Fruit Trees

Fruit trees not only add beauty and dimension to landscapes, but with proper care and maintenance will bear fruit for years to follow.  All fruit trees do best in full sun.  They require a well-drained loamy soil for best growth, and should have a constant moisture supply.

CROSS POLLINATION

Self-infertile fruit trees require pollination from another tree of that species to produce fruit.  Both varieties must bloom at or near the same time for fruit production and should be planted no further than 100 feet apart.  For example, an early flowering variety will pollinate another early variety, but not a late flowering variety.  Self-fertile fruit trees can produce fruit by pollen from their own flowers.  They do not require another variety for fruit production.

PRODUCTION & HARVESTING

Thin fruit half way through the growing season.  There is usually a natural fruit drop occurring 3 to 6 weeks after the bloom.  After this occurs, thin fruit so it is spaced along the branch twice the distance that the fruit is expected to be when ripe.  For example, an apple tree will produce 3" fruit, leave fruit 6" apart after thinning.  Early fruit bearing trees may need to be thinned more for the fruit to ripen properly. Usually, pears and cherries do not require thinning.

APPLES

Mature height: Dwarf 8' to 10'

Fertilization: Self-Infertile,  a different variety is required for fruit production.

Pruning: Thin to single apple, 6" apart.

Mid-Season varieties: Gala, Jonathon, McIntosh, Red Delicious

Late varieties: Cortland, Fuji, Granny Smith, Red Rome Beauty, Stayman Winesap, Yellow Delicious

APRICOTS

Mature Height: Dwarf 15'

Fertilization: Self-infertile, a different variety is required for fruit production.    

Pruning: Thinning is generally natural due to frost and natural fruit drop.

Early varieties:  Bleinheim Royal

Mid-season varieties: Moorpark

CHERRIES

Mature Height: Dwarf 10'

Fertilization: Sour Cherries are Self-fertile, a different variety is not required for  fruit production.  Sweet Cherries are Self-infertile, a different variety is required for fruit production.

Pruning: Thinning is usually not needed

Sour Cherries:

Mid-season varieties: Montmorency

Sweet Cherries:

Early varieties: Black Tartarian

Mid-season varieties: Bing, Royal Ann

NECTARINES

Mature Height: Dwarf 10'

Fertilization: Self-fertile, a different variety is not required for fruit production.

Pruning: Thin early varieties to 6" to 8" apart; thin mid to late varieties to 4" to 5" apart.

Mid-season varieties: Fantasia

Late varieties: Red Gold, Sunglo

PEACHES

Mature Height: Dwarf 10'

Fertilization: Self-fertile, a different variety is not required for fruit production.

Pruning: Thin early varieties to 6" to 8" apart; thin mid to late varieties to 4" to 5" apart.

Early varieties:  Red Haven

Mid-season varieties: Early Elberta, Elberta, Hale Haven, Veteran

PEARS

Mature height: Dwarf 15' high and 15' wide.

Fertilization: Self-infertile, a different variety is required for fruit production.

Pruning: Pears do not need to be thinned

Harvesting suggestions: Fruit should be harvested when mature, but still hard; Fruit will not last very long if it is picked when ripened.

Early varieties: Bartlett, Red Bartlett, Shinseiki Oriental

Mid-season varieties: Bosc, Seckle

Late varieties: 20^th Century Oriental, Anjou, Comice, Kieffer, Seckle

PLUMS

Mature height: Dwarf 10' high and 12' wide

Fertilization: Self-infertile, a different variety is not required for fruit production.

Pruning: Thin fruit to 4" to 6" apart.

Early varieties: Beauty, Santa Rosa

Mid-season varieties: Burbank

Late varieties: Stanley, Superior