Backyard Orchards

There’s nothing like it.  You step out your door into the garden and spot a perfect specimen.  You pick it knowing you are about to bite into the most delicious apple you have ever tasted. 

 

It’s hard to say what makes it taste so good.  Is it because it was tree ripened, picked at the height of its sweetness to be enjoyed immediately?  Maybe it’s that you have watched it develop from a blossom and you know exactly what is - and maybe more importantly, what isn’t on it?  Perhaps it is knowing that as an apple consumer, you are reducing your carbon footprint?  Or is it just the pure gratification of the efforts you put into growing it that makes it taste so good? 

 

More than likely, it’s the culmination of all of these things that make home grown produce so enjoyable.  Ask anyone who has grown their own fruits or vegetables and they will tell you, things just taste better when you grow them yourself!  It’s one of those pleasures in life that just can’t be purchased.

 

Many homeowners don’t realize that they can produce buckets of their own apples, peaches, pears and other delicious fruits from their own yard.  It doesn’t require acres of land.  Whether you have lots of room or just a little room, you can grow fruit trees in your garden - and the best part, it isn’t difficult. Backyard orchard “culture”, as it’s called, is a method of growing fruit trees differently than they do in commercial orchards to fit in the spaces and areas people have available.  Methods such as espaliering trees along a fence, planting multiple trees in one hole, growing columnar trees in a container, or even grafting several different varieties of one type of fruit on a single tree, work perfectly in any size backyard.  The key to any of these methods is controlling the size of the trees you decide to plant.  Small fruit trees yield manageable size crops and are much easier to prune, thin and harvest than a larger tree.  Keeping your trees smaller also allows you to grow more varieties of trees in your space.

 

There are a few tricks to ensure the fruit trees you plant in your backyard orchard don’t get too big.  It begins with selecting the right variety.  Fruit trees can be grown on what are termed “dwarfing root stocks”.  When you shop Al’s selection of fruit trees, you will find varieties that are grafted on both dwarf and semi-dwarf root stock.  Simply put, these are trees that were grafted on to another smaller tree’s roots.  This aids keeping the fruit tree smaller naturally.  It also helps it with disease resistance and fruit production.  Our fruit tree growers choose the appropriate root stock for most of the fruit trees that will allow the backyard orchardist to easily maintain their fruit tree at about 8 to 10 feet tall; perfect for reachable picking.

 

The dwarfing rootstocks will help to control the growth rate and size of a tree, but the best way to control the size and shape of a fruit tree is by pruning.  Winter is typically thought of as the best time to prune a tree; while it’s dormant.  This is true if you need to make a large cut, for example if a tree has been neglected and requires re-shaping or repairing from winter damage.  Summer, though, is the most effective time for general light pruning to control a fruit tree’s size and shape.  Pruning in the summer helps to control the vigor of the tree.  Plus it is a lot easier to make cutting decisions when fruit is present on the tree.

 

Before you go shopping, assess where in your backyard would be appropriate.  When planning you want to select a space in full sun, with good air circulation, and in well drained soil.  Good soil or bad, it is always best to add compost or a soil amendment when you plant your tree.  A good transplant fertilizer will also help give your tree a great start.  If you have extremely poor draining soil, consider planting your tree in a raised bed.  Up to 4 dwarf fruit trees can actually be planted in a 4 ft x 4 ft raised bed that is at least a foot high.  Good, well circulated, high nutrient soil keeps your roots from starving of food and oxygen, which in turn keeps its fruit producing.

 

Proper fertilization and watering will also help control the growth rate of fruit trees.  Fruit trees should not be grown with a lot of nitrogen and water.  Watering should only be necessary a few times a year during our hot stretches once the tree is established.  Most trees are established after the first year in the ground.  When fertilizing, choose a fertilizer that isn’t high in nitrogen.  Al’s Slow Release 10-4-8 is a great fertilizer for fruit trees.

 

Protecting your fruit from diseases and insects doesn’t have to be overwhelming.  Make sure you look for more disease resistant varieties to start with.  Accompany this with a couple of properly timed preventive sprays and your efforts will be truly be rewarded with the fruits of your labor.  Most sprays are organic, but ultimately the more tolerance you have of imperfect fruit, the less spraying is necessary.

 

In our area, peaches, nectarines, apricots, cherries, plums, prunes, apples, pears, Asian pears, figs, and persimmons all grow well.  At Al’s this time of year, we typically have over 70 varieties of fruit trees available.  If you’re not sure what to try, don’t worry; we have several handouts, and of course plenty of our fruit tree experts on hand to make sure you get the appropriate variety to fit your needs and your taste buds.

 

Can you taste it now?