How to Plant an Orchard

My Black Tartarian Cherry Rocket Root tree from Gurney's...

The Potting Mix I use for planting... it has some compost, sand and other great additives that work well in clay.
And the sticks I bought to support my trees... installing those tomorrow.

My Dwarf Bing Cherry from fast growing trees.com ... the cross-pollinater to my Black Tartarian.

My Golden Delicious & Red Fuju Apple trees (front) and my Elberta & Contender Peach (back)

I LOVE fruit, could not survive without it, worry that there may come a day when the grocery stores do not have all the imported fruit anymore, and I LOVE to work outside. That is why I decided to turn our backyard into an orchard. I started off thinking one or two trees, then learned about cross-pollination etc. Now we have two peach, two apple, two cherry, a persimmon tree, two grape vines, 3 raspberry bushes, 2 blueberry bushes and 25 strawberry plants. Believe me yet that I love fruit?! If you want to do a little like me, and I would assume just a touch of the Storm way, here are my tips:

1. Basically, find out what fruit trees can be grown locally. Purchase them at a local nursery or online, I recommend www.gurneys.com and then watch a you tube video on how to plant a tree. Make sure you research to see if you need to buy two for cross pollination. (my tip on this is if you do need a pollinater, buy a more mature tree and a younger tree to save money and have fruit sooner... I bought an instant orchard peach tree, and an instant orchard apple, then I bought $25, 2-4 foot trees to pollinate. Fruit trees usually take a few years to bear fruit. A lot longer than that if you start from seed. Frankly, I am not that patient.

2. Watch the you tube video on how to plant a tree. Essentially you dig a big hole, mix the soil from the hole with potting MIX from Lowes or what not, and fill in the hole leaving the base of the tree bulb above ground (do watch the video).

3. Plan on cedar rust. I have lots of cedars in my neighborhood, and 7 in my backyard... they are staying. So, my fruit trees leaves will be speckled. But, don't give into vanity. The tree will still bare fruit. It will just look freckled.

4. INCLUDE THE KIDS in the fun. If you need materialistic back-up, Lowes sells kids size trowels and gloves etc. But, all you need is some plastic kitchen cups and a sink to wash their hands in. Kids love the dirt. So much of tree planting is kid friendly. Callie watched the video and I had her teach others how to do it. The best way to learn is to teach.

5. Winter is for planting. NOW IS THE time. Go online today to buy your trees. You want them in the ground in the next week or two, or else wait until fall.

Have fun!!