Selecting Fruit Trees for Your Home Orchard
Strategy for Selecting Trees for the Home Orchards
The following general principles are usually followed in developing a home orchard:
Plums
Plums are the “go to” fruit variety for the home orchard because they have the fewest pests and diseases of any fruit and are the most cold-hard of all of the stone fruits. They are easy to grow and care for, fruit young (precocious), bear heavily, and live long. For early varieties consider Methley, Oullins, and Black Ice (in that order). For mid-season consider Luisa, Mt Royal, and Victory (in that order with Luisa as a “must have” variety). There are so many good late season varieties that it is hard to select just three. Consider Empress, Petite d’Agen and Kirks Blue (in that order). If you want a tart plum for making jam consider the Shropshire Damson.
For my full review of 35 plum varieties that I have evaluated here at Mercy Acres check out http://www.mercyacres.com/plum-favorites.html.
Where to buy plums: COSTCO usually has a pretty good selection of plums, including multi-variety trees. There are three excellent sources for mail-order plums: Burnt Ridge Nursery (the best prices and in-state shipping), Raintree Nursery (also in-state shipping), and Cummins Nursery (shipping from NY). Links to these are down below.
There are a growing number of plum crosses available which share the desirable characteristics of plums. Although many nurseries carry them, one of the larger sections is on the Burnt Ridge site under the section on “Plums”, then select “Plum Crosses.”
Apples
Every home orchard has to have a selection of apples. Easy to grow, long-lived, and productive, they do have their insect problems. If you get them on dwarfing rootstock they also can bear young (dwarfing rootstock usually promotes precociousness). COSTCO usually has a good selection of apples and most of the nurseries below at the end of this article have a large section on apples. Select varieties that give you a long season (ealy, mid, and late varieties) that aren’t commonly available in the store or on Greenbluff. Here are a few of the apples that I have gotten from COSTCO that I like: Zestar is an excellent early apple. For mid-season consider Red Wealthy, Sweet Sixteen, and State Fair. Liberty, Jonathan, and Ginger Gold are excellent as late season apples. An apple that I really like that I had to get from a catalog is the Cox Orange Pippin. The catalogs have some of the old apple varieties that had special characteristics like being able to store till spring in a root cellar, for making cider, or for baking (my favorite mail-order places for these kinds of apples are Burnt Ridge, Raintree, Cummins, and Fedco).
Pears
Pears have the same desirable characteristics as apples, but diversity in pears in home orchards tends to be less than other kinds of fruits, but it need not be. There are some wonderful varieties available to the home orchardist that are not found in the local grocery store or Greenbluff. For early pears (late summer) consider the Clapp’s Favorite, Red Clapp’s Favorite (also under the label of Kalle or Starkrismson), Summercrisp, and Sunrise. Early fall varieties include the Luscious, Seckel (“Sugar Pear),” Comptesse Clara Frijs, Starking Delicious (only available from Stark Brother), Red Sensation, and Flemish Beauty. Also check out the Colette at Stark Brothers, which ripens over a long season. For late pears I consider the Warren a “must have” variety. I also like Orcas as a late variety. I don’t try to keep any of these way into spring because the grocery stores have the usual commercial varieties that that takes us clear to summer with controlled atmosphere storage.
You may find the Red Clapp’s Favorite and the Red Sensation at COSTCO some years. The other will be at one of the other mail order places listed below. Select semi-dwarf as the size and it will likely be on a OHxF87 rootstock which is somewhat precocious and disease resistant.
There are a lot of kinds of Asian pears and I am growing at least a dozen of them. I haven’t figured out whether any of them are better than any other, yet. For me they don’t have the rich complex flavor of European pears mentioned above. COSTCO usually has some Asian pears and most of the nurseries at the end of this article have many verities. Read the descriptions and look for ones that give you early, mid, and late season harvest. The rootstock is likely to be OHxF97 which gives a tree about the size of a European pear on an OHxF87.
Apricots
I love apricots. But in our growing zone they are iffy. Late frost can give you only a handful of fruit for an incredible bloom. And then there are the diseases and pests. But some of us are eternal optimists and keep planting them in hopes of everything working together for at least one season of delightful eating. COSTCO has a good selection (I have one of all the COSTCO varieties). And by all means if you are betting on apricots, get a Wilson Delicious from Stark Brothers (no one else has it in their catalog) and a Rival (hardy, reliable variety available from several sources) Then if you really like apricots get some of the cold-hard varieties from Cummins Nursery in upstate-New York.
Peaches & Nectarines
I love peaches and nectarines. But in our growing zone they are iffy. Late frost can give you only a handful of fruit for an incredible bloom. And then there are . . . Does it seem like I am repeating myself? All the cautions for apricots apply to peaches and nectarines. COSTCO has a great selection of peaches and nectarines. Be sure and get a Red Haven (it is the standard for flavor). Look for the winter hardy ones like Reliance, Contender, Intrepid, Frost, Canadian Harmony, and any others that say they are winter hardy and have hardy blooms and are diseases-resistant. If you see a Flamin ’ Fury (also known as a PF Lucky 13) buy it – great peach.
Cherries
O-o-o-h and I love cherries too. And so do the birds. And the pests, and the diseases. And the late-frost. I had given up on cherries - mainly because the birds didn’t want to share - until I started reading the WSU website about pruning cherry trees. That reading has given me a new lease on life, at least as far as satisfying my craving for cherries. When you use some of the new methods for keeping cherry trees small you can put netting over them to keep the birds away. COSTCO usually has lots of verities of sweet cherries and one variety of tart cherry. These will be on rootstocks that give a full-sized tree so you will have to be vigilant in training pruning to keep them under control. But the COSTCO price is right (about half of what the good mail order places will charge). The better route (but more expensive route) is to get your trees from one of the mail order nurseries on Gisela 5, 6, or 12 rootstock or on Krymsk 5 rootstock and follow the cherry pruning guidelines on the WSU website.
Fruit Tree Nursery Websites (from near to far)
Burnt Ridge Nursery catalog request link:
https://www.burntridgenursery.com/inforequest.asp
Raintree Nursery catalog request link:
https://raintreenursery.com/catalog_requests
Cloud Mountain Nursery catalog request link: - free online - $2 hard copy
http://www.cloudmountainfarmcenter.org/index3.cfm?c1=0&c2=228&c3=228&pid=catalog&page=_p2
One Green World catalog request link:
https://onegreenworld.com/request-a-catalog/
Stark Brothers Nursery catalog request link:
https://www.starkbros.com/about/request-a-catalog
Cummins Nursery web site (not printed catalog):
https://shop.cumminsnursery.com/pages/ordering/price-schedule
Fedco Trees online catalog (no paper catalog):
https://www.fedcoseeds.com/forms/fedco_trees_catalog_2018_highres.pdf
Seed Sources for your Vegetable Garden
Baker Creek Seed catalog request link:
https://www.rareseeds.com/request-catalogus/
Pine Tree Garden Seeds catalog request link:
https://www.superseeds.com/pages/catalog-request-form
Jung Seed catalog request link:
https://www.jungseed.com/RequestGardenSeedCatalog
The following general principles are usually followed in developing a home orchard:
- Span the whole ripening season. That is, select early-season, mid-season, and late-season varieties so that you are enjoying the fruit over as many weeks as possible.
- Select excellent varieties that are generally not available commercially. If you can get it in a store or at Green Bluff, then you don’t need to grow it in your home orchard.
- Select semi-dwarf trees in order to have a ladder-less home orchard with trees that are easy to pick from the ground.
Plums
Plums are the “go to” fruit variety for the home orchard because they have the fewest pests and diseases of any fruit and are the most cold-hard of all of the stone fruits. They are easy to grow and care for, fruit young (precocious), bear heavily, and live long. For early varieties consider Methley, Oullins, and Black Ice (in that order). For mid-season consider Luisa, Mt Royal, and Victory (in that order with Luisa as a “must have” variety). There are so many good late season varieties that it is hard to select just three. Consider Empress, Petite d’Agen and Kirks Blue (in that order). If you want a tart plum for making jam consider the Shropshire Damson.
For my full review of 35 plum varieties that I have evaluated here at Mercy Acres check out http://www.mercyacres.com/plum-favorites.html.
Where to buy plums: COSTCO usually has a pretty good selection of plums, including multi-variety trees. There are three excellent sources for mail-order plums: Burnt Ridge Nursery (the best prices and in-state shipping), Raintree Nursery (also in-state shipping), and Cummins Nursery (shipping from NY). Links to these are down below.
There are a growing number of plum crosses available which share the desirable characteristics of plums. Although many nurseries carry them, one of the larger sections is on the Burnt Ridge site under the section on “Plums”, then select “Plum Crosses.”
Apples
Every home orchard has to have a selection of apples. Easy to grow, long-lived, and productive, they do have their insect problems. If you get them on dwarfing rootstock they also can bear young (dwarfing rootstock usually promotes precociousness). COSTCO usually has a good selection of apples and most of the nurseries below at the end of this article have a large section on apples. Select varieties that give you a long season (ealy, mid, and late varieties) that aren’t commonly available in the store or on Greenbluff. Here are a few of the apples that I have gotten from COSTCO that I like: Zestar is an excellent early apple. For mid-season consider Red Wealthy, Sweet Sixteen, and State Fair. Liberty, Jonathan, and Ginger Gold are excellent as late season apples. An apple that I really like that I had to get from a catalog is the Cox Orange Pippin. The catalogs have some of the old apple varieties that had special characteristics like being able to store till spring in a root cellar, for making cider, or for baking (my favorite mail-order places for these kinds of apples are Burnt Ridge, Raintree, Cummins, and Fedco).
Pears
Pears have the same desirable characteristics as apples, but diversity in pears in home orchards tends to be less than other kinds of fruits, but it need not be. There are some wonderful varieties available to the home orchardist that are not found in the local grocery store or Greenbluff. For early pears (late summer) consider the Clapp’s Favorite, Red Clapp’s Favorite (also under the label of Kalle or Starkrismson), Summercrisp, and Sunrise. Early fall varieties include the Luscious, Seckel (“Sugar Pear),” Comptesse Clara Frijs, Starking Delicious (only available from Stark Brother), Red Sensation, and Flemish Beauty. Also check out the Colette at Stark Brothers, which ripens over a long season. For late pears I consider the Warren a “must have” variety. I also like Orcas as a late variety. I don’t try to keep any of these way into spring because the grocery stores have the usual commercial varieties that that takes us clear to summer with controlled atmosphere storage.
You may find the Red Clapp’s Favorite and the Red Sensation at COSTCO some years. The other will be at one of the other mail order places listed below. Select semi-dwarf as the size and it will likely be on a OHxF87 rootstock which is somewhat precocious and disease resistant.
There are a lot of kinds of Asian pears and I am growing at least a dozen of them. I haven’t figured out whether any of them are better than any other, yet. For me they don’t have the rich complex flavor of European pears mentioned above. COSTCO usually has some Asian pears and most of the nurseries at the end of this article have many verities. Read the descriptions and look for ones that give you early, mid, and late season harvest. The rootstock is likely to be OHxF97 which gives a tree about the size of a European pear on an OHxF87.
Apricots
I love apricots. But in our growing zone they are iffy. Late frost can give you only a handful of fruit for an incredible bloom. And then there are the diseases and pests. But some of us are eternal optimists and keep planting them in hopes of everything working together for at least one season of delightful eating. COSTCO has a good selection (I have one of all the COSTCO varieties). And by all means if you are betting on apricots, get a Wilson Delicious from Stark Brothers (no one else has it in their catalog) and a Rival (hardy, reliable variety available from several sources) Then if you really like apricots get some of the cold-hard varieties from Cummins Nursery in upstate-New York.
Peaches & Nectarines
I love peaches and nectarines. But in our growing zone they are iffy. Late frost can give you only a handful of fruit for an incredible bloom. And then there are . . . Does it seem like I am repeating myself? All the cautions for apricots apply to peaches and nectarines. COSTCO has a great selection of peaches and nectarines. Be sure and get a Red Haven (it is the standard for flavor). Look for the winter hardy ones like Reliance, Contender, Intrepid, Frost, Canadian Harmony, and any others that say they are winter hardy and have hardy blooms and are diseases-resistant. If you see a Flamin ’ Fury (also known as a PF Lucky 13) buy it – great peach.
Cherries
O-o-o-h and I love cherries too. And so do the birds. And the pests, and the diseases. And the late-frost. I had given up on cherries - mainly because the birds didn’t want to share - until I started reading the WSU website about pruning cherry trees. That reading has given me a new lease on life, at least as far as satisfying my craving for cherries. When you use some of the new methods for keeping cherry trees small you can put netting over them to keep the birds away. COSTCO usually has lots of verities of sweet cherries and one variety of tart cherry. These will be on rootstocks that give a full-sized tree so you will have to be vigilant in training pruning to keep them under control. But the COSTCO price is right (about half of what the good mail order places will charge). The better route (but more expensive route) is to get your trees from one of the mail order nurseries on Gisela 5, 6, or 12 rootstock or on Krymsk 5 rootstock and follow the cherry pruning guidelines on the WSU website.
Fruit Tree Nursery Websites (from near to far)
Burnt Ridge Nursery catalog request link:
https://www.burntridgenursery.com/inforequest.asp
Raintree Nursery catalog request link:
https://raintreenursery.com/catalog_requests
Cloud Mountain Nursery catalog request link: - free online - $2 hard copy
http://www.cloudmountainfarmcenter.org/index3.cfm?c1=0&c2=228&c3=228&pid=catalog&page=_p2
One Green World catalog request link:
https://onegreenworld.com/request-a-catalog/
Stark Brothers Nursery catalog request link:
https://www.starkbros.com/about/request-a-catalog
Cummins Nursery web site (not printed catalog):
https://shop.cumminsnursery.com/pages/ordering/price-schedule
Fedco Trees online catalog (no paper catalog):
https://www.fedcoseeds.com/forms/fedco_trees_catalog_2018_highres.pdf
Seed Sources for your Vegetable Garden
Baker Creek Seed catalog request link:
https://www.rareseeds.com/request-catalogus/
Pine Tree Garden Seeds catalog request link:
https://www.superseeds.com/pages/catalog-request-form
Jung Seed catalog request link:
https://www.jungseed.com/RequestGardenSeedCatalog