How to Buy Fruit Trees

Опубликовал Admin

23-03-2021, 15:30

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Savoring fruit picked from a tree on your own land is an accomplishment that requires research and hard work. Before buying fruit trees, you must first learn about local climate conditions and what types of fruit trees will thrive on your property, then buy healthy trees from a local nursery or garden center.

Choosing Fruit Trees

Use the Plant Hardiness Zone information to learn what types of fruit trees will survive in your area.
- The United States Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zone Map shows the minimum temperatures expected across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. This climate zone map is available online at the United States National Arboretum website.
Study the microclimate for your individual property. Your microclimate refers to weather peculiarities on your property that might be different from the Plant Hardiness Zone for your area. It will determine what varieties of fruit trees you can grow on your property.
- Wind patterns and sun exposure on your land.
- High and low temperatures on your property.
- Slope of your property, which will affect how quickly rainwater runs off.
Determine what size fruit trees you want. The size might be dictated by your personal preference or by the amount of planting space available. You may want 1 large tree or several dwarf fruit trees.
- Rootstock determines how big a tree will grow. Those with dwarf rootstock, combined with pruning, will be smaller than those with standard rootstock.
Learn the pollination needs of your trees. Some fruit trees such as pears need other pear trees to pollinate them so they can produce fruit. Other trees can pollinate themselves.
Ensure the trees you choose will get their minimum number of chilling hours. Fruit trees must experience a specific number of hours at temperatures below 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7 Celsius) during winter so they will bloom and bear fruit. Different kinds of fruit trees need a different number of chilling hours.
Pick fruit trees that will flourish in your local soil. If your soil is moist, select a type of fruit tree that thrives in moist dirt, such as a plum tree.
Select fruit trees that have local varieties. Local varieties will yield the greatest harvest of fruit.

Buying Fruit Trees

Go to a tree nursery or quality garden center.
Look at trunk diameter when choosing trees. The fruit trees that establish quickest generally have trunks with diameters ranging from 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) to 5/8 inch (1.6 cm).
Select fruit trees with straight trunks. Trees with crooked trunks are more likely to topple when burdened with fruit or during windy weather.
Avoid trees with low branches. These make it difficult to walk beneath the trees at harvest time. Low branches also make lawn maintenance difficult and offer easy perches for animals that will eat the fruit.
Choose trees with crowns of branches spreading out uniformly all around. There should be clearly defined leader branches growing in the middle.
Examine the trees' roots. Choose fruit trees with abundant roots that appear healthy and free of injuries.