Considerations for Backyard Fruit Trees

by Courtney DeKalb-Myers, OSU Extension Horticulture Educator

​Backyard fruit trees can enhance the landscape with spring blooms, provide high-quality fruits, and serve as a satisfying hobby. However, home fruit trees require considerable care. Those not able to devote time to the fruit trees may be disappointed with results. Consider some of these guidelines before planting fruit trees. Knowing what all is involved and being able to devote the time can result in a bountifully sweet harvest.

Photo from Michigan State University

• Most tree fruits require annual maintenance. This includes pruning, training, and fruit thinning. Some trees need staking or trellising, especially when young.

• Most fruit trees  require pesticide applications to control insects and diseases. Pesticide applications to control diseases should be proactive. Once infection occurs it cannot be reversed. Pesticide applications to control insects can be based off monitoring populations.

• Fruit trees prefer a sandy loam soil with a slightly acidic pH. Good drainage is crucial to success of fruit trees, especially in areas with heavy clay soils. Drainage can be improved by installing drain tiling, planting trees on berms, or planting in raised beds.

• Planting fruit trees on gentle slopes where cold area can drain away will lessen frost and freeze damage to blossoms in spring. It can also help with frost damage in fall. The slope direction can impact the sunlight exposure and temperature. Northern and eastern facing slopes tend to be cooler. This can delay ripening of fall-harvested fruits.

• Choosing rootstocks can be very important for fruit trees. It influences tree size and whether or not staking is required. It also affects disease resistance, winter hardiness, and tolerance to various soils.

• Consider pollinations requirements of different fruits. Many fruits require that the flower is pollinated with pollen from different cultivars of the same fruit. Planting only one cultivar of these fruit often results in masses of blooms in the spring, but few or no fruits.

• Recommended varieties for Oklahoma can be found in our fact sheet HLA-6222 Home Fruit Tree Planting Guide.

Photo from Michigan State University