How to Select & Care for Your New Fruit Tree

Fruit trees are a beautiful addition to any garden or backyard. They support pollinators, provide nutrient-rich food, and add beauty to your outdoor space. Whatever your fruit preference is, the way you select, plant, and grow all the various fruit tree types is essentially the same. 

Best Time to Plant Fruit Trees 

With the East Bay’s mild climate, you can easily plant fruit trees throughout the fall and into the latest weeks of winter. This takes advantage of the tree’s normal dormancy period and gives the root systems a chance to become well established before the warmer weather arrives.

This makes your tree more resilient so it is not as easily stressed by seasonal storms, heat spells, or lack of moisture. You can plant fruit trees into the late spring, but you’ll need to pay more attention to their watering requirements and closely monitor them for heat stress in the summer.

Choosing the Right Fruit Tree

New fruit trees are full of promise and dreams of future harvests. But before you run out and buy one, take a moment to consider your climate conditions, yard space, available sunlight, and soil type. These will contribute to your choice of which type of fruit tree to grow and what size will work for your space. If you already purchased a tree, this information is still relevant and will help with your next tree.

1. Climate

Different types of fruit trees thrive in different climate conditions so you will often hear about making sure your tree is suited to your USDA climate zone. You will read that many fruit trees require a minimum number of “chill days” in order to produce fruit.

Our mild Bay Area climate (zone 10 at our San Leandro nursery location) has a lower number of those chill days. A fruit tree that is highly productive in a cold northern state with freezing winters will not perform the same here. At Evergreen Nursery, we take all the guess-work out of this for you and only offer fruit tree varieties that are proven winners in our local East Bay climate. 

2. Location & Sunlight

Take a realistic look at the available planting space in your garden or yard. Be careful about choosing a planting site that is too close to buildings or other trees or extremely vulnerable to high winds. Above all, avoid any area that is in a low lying area with poor drainage. Soil drainage issues are among the top reasons that fruit trees do not thrive.

Also, consider the amount of year-round sunlight in your location, especially if there are other tall trees nearby. Fruit trees are NOT shade dwellers. They need a minimum of 6 hours in steady daily sunshine and warmth to grow a sweet harvest.

3. Tree Type

Whether you enjoy stone-fruit trees like apples, peaches, pears, plums, and figs, or citrus trees like oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, and lemons, choose a variety that pleases your palate. Then do a little homework.

Read online descriptions like the ones we have on our website fruit pages. Visit our nursery to read the plant tags and consult with our staff. You are making a long term investment in growing your fruit tree, so embrace this research period to make it a successful experience.

4. Tree Size

Fortunately, many popular fruit trees come in multiple sizes. Small fruit trees are ideal for limited spaces and some Dwarf varieties, such as many types of Citrus and specially-bred Stone fruits, can be planted in large outdoor containers to place on a patio or deck.

Fruit trees typically carry a size designation in their descriptions. Here's what they mean at our nursery:

Dwarf: Mature height will range up to 10 feet
Patio: Same as Dwarf, but with a long single trunk like a standard
Semi-Dwarf: Mature height will range up to 18 feet
Standard: Mature height will range up to 25 feet

5. Soil Type

Understanding your soil type will help you choose a tree that will thrive in your garden. Soil is such an important factor in growing a healthy fruit tree that we strongly recommend consulting with our nursery staff so you can prepare your planting area successfully.

Using your descriptions of the current soil conditions in your yard, our team can recommend appropriate amendments to help your fruit tree get off to a good start. This is extra important if you are considering a citrus tree of any variety. You may also want to get a soil test done as well to obtain more precise information about your soil conditions.

6. Pollination

One of the great joys of watching your fruit tree develop is during the spring season when it forms flower buds that blossom and attract pollinators.

While many commercial fruit trees require cross-pollination with at least one other tree in order to form fruit, the vast majority of fruit trees sold for home gardens are conveniently self-pollinating thanks to modern horticulture techniques.

These are also known as “self-fruiting” varieties and they are what we carry at our nursery. But don’t worry, the bees and other pollinators will still enjoy the nectar from your fruit tree’s flowers.

Planting Your New Fruit Tree

If you’re ready to purchase a tree, or if you’ve already bought one, make sure you’re prepared to plant it. For detailed advice, please refer to our post on Planting Bare-Root Fruit Trees . The planting method and post-transplant watering techniques are the same for fruit trees.

Caring for Your Fruit Tree

1. Watering

Proper watering is important for your tree's initial establishment. It is determined by a combination of your tree type, soil conditions, and seasonal weather. During the first year, keep the soil around your new fruit tree consistently moist, not overly wet or soaked. This is critical during dry spells. Here are some basic guidelines to consider:

a. Regular Watering:

Water your tree consistently, especially during hot and dry periods in summer or fall. Deep, infrequent watering is considered a better practice than frequent shallow watering.

b. Avoid Overwatering:

Ensure the soil doesn't become waterlogged, as the roots of your newly planted tree can end up rotting or diseased. This is especially critical if you have planted citrus trees.

c. Mulching:

Use mulches around the base of your tree such as our bulk fir bark to help retain moisture and regulate soil temperature. Be sure not to pile the mulch against your tree's trunk. Instead, create a three to four inch high “donut” of mulch around the tree with a few inches of ground clearly visible at the trunk in the center.

2. Pruning 

Your brand new fruit tree will need very little pruning the first year while it gets established. But it will need attention in the following seasons, especially to keep it at a manageable size for your garden. You want to prune your fruit tree during its cool weather dormancy to shape it, remove dead or diseased branches, and promote healthy growth.

Pruning is an essential aspect of fruit tree care that encourages healthy growth and fruit production. Truthfully, it is an artful skill developed over time. We recommend watching online videos, consulting with local Master Gardeners, or attending a pruning workshop like the ones we have at Evergreen Nursery each winter and spring. Consider these general pointers for more effective pruning:

Best Time to Prune Fruit Trees: Basic Pruning is typically done during late winter or very early spring, while the tree is still dormant and not producing new leaves or forming early flower buds. Summer pruning  is a recommended technique for keeping your backyard fruit tree to a manageable size.

Remove Dead or Diseased Branches: Cut back any branches that are dead, diseased, or damaged. Remember to use clean, sharp cutting tools to reduce injury to your tree from sloppy cuts and reduce the spread of disease.

Shaping, Thinning, and Training: As a general rule, prune to create an open center allowing sunlight and air circulation. This helps keep your tree healthy. Thin out excess branches and fruit clusters to promote larger, healthier fruit.

3. Fertilizing 

Fertilizing is the essential part of the tree growing process. Apply a balanced fruit tree fertilizer in the early spring to provide essential nutrients for flowering and growth. Fertilizer should be applied at the tree's drip line, which are the furthest points around your tree where water "drips" from the tree to the ground. NOTE: Citrus trees have different fertilizer needs than other types of fruit trees, so look for products labeled specifically for Citrus. 

Follow the manufacturer’s directions carefully when fertilizing, which may recommend multiple times during the year. But do not over-do it; more fertilizer is not better and can cause nutrient imbalances. Once your tree has started to develop fruit, you generally do not need to fertilize it again until the following year. However, side-dressing with quality compost can occur periodically, followed with a fresh application of mulch for water retention and protection against heat stress.

4. Pest and Disease Control

Prevention is the key to pest control and disease management. Regularly inspect your tree for signs of pest infestations or early signs of disease like leaf discoloration or irregular development of leaves, buds, or fruit. During the winter months, we generally recommend applying Horticultural Oil spray to help prevent common pests and Copper Fungicide to ward off disease issues during the growing season.

If you’re not sure what sort of indicators you’re seeing on your tree or what they mean, do not panic. Simply cut a small sample of the affected plant material, place it in a secure ziplock bag, and bring it to the nursery THE SAME DAY. Our staff will be happy to evaluate your sample and advise you on suitable remedies.

Visit Evergreen Nursery & Garden Center: Best Fruit Tree Nursery in the San Francisco East Bay Area

We offer a wide selection of fruit trees for home gardens, including smaller varieties suitable for patio containers and smaller yards. Our knowledgeable staff can assist you in selecting the right tree for your outdoor space and ensure that you have the correct supplies for successful planting and growing. Happy Gardening!