How to Grow Fruit Trees in Arizona
According to the Arizona Master Gardener Manual, growing fruit trees means a long-term commitment to pruning, fertilizing, controlling weeds and disease, as well as harvesting. To grow a fruit tree that beautifies your Arizona landscape and gives you bushels of fruit year after year, learn the specific requirements of the species and variety you plan to plant and start by buying a healthy young tree. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
-
-
1
Decide on which tree to plant. Fruit trees that thrive in Arizona include apple, cherry, apricot, fig, nectarine, peach, pear, Asian pear, persimmon, Asian plum and Japanese plum. Although there are general guidelines that apply to any fruit tree growing in Arizona, you should also learn the specific requirements of the tree you plant.
-
2
Choose a nursery tree. The University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences recommends you buy a year-old tree with a trunk that's ½ to ¾ inches in diameter. Select a fruit tree without broken branches or other signs of injury. If you can, check the roots while still in the nursery or soon after you take the tree home. Save the receipt in case you have to exchange it. Roots with soft spots, bugs, mildew and other irregularities are diseased and can't support a tree's development. In the arid Arizona climate, roots should also be irrigated frequently. At the nursery, touch the soil to verify it's moist. If the tree is bare-root, check that the root ball is in a moist medium.
-
-
3
Find a sunny planting site with well-drained soil. Test drainage by digging a hole as deep and wide as the tree's root ball. Then, put 5 gallons of water in it. One hour later, fill the hole with water again. If the soil has absorbed the 10 gallons of water within 24 hours, your soil drains well. Let most of the moisture evaporate before you plant your fruit tree.
-
4
Schedule the planting. In Arizona, plant bare-root fruit trees in February or March. Transplant container trees in September or October. Most fruit trees for sale have bare roots. Keep store-bought trees in the shade and their soil moist until you're ready to plant them.
-
5
Enlarge the planting hole you made in Step 3 to five times the width of the root ball, but keep it at the same depth. On the bottom, pile soil in the center to form a small mound in the hole.
-
6
Loosen and cut broken or discolored roots. Trim longer roots to the same size as the others.
-
7
Put the tree in the hole with the center of the root ball on the mound. Spread the roots down and around it. Backfill the hole with the topsoil you dug out.
-
8
Water the soil thoroughly and add a 4-inch layer of mulch around the base of the tree. Continue to water every two days during the growing season, giving your tree about 5 gallons of water a week. The University of Arizona Extension Service also recommends you paint the tree trunk with white latex paint to protect it from sunburn.
-
9
Prune your fruit tree right after you plant it. Cut the top 1/3 and train it into the shape best for the type of tree you have. For example, use the central leader method for apples and pears, and open center if you have peaches and nectarines. Your nursery or extension office offers advice on the right training method for your fruit tree.
-
10
Fertilize the soil when new growth begins after planting and in the beginning of every growing season, February to March in Arizona. The type and amount of fertilizer depends on the tree you have, but all fruit trees need nitrogen. In addition, spray a formula of chelated zinc and iron on the leaves.
-
11
Control pests and treat disease. In Arizona, the codling moth and peach tree borers are among about a dozen common insects that attack fruit trees. Diseases include fireblight, brown and crown rot, and powdery mildew. If something is affecting your tree's appearance and development, get help from your local extension office in identifying the problem and treating it.
-
12
Thin the fruit to keep branches from breaking under heavy weight and to improve fruit quality. Depending on the tree, you'll either prune the flowers as they bloom or the fruit as they mature, spacing them about 6 inches apart.
-
1
References
- Cooperative Extension, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Arizona; "Backyard Fruit Production at Elevations 3500 to 6000 Feet;" Deborah Young, Robert Call and Michael Kilby; Feb 1999
- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Arizona: AZ Master Gardener Manual: Fruit Trees: Introduction
- Photo Credit over-laden fruit tree image by Alfonso d"Agostino from Fotolia.com
