Tree Selection

Fruit and nut trees make excellent additions to a landscape, but how do you know which trees to plant? The questions below will help you select the best fruit and nut trees for your landscape.

Immature almonds (Kate Russell)

How big of a tree do you want? Fruit and nut trees are available in standard, semi-dwarf, and dwarf sizes. Standard fruit and nut trees can reach 20 feet in height and width, or more. Semi-dwarf trees grow 12-15 feet tall and wide, while dwarf trees only reach 8-10 feet. Smaller trees have the added advantage of being easier to care for and producing fruit sooner than larger trees. Some varieties tend to stay smaller naturally. Standard sized peach and nectarine trees, for example, rarely grow larger than 12-15 feet. Most dwarf trees can be grown in large containers.

How big of a crop can you use? Different tree species produce different sized crops. Under ideal conditions, a mature dwarf apricot tree only produces 40 pounds of fruit, while a standard apricot tree might yield 240 pounds. Using the same amount of real estate, a dwarf apple tree might produce 200 pounds of fruit, a semi-dwarf apple can yield 400 pounds, and a standard apple tree might produce 600 pounds of apples! That’s a lot of applesauce!

Young apples take time to mature (Kate Russell)

What is your Hardiness Zone? Hardiness Zones are geographic regions with specific annual minimum temperatures. This information helps you select plants appropriate to your microclimate.

How much sun does your yard get? Most fruit and nut trees need at least 8 hours of sunlight each day to be healthy and productive.

Will you need a pollinator tree? Some fruit and nut trees are self-fertile. This means they have both male and female flowers and only one tree is needed. Other varieties need a second tree for cross-pollination. Self-fertile trees are significantly more productive when there is a second tree nearby.

Which pests and diseases are in your neighborhood? Knowing ahead of time which pests and diseases are likely to affect your fruit and nut trees can help you select varieties that are resistant. This means less work for you.

Fresh nectarines in summer are a treat! (Kate Russell)

How many chill hours does your yard get? Chill hours are the combined number of hours below 45°F experienced by a tree each year. Without adequate chill hours, trees will generally not produce fruit.

Fall is the best time to plant bare root trees. Just be sure to plant them at the proper depth. This means the flare of the trunk and any grafting are visible above the soil level. For the first few years, when your fruit tree produces flowers, it will live a longer, more productive life if you remove those blossoms before they start turning into a crop. This gives the tree the time it needs to generate a healthy root system.
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Now start planting!