Home Orchard Planning Resources Dustin Blakey, County Extension Agent—Agriculture

Location: (What a site needs)

High ground, full sun, and

access to water.

What to look for

in varieties:

Disease-resistance

Adaptability to Ark.

Pollination needs

Ripening time

Google: FSA-6129 (Also at county offices.)

“Tree Fruit Cultivar

Recommendations for

Arkansas”

M27

M9

M26 EMLA 106

Full-size

Relative dwarfing of some apple rootstocks:

Rootstocks:

Generally homeowners don‟t get much choice other

than dwarf/semi-dwarf or standard. The nursery usually picks this out.

Dwarf doesn‟t always mean tiny.

Note:

Fully dwarf apples

need to be trellised or staked for

support.

These disappoint in the

River Valley:

„Bartlett‟ pear

Sweet cherries, esp.

„Bing‟

Apricots

Almonds

West-coast/discount-

store peaches and nec-tarines

„Gala‟, „Red Delicious‟

and „Fuji‟ apples

How to Buy Fruit Trees (Homeowners‟ Edition)

Don‟t impulse buy!

Best: order from specialty fruit nursery or buy at a local

nursery with fruit experience and good selection

Make your variety selections before shopping, but be

prepared to adjust it

Do site preparation before buying: you need to plant as

soon as trees arrive

Nursery will usually have pollination tables in their

catalogue

Nursery usually limits rootstock options to “dwarf, semi

-dwarf, standard”

Order in fall for best choices

Remember not all varieties do well everywhere

Tree per variety is usually enough for home use; don‟t

plant/buy more than you can care for: do you really

need 10 apple trees?

Trellising: (Type these as 1 line in your browser.)

Apples: http://resources.cas.psu.edu/TFPG/apple_trellis/introduction.htm Grapes: http://viticulture.hort.iastate.edu/info/pdf/domototrellis.pdf Brambles: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8206.html

Steps to Prepare Site

1. Soil test 12” deep

2. Use lime as directed in soil test 3. Plant trees in raised rows

4. Control weeds completely

5. Install trellis

6. Install irrigation

7. Keep weeds under control under trees (okay to

plant cover crop between rows) 8. Eliminate gophers (trapping is best)

Try Something Easy: Figs!

Figs are among the easiest fruits to grow. Plant in

spring only. Use mulch. Fertilize sparingly. Enjoy.

Adapted Statewide:

„Celeste‟ (aka „Malta‟)

„Chicago Hardy‟

„Brown Turkey‟

South of I-40:

„Marseilles‟ (aka: „Lemon‟)

„Violette de Bordeaux‟ (aka:

„Negronne‟)

„Italian Honey‟ (aka:

„Latturula‟)

„Kadota‟ (aka: „Dottato‟)

Essential Equipment:

Pruning

saw (eventu-ally)

Loppers

Hose-end sprayer

Free-standing

ladder

Hand pruner