Post by firedancer49 on May 29, 2013 9:26:58 GMT -5
So our new house has a whole bunch of apple trees, a few pear trees and a big peach tree, all dwarf trees I think. I have no clue how to take care of them. The peach tree has been around for a while, as it is much bigger than the other trees and already has some fruit on it. One of the apple trees also has some fruit too.
So I need to use any fertilizer on them? Spray stuff? I assume I need to prune them? DH made a comment about cutting off the top of one, b/c it is growing up with one branch and if we cut it at the top it will make the tree start to grow fuller? Is that true?
Tell me what to do, I don't want to kill these things!
We also have two big holly bushes on both side of the front steps. I'm not 100% sold on those, I'd prefer flower bushes, b/c DH likes them so they will stay.
I haven't owned fruit trees before but found this online. Enjoy them! I'm jealous.
"Once your trees are planted, there will be some maintenance required. The amount will depend on what kind of trees you have planted. Watering, of course, will be the most important task. Mulching will help to retain soil moisture and reduce water needs. Fertilizing with a good organic fruit tree food is also recommended. Follow the directions on the package for application amount and frequency. Most fruit trees will require some pruning, if only to remove any dead or damaged wood. We sell an excellent book called How to Prune Fruit Trees and Roses that is available on the Orchard and Garden Supplies page. Since pruning differs with each type of fruit tree, we strongly recommend this book or another pruning book to assist you in making the most out of each tree.
Seasonal activities will include insect, pest and disease control, if required. The most common disease problem with fruit trees is probably peach leaf curl, a fungal disease that affects peaches and nectarines. You can spray to control it during the dormant season. Apples and pears can be prone to fireblight, a bacterial disease, and codling moth, a pesky insect that is responsible for the worms inside the fruit. See our article on Pests and Diseases of Apple Trees for ways to deal with those problems. Another seasonal activity is fruit thinning, which involves the removal of some of the fruit so that what remains will reach a reasonable size. Some peaches and apples do require thinning for good fruit size."
Gurneys.com sells a lot of dwarf and regular fruit trees and seemed to have a lot of tips on their site. They also have some supplies. I signed up for email/ catalog and got 50% off coupons.
Post by walterismydog on May 29, 2013 10:31:24 GMT -5
I was about to run in and say "nah, they're no big deal!" but everyone else in this post seems to have had trouble with them. I grew up with peach and citrus trees and my grandma's backyard is FULL of fruit trees and we never really had to do anything other than prune them and pick fruit off them. But we were in very South Texas, so maybe they're easier there. Or maybe I was living in my usual fantasyland, not paying attention to how much work actually went into them. Hahaha