Moisture: Water regularly as needed.
Planting Instructions: When choosing a site to plant your fruit tree, consider the MATURE SIZE of the tree when picking a location and provide adequate space for the tree to mature. A good rule of thumb is to space trees ½ of their mature spread, i.e., if a tree has a mature spread of 20', plant each tree no closer than 10'. Also keep this in mind when planting near structures. Fruit trees prefer full sun. Do not plant trees under other shade trees or near tall structures that will cast shade upon the tree.
Choose a location with well-drained soil. Fruit trees do not like to have "wet-feet", in other words, they do not like to be in soils that drain slowly or hold water.
1. Dig a hole large enough to encompass the roots without bending or circling. 2. Set the tree in place so the crown (part of the tree where the root meets the stem) is about 1-2 inches below the soil surface. 3. Cover with soil to the original soil surface and water thoroughly.
THIN FRUIT: After fruit set, if the tree has produced a large amount of fruit and when the fruits are still small, remove 20-35% of the fruits. This will allow the plant to put all of its energy into the remaining fruits, which will in turn produce larger and healthier fruit. If thinning is not done and the plant produces an over-abundance of fruit, it sometimes will throw the tree into a biennial (every other year) producer. Therefore, it is important to thin fruit when the tree produces a large amount of fruit.
RAKE LEAVES: Do not allow fruit tree leaves to fall and remain on the ground under your trees. They can produce spores that can be harmful to the fruit tree. It is important to remove the leaves in the fall before winter.
PRUNING: Prune during late winter or early spring before the tree breaks dormancy. It is recommended to prune trees on a yearly basis.
OTHER TIPS: In areas that mice and rabbits are a problem, wrap the trunk of the tree with a quality tree wrap. Also, avoid mechanical injury with weed-eaters and lawn mowers as damaging the bark near the base of the tree can limit fruit production, stunt growth, and in some cases lead to the death of the tree.
