Mistakes Everyone Makes When Growing Fruit Trees

Planting fruit trees to grow your own apples, cherries, pears, or peaches can be a very fulfilling, rewarding, and tasty experience. You get to be in complete control of how the fruit is grown and can feel confident that you're eating something that isn't covered in potentially harmful chemicals. Plus, the taste of fresh-picked fruit is so much better than that of fruit that has been picked before its peak and shipped halfway across the country — or even the world.

However, growing fruit trees isn't as simple and straightforward as many might think. Unfortunately, the path between planting the seeds and harvesting ripe, juicy, and delicious fruit is paved with a series of unfortunate mistakes just waiting to happen. These mistakes have the potential to prevent your tree from growing and developing as it should, threatening your ability to actually enjoy the fruits of your labor. We reached out to a master arborist and conducted additional research to help identify some of the most common mistakes people make when growing fruit trees. Keep reading to learn more about the errors you'll want to avoid — and what you should do instead — to ensure your fruit trees grow to be healthy and produce a plentiful yield for you and others to enjoy.

Before you start thinking about planting any fruit trees, it is essential to make sure you properly prepare the site. This can be a complex process, so it is important to complete it before you order the fruit trees you wish to grow. Weeds and grass in the site must be removed. Otherwise, they may steal essential nutrients, water, or light that the trees need to grow and produce fruit.

Weeds in particular will be even more challenging to get rid of after the trees have already been planted. To kill weeds and grass on the site, you can try depriving them of the water and sunlight that they need to grow by covering the entire area using large pieces of cardboard or a tarp. Do not take the covering off until all the vegetation below it is dead. If you have more time before you want to plant the trees, regularly cultivating the site for a period of about 12 months can also help ensure that it will be free of grass and weeds and ready for use.

You mustn't overlook the importance of the soil composition if you want the fruit trees you plant to grow and thrive. Most fruit trees will need to be planted in well-drained soil if you want them to succeed. This is especially important if you want to plant peach trees, as they don't do well if their roots remain in overly wet and compacted clay soil.

Equally important is the pH level of the soil. The ideal pH for fruit trees is between 6.0 and 6.5, which is slightly acidic. In an exclusive interview with House Digest, John Snow, a board certified master arborist and managing partner at Tree CheckUp, LLC., reveals more. "A good first step is to test the soil to determine what your tree needs — if anything. A key point here. Start with a soil test. It's inexpensive and can point you in the right direction." If planting several trees in different areas of the yard, confirm that the various locations have the same pH using a test kit like the Luster Leaf Soil Kit. After determining the pH, you will need to make adjustments to get it between 6.0 and 6.5. Sulfur can be added to lower the pH, while lime can help increase the pH of soil that is overly acidic. Keep in mind that both of these additions can take some time to work. You'll want to leave a minimum of six months to a year for the pH level to optimize. You can retest the area to check on the status of the changes.

Planting time is crucial for ensuring the success of your trees. If you plant your fruit trees at the wrong time of the year, they may not develop properly or grow as strong as they could. While you may think fall is the best time to plant, it isn't ideal. For the best success, fruit trees should be dormant before they are planted. These leafless trees have higher stores of carbohydrates in their roots to help them grow. The problem with planting in the fall is that you typically won't find dormant trees. Most trees aren't ready to be dug up by a nursery when it is still fall and before the soil gets too cold to even think about planting them. While you might find some potted trees that you could plant in the fall, they're going to cost more money and may be root bound and not end up as successful in the long run.

Instead, wait until the early spring to plant fruit trees. By February or March, you should be able to find dormant trees ready for planting at a local nursery or available through an online order. Planting the trees early in the spring — as opposed to waiting until later spring — helps ensure that their root systems strengthen and develop properly before they start flowering or producing fruit.

If you're not able to plant the fruit trees as soon as they are delivered or you pick them up, don't make the mistake of storing them improperly. Improper storage can cause the roots to dry up, which can prevent the tree from growing once you do put it in the ground.

There are a few things to consider when deciding how to store your trees. First, you should not wait too long to plant the trees. Aim to get them planted as soon as possible — but definitely do not wait more than two or three weeks. If you are storing the trees before planting them, choose a cool location (above freezing) and take measures to protect the roots against drying out. You can use damp soil, sand, or sawdust to cover the roots and ensure they stay slightly moist while you wait. If the tree you are planting is a bare-root tree, it should be soaked in a bucket of water for about four hours before you plant it in the ground.

If you don't plant your fruit trees at the appropriate depth, you are threatening their survival. Planting the tree too deep is particularly concerning, as it is much more difficult to correct than if the tree was planted too shallow. One of the main concerns is scion rooting. In a healthy tree, the scion — the part of the tree located above the graft — should not develop roots. But, if the tree is planted too deeply, roots may form on this section, which will eventually have a negative impact on the health of the rootstock. Even if scion rooting doesn't occur, planting a fruit tree too deep may slow its growth rate.

To avoid this mistake, it is essential to plant fruit trees to the appropriate depth. Before digging the hole — and settling on a final placement — you'll need to measure to ensure that the union of the tree is between 4 and 6 inches above the surface. This will help prevent the scion from dipping beneath the surface, even if the tree settles into moist soil. If you're planting on a hilly surface, you'll want to take extra care to avoid planting the tree too deep. Changing conditions and consolidation of the hills can make it more likely for the fruit trees to settle or drop down, putting their scions below the surface.

If you're planning a fruit orchard for your yard and planting multiple trees at the same time, it is easy to make the mistake of placing them too close to one another. The young trees are very small, which can make it difficult to visualize just how large they will be when fully grown. However, if you don't leave enough space between the trees when planting them, then walking between them to pick fruit or prune them when they are fully grown will be very challenging. Trees that are planted too close together will also compete for water, sunlight, and nutrients for the soil, preventing them all from growing to their full potential.

The ideal space between plants will vary based on the specific types of trees you are planting. For example, apricot, peach, and nectarine trees should be spaced about 15 feet apart, while standard pear and sweet cherry trees require 20 or more feet between plants. Opting for dwarf trees may be the better choice for those with a smaller yard. Since these won't grow to be as large as a full-size tree, they can be placed closer together. For example, dwarf cherry and apple trees only need to be between 6 and 8 feet apart.

Improper watering can be devastating for fruit trees. This is even more true when the trees are young and not fully established in the soil. Without sufficient water, the tree will be subjected to drought stress. Depending on how long this "drought" lasts, your tree won't grow as quickly and may produce smaller fruit. Shriveling or dropping fruit or even lost leaves are also possible if the trees are subjected to a long period of drought-like conditions.

The watering needs of fruit trees change as they grow and mature. When first planted, you will need to provide about 1 inch of water each week, which works out to be about 65 gallons of water per each 100-square-foot section. This means that if it isn't rainy, you'll need to prioritize going out to water your trees. Because of their deeper and more established roots, mature trees do not need to be watered as frequently. Monthly watering is typically sufficient for these plants. However, because of how much water they pull from the soil, you will need to water very deeply when you do go out. Water your fruit trees in the morning, as this can minimize the occurrence of diseases due to the foliage being able to dry adequately.

There are several useful tips to help your fruit trees thrive, but one that you mustn't overlook is the importance of pollination. Without pollination, the flower won't be fertilized, and thus, won't be able to produce any fruit. The pollination needs of different fruit trees vary, which can make it a bit confusing to know just what you should do. For example, some people make a mistake when planting an apricot tree by assuming that all varieties are self-pollinating, when only some are.

Self-pollinating trees will take care of the pollination process themselves. These trees can pollinate their own flowers using the pollen from other blossoms on the same tree (or other nearby trees). Many varieties of apricot, peach, and nectarine trees are self-pollinating. However, other fruit trees rely on cross-pollination. This means that in order for the flowers to be fertilized, pollen must be transferred from the flower of one cultivar to that of a different cultivar. So, for those trees to yield any fruit, you must plant different varieties of each type of tree to ensure proper pollination and fertilization. Your best bet is to do your research on you specific fruit trees before planting.

If you've never planted fruit trees before, it is easy to assume that they just need the same type of fertilizer that you've previously used with the other trees on your property. However, making such an assumption would be a mistake. Fertilizers formulated for regular trees are often too nitrogen-rich for fruit trees. While Snow notes that the fruit trees require nitrogen to help them grow, he cautions against using too much. He says, "Be careful — too much nitrogen will have your tree spending all its energy on leaves instead of fruit. It's like feeding a teenager nothing but pizza — sure, they'll grow, but will they really thrive?"

When choosing a fertilizer for your fruit trees, Snow recommends paying attention to the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium ratio (N-P-K ratio). He recommends an option with a ratio around 8-3-9 that places a higher emphasis on potassium than nitrogen. "Potassium is crucial for fruit development and ripening," Snow explains. Beyond considering potassium and nitrogen quantities, he also notes a few other nutrients to look for. "Phosphorus is also vital for root development. In addition, some micronutrients like zinc, manganese, and iron become more important in fruit trees to ensure proper growth and fruit quality," he says.

When shopping for fertilizer for your fruit trees, you may see both slow- and fast-release options. Choosing a fast-release fertilizer will be a mistake. These formulations can supply too much nitrogen to the trees too quickly. Fast-release fertilizers may result in reduced shoot lengths, smaller leaf sizes, and even decreased fruit quality. These formulations also have a greater potential to burn the roots of your trees.

Snow highlights some of the benefits of slow-release fertilizers. He says, "A slow-release fertilizer, over time, will supply the nutrients a tree needs without burning roots." In addition to opting for a slow-release fertilizer, you can also work in some compost around the trees. It also helps ensure a more gradual release of the nitrogen into the soil, preventing it from negatively impacting your trees or the fruit they yield.

There are a few mistakes people often make when pruning their fruit trees. One is not knowing the best time of the year to prune fruit trees. If you make the mistake of pruning the trees in the summer, they may experience suppressed growth. Another common mistake is pruning young trees excessively. This can result in delays in producing fruit. And, the fruit that the tree does yield will not have the same quality as that of a tree that was not over-pruned.

As a general rule, it is best to prune fruit trees during February or March. At this time of the year, the trees are still dormant, so pruning shouldn't have the negative impact on their growth that it may have if you prune during other times of the year. Trees that are less than 10 years old should only be pruned lightly. One important task will be to thin out the limbs or shoots, as doing so will help the tree produce more flower buds and fruits. When thinning out limbs, be sure to make the cut right against the branch collar — there should not be a stub or partial growth left behind.

If you don't take steps to protect your trees against pests, it is easy for a problem to get out of control. This can lead to a decreased yield of fruit, stunted growth, and various other potentially major concerns. When thinking about pests, you have to consider both insects and certain vertebrates that can cause damage to the trees. If you want to keep insects away from your trees without using harmful pesticides, you will have to be very diligent. Monitoring the trees on a daily basis for pests can help ensure that a small problem doesn't spiral. If you notice any signs of an infestation, act quickly, considering the use of pheromone traps or sticky traps. It is also important to note that trees that are healthy will be more resilient against damage from pests, so following all the steps outlined above to properly plant and take care of the trees can pay dividends.

In addition to insects, birds, voles, and deer can also pose a threat to a bountiful fruit harvest. Depending on the type of birds that are in the area where you live, you might find success protecting your trees with netting, such as the Ruolan Garden Netting, before the fruits ripen. Voles can cause significant damage to fruit trees, particularly young fruit trees, by eating their roots and bark. Keeping the area around your trees free of grass and weeds and using 1/4-inch hardware cloth — like the MTB Supply Galvanized Hardware Cloth — to enclose each trunk's base can help prevent damage. Deer can be challenging to keep away from your fruit trees, especially if other food is scarce. You can try different repellents, but the most reliable solution would be to install an 8-foot fence around your yard.