Tips for Growing the Best Fruit Trees

• Be careful taking your new tree home - trees can die of shock.
  
• Keep root ball damp and shaded from sun.
  
• Always keep graft line clear of debris and above ground. If the graft line goes below ground the tree may revert to its root stock and give the wrong fruit - like crab apples!
  
• Thin the fruit...If the size of the fruit produced from your tree is below expectations, it may be due to an over-abundance of fruit on the tree. The tree has only so much energy to use to produce fruit, so thinning (removing some of the fruit) is essential to produce large fruit in some species, such as peach and apple. For best results, thin fruit trees early in the season, when the fruit is still quite small.
  
• Does your tree fail to produce fruit some years?.. Healthy, productive trees sometimes take a year off. However, if a fruit tree produces an over-abundance of fruit which is not thinned, the tree may become a biennial producer. Therefore, it is prudent to thin the fruit when trees produce a large amount of fruit.
  
• Rake the leaves...fruit tree leaves should not be used as mulch around the garden. If the leaves are still on the ground, cover the area with ground limestone. This will prevent spores on the leaves on the ground from developing.
  
• Prune during the dormant season...all major pruning should be done in late winter or spring. Ask your nursery for a leaflet on pruning. Some pruning is usually required each year to keep the tree growing in a balanced shape.
  
• Water during dry seasons...water once every two weeks during dry spells; put a pan under tree and water until it fills 5 - 8 cm (2 - 3 in.) to ensure water reaches the root zone.
  
• Make a field plan...record on paper when you planted and what varieties you planted so when you harvest you'll know what variety you are enjoying. Do not depend on memory or the plant identification tags to know what you planted - both will fade with time.
  
• Beware the weedeater!..a weedeater can quickly damage a fruit tree by cutting the bark at ground level. This can stress the tree to cause reduced blooming and fruiting, and repeated injuries can even kill the tree.