Fruit trees: Your own supply of fruit

Self-grown fruit trees guarantee that you will get fruit without mutation, without wax, without chemicals. And you can enjoy a consistent supply of fruit for most of the year. In addition to fresh fruits in the fall, you can store apples during the winter, and you can also store fruits for year-round cooking. You can share your harvest with your friends.

Fruit trees are great money saving helpers

The cost of fruit is very high these days. On average for ten years, apples from your own tree will cost only a few rubles apiece. Now compare that to the price of a supermarket.

Benefits for the environment

The fruit tree filters the air, conditions the soil, creates shade and attracts pollinators to your garden.

All of the above can easily be available to you, and at a very low cost and relatively short annual maintenance!

Choosing a fruit tree

The sizes of all fruit trees can be roughly divided into dwarf, semi-dwarf and standard.

Bonsai are suitable for small spaces and can also thrive on an area of 3 meters in diameter. They are easy to cut and harvest, as they are small in stature. On the other hand, the fruits of such trees are of normal size, but the yield is less due to the smaller tree size. Dwarf trees are not as durable as larger ones. Most dwarf trees begin to bear fruit after three to five years.

Medium-sized semi-dwarf trees that require a growing area of about 5 meters in diameter, can be 3 to 5 meters in height and need annual pruning to maintain height and balance. A very productive tree of this size will produce hundreds of fruits per season. From time to time, trees take a break for a year and produce little or no fruit, especially after an intensive growing season. Most of the fruit trees that are planted today are semi-dwarf trees as they produce a high yield and the tree is available in size for pruning and harvesting.

Standard trees. This huge old apple tree in my grandfather's backyard is most likely a standard size tree as it was the only size choice at the time before the smaller hybrids. Standard trees require more space and time for pruning and harvesting. They can grow up to 8-10 meters or more if not pruned. If you want a tree that kids can climb and swing on, get the standard size. It takes many years for a tree to reach its full size, so perhaps only your grandchildren will hang this swing. Most standard trees begin to bear fruit after three to five years.

Large fruit trees require more maintenance.

Maintenance issues such as pruning and yard work under the tree should also be considered when sizing the tree.Smaller trees produce optimal yields and are easier to spray, chop, prune, clean, and harvest than larger trees. And if the trees are kept small, more trees can be planted, which will give you an advantage in choosing larger types of fruit, as well as a longer fruit season.

A few tips on how to choose a tree

Choose local varieties

Ask your local gardening store which varieties are best for your area. Many exotic varieties are very attractive, but local varieties will take root better with minimal effort.

Match the tree to your soil

For example, plums thrive in moist soil conditions, which may not be suitable for apples. Pears and apples can withstand drier soil but require good drainage. And peaches can be spoiled by too much rain.

Provide pollinators

Not all fruit tree varieties self-pollinate. The right mix of varieties is often necessary for fruit trees to produce fruit well. Most apples are partially self-pollinated and produce some fruit from their own pollen, however these varieties will produce more fruit if they are cross-pollinated with another variety. Ask your local garden store about the pollination requirements for the trees you are considering.

Extend your harvest

If you are planting multiple trees, choose varieties that can produce fruit for a long time. For example, with apples, you can plant one early summer variety, late summer and winter, which can bear fruit all winter. With three trees at different harvest times, you will enjoy your own fruit for 8 months of the year.

Form

When choosing a tree from your nursery, it is very important to carefully study its features. In the store, the trees are usually bare roots, be sure to find out what a full-length fruit tree looks like.

Strong, straight stem

Fruit trees do best when they grow upright. A slight slope in a young tree, if left unattended, will turn into a large fruit slope when ripe. A fruit tree that leans in one direction is out of balance, is more susceptible to wind, or may fall under its own unbalanced weight.

A definite leader

One central branch should be the clear "leader" responsible for straight up growth. A tree without a clear leader will require more frequent pruning to keep its shape in balance.

Well balanced branches

Look for a "candelabra" shape with branches extending evenly in all directions. This uniform shape will keep the tree balanced, allowing it to grow straight and also maximize its fruit yield. The even distribution of fruit also helps to prevent branch breakage due to overloading.

No low branches

The branches should start from the same common area along the tree trunk. Avoid trees with one lonely branch growing low below.

Thick, undamaged roots

Roots must be well protected and kept moist before planting.

Where to plant a fruit tree

Drainage of the soil is an important factor when choosing a place to grow a fruit tree. Fruit trees will not thrive in soil that depletes too slowly. You can test the drainage by digging a hole about 30 cm deep and filling it with water. The hole should drain out within three hours.