Backyard Fruit Tree Basics

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Tom Spellman talks about the main points of Backyard Orchard Culture. Topics include managing tree size, successive ripening fruits, dealing with poor draining soil, mulching and more.

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Great video! Thanks

Very informative videos and I just subscribed!! I'm a new fruit trees grower in zone 8a. 🙂

I have a question for you. It will be a long post, but I would appreciate your opinion so much. Several years ago, I bought two peach trees and babied them until they were ready to bear fruit. Last year, I had a lung infection which took a lot of recovery time. I did not prune my trees. Then, this spring, the trees were LOADED! I wanted to prop up the branches, but my husband was very busy and we went away one weekend to a meeting and it stormed-~~bad-~~ while we were gone. We returned to find that several of the main branches were broken, though not broken completely off. I left them on, just to see what would happen and to spare the tree any shock. We harvested the small fruits (from where I had not pruned last winter) and let the trees grow on. Over the course of the summer, many water sprouts grew on one tree especially and I have already cut some of them of them off. I've read enough to know that any injury like that causes many water sprouts to grow as the tree tries to offset the loss of limbs. I just want to help the tree grow into a strong, healthy tree after this setback and I'm wondering the best way to do that. Will the water sprouts ever be useful to the tree? Thank you so much!

I absolutely love this! So glad to hear other people who think like me from a totally different part of the globe. The part about differentiating back yard culture from commercial, was particularly helpful, as I was just about to uproot my tall trees, when all I need to do is control their growth. But my absolute favourite was that, "Back yard orchard culture allows us to get back to our roots and get back healthy.". It has certainly worked for me......minus a few injuries. Lol Thank you so much. One question. Does controlling the size of the tree control how the roots spread, or do I have to still be wary or planting to close to a house/foundation or wall, so the roots won't do damage? Thanks again.

How do you know for sure if a tree is no longer a live?

Hi Tom, Great video. What suggestions do you have for gopher control? Can trees grow well in planter boxes, or should they be put in gopher cages? We have very, very sandy soil. Thanks.

How do you control bermuda grass?

Thanks for this.

I really enjoyed this video and learned a lot! I can't wait to exercise the knowledge I've learned here. Thank you Dave!

This is the best information on keeping fruit trees small I have seen. Thank you Dave.

I currently live in Atlanta, Ga can I grow citrus or mango trees here

Thank you for your video! I live in upstate NY (5b zone). Any suggestions for planting / growing a peach or nectarine tree here?

Thanks for sharing your great knowledge! I enjoyed a lot your your video!

Thank you. Love your lecture. You are a farmer or a professor? Or both? :)

I wish I would have seen this video 10 years ago. Most people say space trees 20 to 30 feet apart. At that rate, you can't put many trees on most backyards. In addition, to protect trees from hurricanes in South Florida, we are advised to thin the canopy to allow the air to pass through. I disagree because a taller tree feels more torque at the ground and is therefore more likely to tip over. In addition, the commercial growers hat-rack their trees and they do fine, although hat-racking is illegal.

I also see yards, like mine, where the trees fight for the sun and become tall and unmanageable and produce fruit mostly high in the tree. I'm redoing my backyard and I'd like to plant a large variety of trees that are kept small and manageable. I just need to find out how and when to prune the trees. I have a hard time visualizing how a tree can be kept small with pruning. Seems like the tree would get larger with each flush of growth unless you remove the whole branch. I guess eventually you would have a tree with a large trunk and small, young branches.

The best video on backyard orchards that I have seen excellent no nonsense practical advice for the beginner.

DELICIOUS

I had my peach tree in a pot last year and planted in the ground this year in early May. The buds have not opened yet, did I make a mistake in waiting to long to put in the ground?

Tom I just purchased three 15 gallon peachtrees. They are probably 7 feet tall. should I cut them down knee high? I just planted them. thanks

Excellent!!!