Techniques in producing tree fruits and small fruits. Utah Agricultural Education Plant Science I

Which fruit to grow  Climate  Property Size  Expected Maintenance

Sizes of fruit trees  Dwarf  Semi-dwarf  Standard

Important Considerations  Climate Chilling requirements summer heat, winter cold hardiness  Size Tree and property  Soil type and drainage Most critical for stone fruits  Light availability Dwarf trees near standard trees

Important Considerations  Maintenance time required Apples need most spraying  Slope and cold-air drainage

Temperature change from Brigham City to Mantua in Sardine Canyon on a typical fall or spring day. As the elevation increases, note the constant decrease in air temperature. Also notice the large dip in temperature and decrease in elevation at Mantua. Mantua is a low valley within the canyon and cold air accumulates there.

Landscape Uses  Fruit and nut trees can be used as ornamental landscape trees Nut trees are usually very large, so may work well as shade trees Dwarf fruit trees used as screen trees, or patio plants Espalier of some fruit trees

Selecting Trees  North vs. South varieties  Maturity Period  Disease resistance Also related to rootstock  What you want to use the tree for  Pollination requirements Apples and pears need pollinator Most apricot, peach, sour cherry are self fruitful

Tree sizes and rootstocks  Fruit trees are grafted on rootstocks Rootstock adds beneficial qualities such as insect or disease resistance, cold hardiness, soil tolerance, and growth control  Fruits are categorized by mature tree size Standard, semi-dwarf, dwarf Is a function of the rootstock  Dwarfing has several advantages Easier to harvest, spray, bear sooner, more trees  Nut trees are grown as standards

Rootstocks for apples:  M9 - 1/4 size tree  M26 - 1/3 size tree  M7 - 1/2 size tree  M /3 size tree

Planting Fruit Trees  Same planting techniques as any other woods plant – can be bare-root or in containers 1. Hole 2-3x as wide as rootball, same depth 2. Do not crowd roots at planting 3. Backfill hole with soil you took out 4. Water-in thoroughly 5. Keep graft above ground 1. Keep scion from rooting 6. Stake upright if necessary

Training Forms  Central Leader Most sweet cherries, some apples and pears  Modified Central leader Apples, sour cherry, pear, plum

Training Forms  Vase or Open-center Peach and related  Espalier Training in a 2- Dimensional plane Apples and Pears Fruit production in very small space

Espalier

Thinning  Removal of a portion of fruits on a tree while they are still small Most fruit trees produce more fruit than can fully mature Will be undersized and poorly colored without Can also help prevent bearing in alternate years  Remove when ½” to ¾” in size

Pest Control  Chemicals will be required to keep most fruit pests under control  Very limited selection of organic pesticides  Wormy fruit is unacceptable Leaf diseases and sucking insects such as aphids and mites can reduce carbohydrates moving into fruit, making fruit smaller  Apples are most intensive for spray needs

Failure to Bear  Sometimes trees don’t bear good fruit Age – under 3-4 years does not bear well Pollination problems  Lack of pollinator, rain on blossoms, diseased blossoms Winter chilling not met Low light levels  Plants are crowded  Other structures or plants give excessive shade Frost on blossoms