2010 photo of apple tree with my wildflower patch in the background
When we moved into this house we had an old apple tree, a whole bunch of crabapples and an apricot tree on the property. Now the apricot was planted right outside the backdoor and every summer we’d have to dodge the bees as the fruit dropped. NOT a good idea. So that had to go. The crabapples also had to go. There were literally 6 old crabapples here – beautiful in the spring but there was no way I could use all those hard little apples. They also were a chore to clean up once they fell. So they had to go too.
organic apples from the old apple tree
But the old apple tree was really wonderful to have. Every year I would get tons of apples to make apple butter, apple pie and applesauce. I never sprayed it – so the fruit wasn’t grocery store perfect but they were wonderful to bake with. Unfortunately it got diseased and died.
Granny Smith apple
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A few years ago I planted another apple tree and last year I planted two more apples and a peach (I also planted a Fruit Cocktail tree in 2009 which this year was mainly plums).
My backyard orchard
So now I have an orchard of four trees. 1 Granny Smith, 1 Red Delicious, 1 Fuji and 1 Peach. 1 is a semi-dwarf and the rest are all dwarf.
I plan on keeping mine on the smaller side by pruning so they are easier to net and pick. Here is a great site all about how to have backyard orchard using this techinique Dave Wilson Backyard Orchard Culture. He also gives info on high density planting – where you plant more than one tree in a hole. Did you know you can do that? The Home Orchard Handbook is also a good resource.
I want to encourage you all to add a fruiting tree or two (or three) to your yard. Any size yard can accommodate a fruit tree or two. Most are even self pollinating so often you don’t even need two. Plus you can grow some varieties in pots. As most of you know, I also have two columnar apple trees that I grow in pots.
As with growing your own veggies, there’s nothing more local than going out into your own yard (front or back) and picking your own!
That was a VERY helpful article. After this “cold” front comes through tomorrow or Saturday and drops the highs to the low 90’s I think I’ll get out there and see what I can do with the peach tree I have. We have a mangy old “trash” maple in the front that is half dead and I think we are going to try to take it down this winter. I hope to replace it with a fruit tree, as I am trying to make choices to plant with edible ornamentals rather than just pure ornamentals for the most part.
I need to plant blueberries. They are my main fruit staple. I never heard of the fruit cocktail tree!
Brenda
One of my “houses that got away” when we were house hunting was an old place with a little variety orchard in the back. I just LOVED the idea of it. My problem here is that I live under a piney stick forest which doesn’t want to let anything grow. Maybe the front lawn has some space. Hmmm…
Bradford pear trees are lovely for about two weeks and worthless for anything else. I sure would love to have my own fruiting trees.
Now that is one thing that we have never tried planting – a fruit tree. I’ll have to show your post to my husband and see what he thinks. And we’ll have to do some reading up on growing fruit trees in our area (northern IL) to see what types grow best. Thanks for the idea!
I love my fruit trees! Just wish they were bearing more fruit! Thanks for posting 🙂
Thanks so much for this! We definitely want to plant some fruit trees; I just need to make sure we do our research before hand so we know what we’re doing. Haha 🙂 And thanks for the link about backyard orchards- very helpful!
I love it. It’s too bad we’re not neighbors I could swap you. My Meyer’s Lemon is loaded. Grapefruit too.
We had lots of fruit trees here when we moved in 16 years ago…but little did I know, you have to replant. Trees die off from encroachment, disease, drought and (in our case) over pruning!
We LOST both plum and peach for different reasons. We hope to replant this fall.
We did find a small peach tree out behind the barn. We are leaving it for now. I would like another PLUM tree– and I’d like to have GRAPES. These are on our ‘To Plant’ list.
Our Fig tree is huge but needs pruning.
We’ve learned so much these past 2 years about gardening and trees. I see the mistakes we’ve made…hope I’ve learned from them.
Now…to *GOOGLE* Fruit Cocktail trees… are there really such a thing?
Pat
I’ve never heard of a fruit cocktail tree. Very interesting! 🙂
I’m inspired! I think I’ll add a fruit tree or two this fall. Your garden – and your blog – is lovely!
Wish that I had room to use this idea… I really like the concept of having an orchard.
I don’t have fruit trees but would love to have some fresh fruit:). Have a blessed day dear friend. Hugs
We have a small orchard too. But this year, when I thought we would have a pretty good crop, all of the tiny fruits died from a late freeze. Oh well, there’s always next year.
I am getting fruit trees this year for my birthday. I want a few apples and a few peaches to start with!
I am so excited. Is your peach tree self pollinating? Or does a neighbor have a peach tree?
Thanks for sharing the book too – I am going to check it out!
Ohh thanks for the link, we just got some apple trees this year. I will check it out. Doesn’t it just sound lovely to say “I will go out to my orchard and ;pick some fruit’? So romantic xox Clarice
An orchard is an excellent idea! I’ve never heard of a fruit cocktail tree but it sounds delicious 😉 We used to have a huge apple tree but it got diseased and shortly thereafter a windstorm did it a favor & took it out 🙁 I hated to see it go (minus the disease and all 😉 Thanks for sharing Manuela. As usual your post was lovely & informative. Thanks again!
Ooh, I’ve never heard of a fruit cocktail tree before! I’ve always wanted fruit trees, but with our tiny yard I didn’t think it was possible. I’m trying to find someone that sells those columnar apple trees you have, but having some trouble. Maybe I’ll go with a fruit cocktail tree instead…Thanks for sharing!
I got the columnar trees from Stark Bros (online) a few years ago. I’m sure it’s something they still carry. The cocktail tree was purchased at Home Depot – it’s 4 stone fruits in one, they also have ones with different apple varieties.
Awesome, thanks so much!