Fruit trees have a place, even in a small yard
Part one of a series on fruit trees
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[February 04, 2021]
You don’t need space for a full orchard to
plant and enjoy fruit trees in the home landscape. However, where
you place those fruit trees – whether it’s a whole home orchard or
just a few trees – makes a big difference in how they grow and
perform. As they say, “location, location, location.” |
Here’s what to consider:
Soil and moisture
A major factor is the soil. Placing the home orchard where water
will drain away very soon after a rain event will help ensure that
the roots will have the needed soil oxygen to continue to supply
both the moisture and nutrients needed to the canopy. This is
important to support continued growth of the foliage and filling of
the fruits. Soils that remain too wet will promote root and crown
decay, putting further stress on the fruit tree, and causing
potential decline and death, especially if crown rot is the culprit.
If your soils are on the heavy side, meaning lots of clay, then
plant the fruit trees a bit higher in the planting hole. Even a
couple of inches can make a difference.
Air and frost
A consideration we may not often hear about is air drainage. Home
orchardists can avoid those late spring frosts to a great degree by
placing the trees on a slope or at the high point in the landscape,
so the cold air settles away from the trees. The challenge is
preventing the more frost susceptible flower buds from damage late
in the winter and very early spring. By planting our trees in the
best possible locations in the yard, we can reduce the risk. Stone
fruits like peaches are the most susceptible to those late spring
frosts.
Yard size and tree choice
When choosing trees, homeowners should think about some level of
dwarfness, especially if yard space is limited. There are several
different kinds of fruit trees to consider, such as apple, cherry,
peach, pear, and plum. [to top of second
column] |
As we live in the northern portion of Illinois, apple
is likely the main fruit tree grown in backyards because it is very
winter hardy.
Dwarf apple trees are smaller than their full-sized
siblings and are much easier to train, prune, and maintain. Fruit
trees are dwarf because they are naturally so or because fruit tree
growers graft or bud them to a dwarfing rootstock, limiting the size
of the fruit tree. If they are naturally dwarf, then the apples
listed will be a “spur-type” tree. The smallest fruit trees will be
a combination of a spur-type grafted or budded on a dwarfing root
stock. These will need support as their root systems are limited,
and they can easily be blown over. It should be noted that the
catalogs will list a mature size, but that ultimate size of your
dwarf tree is up to you.
Dwarf fruit trees are not limited to just apples, so a larger mix
can be planted in a smaller space. When buying at your favorite
garden center or through a fruit tree catalog, make sure you
consider winter hardiness, mature size, and pollination needs. We’ll
explore more on pollination next time. Stay tuned!
[Article written by University of
Illinois Horticulture Educator, Richard Hentschel]
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