting varieties and a fantastic selection of dwarf or compact fruit tree varieties have been created. Usually the fruit tree has its growth restricted by grafting it onto specially grown dwarfing root stock such as M9. Although the dwarf M27 root stock was once very popular the M9 stock has proved far more reliable and it has the bonus of increased yields of fruit.
You will be able to find a dwarf or compact fruit tree which grows as small as 1m but unusually they grow from between 1.5m to 1.8m. If you find that this size is still a little too large for your small backyard then you can further restrict growth by planting the fruit trees in containers. Such trees can be places on patios or sunny balconies and size can be even further reduced by careful annual pruning.
For those of us with really tiny backyards one of the most exciting developments in the horticultural world is the development of dual fruit trees. A dual fruit tree is really two different species which have been grafted onto a single dwarfing root stock. Another thrilling variety of compact fruit tree is the "midget fruit tree" which is so called because the tree has an extremely upright and non-spreading habit. The finest examples are those types are the Spur Apples which have an extreme upright habit which appears to be covered in fruit. Some types of tree can be trained to grow right up against walls and other surfaces saving even more space.
As well as compact apple trees it is possible to find dwarf compact varieties of many other types of fruit tree such as plums, pears and cherries. Other fruits include peaches and nectarines and even hazelnuts, Kiwi fruit and figs can be purchased in dwarf varieties. Even in a really small backyard it is possible to grow a large selection of fruit which not only tastes great but looks fantastic too.
If you are looking to discover more about fruit trees for small spaces visit http://www.landscapinginfo4u.com/trees/compact-fruit-trees-for-small-spaces.php
http://www.landscapinginfo4u.com/ is dedicated to providing quality information about all aspects of landscape gardening. The author, Andrew Kelly, has been a keen gardener since his childhood and, now retired, he spends most of his spare time enjoying the hobby and writing about it.
Article Source: http://www.EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_M_Kelly
Fruit trees can look spectacular in any garden, as well as the incredible blooms of blossom you, of course, benefit from the annual production of fruit. By growing your own fruit it is possible to grow it organically (by not using artificial chemicals and fertilizers) which could save you a large amount of cash. Furthermore the fruit can be picked at the exact moment you wish to eat it. Fruit this fresh is far better for you as stored fruit tends to lose it's flavor and the vitamins and minerals can degrade over time.
For the health conscious amongst us you should be aware that gardening is one of the best ways to make sure that you get some regular exercise and the garden can be the perfect place to enjoy other energetic pastimes. Unfortunately most modern, urban backyards are only small spaces. Sometimes the backyard has barely enough space to have a small patio and a tiny lawn with a few flower borders. However, with a little time and effort, it is possible to create a fantastic garden design for the very smallest of backyards.
Unfortunately trees are not always the most suitable plants to grow in small spaces. In general trees tend to grow extremely large and the spreading branches and roots can end up causing some serious damage to nearby buildings and pools. Having a large mature tree in a small space can become a nightmare as the restricted space can cause problems when attempting to remove such a tree. Obviously it is far better to plant only suitable trees and shrubs in the first place.
Happily the increasing demand for smaller species of trees and shrubs has led to the development of some very interesting varieties and a fantastic selection of dwarf or compact fruit tree varieties have been created. Usually the fruit tree has its growth restricted by grafting it onto specially grown dwarfing root stock such as M9. Although the dwarf M27 root stock was once very popular the M9 stock has proved far more reliable and it has the bonus of increased yields of fruit.
You will be able to find a dwarf or compact fruit tree which grows as small as 1m but unusually they grow from between 1.5m to 1.8m. If you find that this size is still a little too large for your small backyard then you can further restrict growth by planting the fruit trees in containers. Such trees can be places on patios or sunny balconies and size can be even further reduced by careful annual pruning.
For those of us with really tiny backyards one of the most exciting developments in the horticultural world is the development of dual fruit trees. A dual fruit tree is really two different species which have been grafted onto a single dwarfing root stock. Another thrilling variety of compact fruit tree is the "midget fruit tree" which is so called because the tree has an extremely upright and non-spreading habit. The finest examples are those types are the Spur Apples which have an extreme upright habit which appears to be covered in fruit. Some types of tree can be trained to grow right up against walls and other surfaces saving even more space.
As well as compact apple trees it is possible to find dwarf compact varieties of many other types of fruit tree such as plums, pears and cherries. Other fruits include peaches and nectarines and even hazelnuts, Kiwi fruit and figs can be purchased in dwarf varieties. Even in a really small backyard it is possible to grow a large selection of fruit which not only tastes great but looks fantastic too.
If you are looking to discover more about fruit trees for small spaces visit http://www.landscapinginfo4u.com/trees/compact-fruit-trees-for-small-spaces.php
http://www.landscapinginfo4u.com/ is dedicated to providing quality information about all aspects of landscape gardening. The author, Andrew Kelly, has been a keen gardener since his childhood and, now retired, he spends most of his spare time enjoying the hobby and writing about it.
Article Source: http://www.EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_M_Kelly
Starting a fruit tree Orchard for your homestead garden
Starting an Orchard
If you have a large amount of land that you have not put to use, you may consider planting an orchard. If you’ve had previous experiences with planting and maintaining trees, that is an added reason why you would be perfect for maintaining an orchard. It might seem like an overwhelming thing to undertake, but it is actually fairly simple. All it takes is some commitment.
If you’ve never grown a tree on your property, you might not want to make the time and money investment of buying lots of trees. If you are inexperienced, you will want to start with just one or two trees so that you can get a feel for the growing process. Once you have seen one tree along all the way to adulthood successfully, you are probably experienced enough to handle multiple trees. You should never plant so many trees that you are going to be overwhelmed, though. Only plant what you can handle.
Generally if you are getting started on a large amount of trees, you will want them to all be the same type. If they all require the same amount of water and nutrients, you won’t have to spend as much time catering individually to the different types of tree. As an added benefit, you will become very familiar with the process of growing that specific tree. You won’t be overwhelmed by having many different types, but instead you will become a master of that specific type.
If you already have a tree growing on your property that you have maintained from its childhood, then you know that the soil is acceptable for that type of tree and ones similar to it. Since you’ve already been through the process of growing that type of tree before, you shouldn’t have any problem testing all of the soil to make sure it is similar to the segment you already planted on. Then it is just a matter of growing more trees and causing the process to be the same as it was before. Since you’ve already dealt with the same problems in the past, you probably have a good idea of how to deal with any pests that might come about during growth.
Generally in an orchard, the trees are planted in a row, then pruned to be in a two dimensional shape. This is known as either a fan or an espalier shape. There is one main branch in the center that is completely vertical, then multiple branches that go off to the side. If the side branches are horizontal it is known as an espalier. If they are sloped, it is known as a fan. Generally these 2 shapes are used in orchards because of how compact they are. By using them, you allow for many more trees to be in the certain amount of space. However, if land conservation is not an issue or you’re not looking to be efficient, you should probably stick with the traditional tree shape.
To aid in the watering of your trees, you should install either a sprinkler system or an irrigation system. The sprinklers require more maintenance, but if you dig an irrigation ditch then it is really easy to just run the faucet for a few minutes every day and reach all the trees. It’s just a matter of what you would prefer.
Once your tree collection starts to bear large amounts of fruit, you can consider starting a fruit stand or participating at the farmers market. Instead of letting the fruits go to waste or trying to eat them all (which can lead to some bad stomach aches), you can let the rest of the world enjoy the product of your intense labor. If you become a popular vendor, you might even make back a decent return on your investment. However, you can’t count on making very much money. Starting an orchard shouldn’t be a capitalistic investment. You should only start one if you have a passion for fruit trees.
If you have a large amount of land that you have not put to use, you may consider planting an orchard. If you’ve had previous experiences with planting and maintaining trees, that is an added reason why you would be perfect for maintaining an orchard. It might seem like an overwhelming thing to undertake, but it is actually fairly simple. All it takes is some commitment.
If you’ve never grown a tree on your property, you might not want to make the time and money investment of buying lots of trees. If you are inexperienced, you will want to start with just one or two trees so that you can get a feel for the growing process. Once you have seen one tree along all the way to adulthood successfully, you are probably experienced enough to handle multiple trees. You should never plant so many trees that you are going to be overwhelmed, though. Only plant what you can handle.
Generally if you are getting started on a large amount of trees, you will want them to all be the same type. If they all require the same amount of water and nutrients, you won’t have to spend as much time catering individually to the different types of tree. As an added benefit, you will become very familiar with the process of growing that specific tree. You won’t be overwhelmed by having many different types, but instead you will become a master of that specific type.
If you already have a tree growing on your property that you have maintained from its childhood, then you know that the soil is acceptable for that type of tree and ones similar to it. Since you’ve already been through the process of growing that type of tree before, you shouldn’t have any problem testing all of the soil to make sure it is similar to the segment you already planted on. Then it is just a matter of growing more trees and causing the process to be the same as it was before. Since you’ve already dealt with the same problems in the past, you probably have a good idea of how to deal with any pests that might come about during growth.
Generally in an orchard, the trees are planted in a row, then pruned to be in a two dimensional shape. This is known as either a fan or an espalier shape. There is one main branch in the center that is completely vertical, then multiple branches that go off to the side. If the side branches are horizontal it is known as an espalier. If they are sloped, it is known as a fan. Generally these 2 shapes are used in orchards because of how compact they are. By using them, you allow for many more trees to be in the certain amount of space. However, if land conservation is not an issue or you’re not looking to be efficient, you should probably stick with the traditional tree shape.
To aid in the watering of your trees, you should install either a sprinkler system or an irrigation system. The sprinklers require more maintenance, but if you dig an irrigation ditch then it is really easy to just run the faucet for a few minutes every day and reach all the trees. It’s just a matter of what you would prefer.
Once your tree collection starts to bear large amounts of fruit, you can consider starting a fruit stand or participating at the farmers market. Instead of letting the fruits go to waste or trying to eat them all (which can lead to some bad stomach aches), you can let the rest of the world enjoy the product of your intense labor. If you become a popular vendor, you might even make back a decent return on your investment. However, you can’t count on making very much money. Starting an orchard shouldn’t be a capitalistic investment. You should only start one if you have a passion for fruit trees.
Welcome to fruit tree orchards for sustainable homesteaders
Welcome to the Fruit Tree Orchards for Sustainable Homesteads Blog. As a home gardener and orchardist myself I am going to gather all the best information on growing fruit trees for sustainable homesteads and small farms. Home fruit tree orchards are a key to sustainable local agriculture and a keystone to permaculture. On this Fruit Tree Orchards for sustainable homesteaders blog will have the best information and articles on home fruit orchards.
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