Too many gardeners shy away from raising fresh fruit because they have heard it's too hard, given all the bugs and diseases than can plague fruit trees. Raising fruit trees can be challenging, but it can also be lots of fun and extremely rewarding. In the far North you can grow hardy apples and pears. A bit farther south, try sour cherries, plums and apricots. And in the nation's midsection, add cherries, nectarines and peaches. Citrus fruits can be grown in select areas of the South. Most fruit trees require a dormant period, when temperatures must remain below 45 degrees. If you live in the deep South, check with local nurseries for low-chill varieties, which develop properly with only half the usual cold requirement.
Next, decide on the size of the tree. Standard fruit trees can grow to 30 feet or so, which could be too large for the average landscape and would require a ladder for harvesting. Semidwarf trees are grafted onto size-controlling rootstocks and typically grow to about 12 to 15 feet in height but still produce an abundance of fruit that is relatively easy to reach. Another type is dwarf fruit trees, which are also grafted to different rootstocks. Dwarfs rarely exceed 8 feet in height yet yield a bushel or so of fruit apiece, and they can be harvested, pruned and sprayed easily without a ladder. Another great thing about dwarf trees is that you can space them roughly 10 feet apart, which means you can create a mini-orchard in a relatively small area. A fourth group of fruit trees is known as genetic dwarfs. These aren't grafted yet grow to only about 6 feet. They make ideal container plants and are well-suited to the Pacific Northwest and the South.
Decide when and where you're going to plant a fruit tree. In most parts of the country early spring is the ideal time. Fruit trees need full sun because even a couple of hours of shade during the day may result in smaller fruit. They also need at least average soil that drains well.
Nearly all fruit trees are sold as small bare-root plants. To plant, dig a hole deep enough to accommodate the roots and roughly three feet wide. Place the tree in the hole, cover the roots with soil, and water well. I like to add a layer of mulch at planting time. And you might consider staking because bare-root trees are more likely to topple over in a strong wind than container-growth or balled-and-burlapped trees.
If you're growing a full-size tree or a genetic dwarf, planting depth isn't as important. Just make sure the roots are covered well with soil. Planting depth is important, however, for grafted trees. On a grafted tree the top part of the plant is typically a full-size tree, but the rootstock is a different variety, occasionally a different tree, that keeps the top from getting too big. The point at which the two are joined is a distinctly crooked area known as the bud union. When planting a grafted tree, make sure the bud union is at least a couple of inches above the soil. If you plant the tree so deep that the bud union is at or below the soil, the top part of the tree may take root, and what you thought was going to be a relatively small tree may in time develop into a full-size one.
Most fruit trees need another tree of a different variety for pollination. So if you plant a 'Red Delicious' apple, for instance, also plant a 'Golden Delicious' or some other apple tree. Even so-called self-fruitful trees tend to produce more fruit when there's a pollinator nearby. After the trees flower and begin to form fruit, thin the fruit to keep the branches from becoming overburdened and breaking. The best time to thin the fruit is when it's very small, to roughly six inches apart. Twist the fruit off by hand, or use small pruning shears or scissors. Pruning the trees properly will result in healthier trees and more fruit. It is best done when the trees are dormant.
