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Planning A Home Fruit Orchard

A home fruit orchard can be a delight to the eyes as well as purposeful. Many standard varieties are also good shade trees. Dwarf fruit trees that produce full-sized fruit can be located in smaller spaces. Most fruit trees can be just as lovely as flowering trees and large shrubs. They bloom too, and the fruit crop gives the color of a second blooming all summer.

Fruit trees can be used in ways other than the traditional orchard planted on a grid such as a circular orchard, a privacy screen, and even at corners of your house. Keep in mind that most fruit trees attract wildlife and yellow jackets or hornets.

Note: when planting dwarf fruit trees, plant the graft-union above the ground, otherwise the dwarfing root shock will be cancelled out and the tree may not survive.

Self-pollinating or self-sterile?
Fruit trees are either self-pollinating or self-sterile. Self-Sterile trees require pollen from another cultivator of the same species for fertilization to occur. They need a compatible cultivar growing within 100', preferably closer. Without this cross-pollination, self-sterile varieties will not bear fruit, even though they may blossom abundantly. Check individual fruit tree descriptions for pollination information.

Planting your trees for best yields:
Plant fruit trees to allow sun and space for their mature size. Individual species space requirements and mature heights vary. Standard trees usually spread 20' to 25' in total width. Dwarf trees usually spread 10' to 15' in total width. You might plan to prune your trees annaually to maintain a particular height and width as a well pruned fruit tree usually produces better fruit on stronger branches.

Chester County Ponderosa Pine

Chester County Red Pine

Chester County Scotch Pine