Planning a Fruit Garden

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“Grow Fruit Naturally” by gardening expert Lee Reich provides more than 30 in-depth profiles of fruits and shows how to successfully grow them using all-natural growing techniques.
“Grow Fruit Naturally” by gardening expert Lee Reich provides more than 30 in-depth profiles of fruits and shows how to successfully grow them using all-natural growing techniques.
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Microclimate comes into play with spring frost hazard. A difference of a few degrees of temperature can spell the difference between a bountiful harvest and just a few, or no, fruits. Hence the importance of a microclimate.
Microclimate comes into play with spring frost hazard. A difference of a few degrees of temperature can spell the difference between a bountiful harvest and just a few, or no, fruits. Hence the importance of a microclimate.
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Apples need cross-pollination, so a ‘McIntosh’ tree needs another variety, such as ‘Red Delicious’, nearby to bear fruit.
Apples need cross-pollination, so a ‘McIntosh’ tree needs another variety, such as ‘Red Delicious’, nearby to bear fruit.
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Within the flower, pollen from the anthers unites with egg cells in the stigmas to form seeds, and in so doing stimulates the development of the fleshy covering around the seed—the fruit!
Within the flower, pollen from the anthers unites with egg cells in the stigmas to form seeds, and in so doing stimulates the development of the fleshy covering around the seed—the fruit!
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Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the male parts of a flower (the anthers) to the female parts of a flower (the stigmas).
Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the male parts of a flower (the anthers) to the female parts of a flower (the stigmas).
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The “rootstock” of a grafted plant provides merely the roots and a short length of trunk upon which is grafted the stem of a desired variety; all growth above the graft, which always remains at the same height, is of the grafted variety.
The “rootstock” of a grafted plant provides merely the roots and a short length of trunk upon which is grafted the stem of a desired variety; all growth above the graft, which always remains at the same height, is of the grafted variety.
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The distance you should set your plant away from other plants, buildings, or walls depends on how big your plant(s) will eventually grow. Eventual size is determined by the richness of the soil, pruning, and a plant’s inherent vigor.
The distance you should set your plant away from other plants, buildings, or walls depends on how big your plant(s) will eventually grow. Eventual size is determined by the richness of the soil, pruning, and a plant’s inherent vigor.
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A selection of plants that bear fruit over a long season lets you spread out the harvest and preserve the bounty at a more leisurely pace and extends the season during which you can enjoy fresh fruit.
A selection of plants that bear fruit over a long season lets you spread out the harvest and preserve the bounty at a more leisurely pace and extends the season during which you can enjoy fresh fruit.

Pick luscious fruit right from your own sunny balcony, suburban lot or orchard with the help of the ultimate fruit growing guide, Grow Fruit Naturally (The Taunton Press, 2012) by Lee Reich. Grow the best-tasting apples, blueberries and more with natural practices ranging from cross-pollination to irrigation methods. An encyclopedic listing of fruits presents comprehensive information on individual fruit care and needs. Learn the basic requirements for creating a fruit garden in this excerpt taken from Chapter 1, “Planning Your Fruit Garden.”

You can purchase this book from the MOTHER EARTH NEWS store: Grow Fruit Naturally.

The weather is springlike, and fruit plants in color-splashed mail-order catalogs and at local nurseries tempt you with possibilities of luscious harvests for years to come. You pay your money, you dig holes, and you plant, but will you realize your tasty dream? Yes, if you plan before planting!

What requires attention in planning is sunlight, climate (including temperatures and rainfall), pollination needs, plant spacing, and how much of particular kinds of fruits you’d like to harvest. The most straightforward approach is to plan your fruits around the existing conditions in your yard and the varieties of plants that can flourish there.

Sunlight Requirements

  • Published on Sep 14, 2012
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