Buying A Fruit Tree

How many times have you heard from your friends, “I want to be able to walk out to my back yard and pick my favorite fruit”. There are several things you need to consider before going to the nursery and buying a fruit tree.

·       Climate

·       Size and Spacing

·       Soil Testing

·       Selecting

·       Planting

·       Watering

·       Pollenating

·       Harvesting

Climate

Select fruit trees that will work well with Idaho’s zone 6 weather. Cold hardiness determines the minimum temperature that tree can tolerate. The United States Department of Agriculture has developed a system that gives information about the average minimum temperatures in a defined area. Microclimates may be warmer or colder and can impact tree survival and performance. Viewing such websites as Idaho Average Last Frost Date will help in planting.

Size and Spacing

Colorado State University Extension has a good chart on typical size of fruit trees.

There are three sizes available for fruit trees; dwarf (8 to 10 feet), semi-dwarf (10 to 20 feet), and full size (20 feet or over). Dwarf and semi-dwarf make harvesting easier. Fruit trees require good drainage, full sun, and soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.5. Trees do not do as well when located within your lawn.

Soil Test

Soil test helps to determine what nutrients are in the soil and which ones are low.

·       Nutrient levels – i.e. nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca),

·       Soil pH

·       Organic matter

For more information on soil visit Idaho Master Gardener resources Chapter 5: Soils and Fertilizers.

Selecting Fruit Trees

You should always buy your trees from a reputable nursery. Tony McCammon of University of Idaho recommends the following fruit trees for home orchards. The links for the various fruit varieties are for information only and does not endorse any nursery. Each tree has its own characteristics. These websites will give you the general information to deciding which variety is for you.

o   “Apples: Earligold, State Fair, McIntosh, Haralred

o   Pears: Summercrisp, Moonglow, Gourmet, Luscious, Flemish Beauty

o   Cherries:

§  Tart: Meteor, Montmorency, NorthStar

§  Sweet: Stella, Rainier, Kristin

o   Peaches: Reliance, Elberta

o   Plums: Mount Royal, Stanley, Methley”

Planting a Fruit Tree

The best time to plant a tree is during the dormant season. What type of root system will your tree have; bare root, container, balled and burlapped? Each root system has a difference in the way it is planted. The Arbor Day Foundation has instructions for each root system.

·       Bare Root are not confined and they have a quicker start in growing.

·       Container limit root spread. Be careful not to buy root that circle the tree ball. The roots will need to be cut and will slow growth and stress the tree.

·       Balled and Burlapped it is important to remove the burlap before planting, otherwise the burlap can cause serious harm to the tree.

Figure 6 Planting Summary

Colorado State University Extension, CMG GardenNotes #636  

Watering Trees

Over watering can slow root growth, remove nitrogen and sulfur, and create an environment for crown and collar rots. Under water leads to slow root development. Soil test will indicate what soil type you have and how much water the soil can absorb at a time. When checking your tree moisture level, check not only the backfill, but the root-ball soil. It will take about 1 year for the tree roots to become established. Below is a chart from Colorado State University Extension, GardenNotes #635, table 1.

Click to enlarge.

What is a tree caliper?

“A tree’s caliper measurement refers to the diameter of the tree’s trunk. Therefore, a 3-inch caliper tree has a trunk that is 3 inches across. A tree caliper is commonly used to calculate this measurement, especially for trees that do not have very large diameters.” 
https://www.reference.com/science/caliper-measurement-tree-e54c2db310afa001

Pollinating

There are 3 ways that a fruit tree can be pollenated.

o   Pollination is the transfer of pollen grains from the male to the female flower. Some trees need another species pollen.

§  Example: Bartlett pears needs pollination with a Bosc or Anjou pear.

o   Pollinators are your insects that fly from flower to flower.

§  Example: Honey bees, Mason, Blue Orchard bees, etc…

o   Self-Pollinating tree does not need another to complete the pollination.

§  Example: Reliance Peach

Harvesting

Harvesting depends on several things. How old is your tree and it depends on the fruit tree? Do not expect fruit for the first 2 years and if any fruit does appear in the first year remove the fruit.  You want all the nutrition going to the roots.  The Idaho Preferred Products Calendar will give you approximate harvest month. Each fruit tree has a harvest time.  Check the characteristics of the fruit when buying your tree, for example, Reliance Peach ripens in early August.