Production and Harvesting

Planting fruit trees can be a very rewarding experience for both commercial growers and home gardeners. Penn State Extension provides educational resources on growing and harvesting fruit crops such as apples, cherries, peaches, strawberries, and raspberries. Tips on thinning and pollination can be accessed, as well.

How to Plant Fruits and Fruit Trees

The first step in planting fruits and fruit trees is finding the right spot. Most plants require plenty of sunlight to fuel fruit production, so choose a planting area that receives full sun the majority of the day.

In most parts of the US, fruit crops are planted in early spring. However, before planting fruit trees, ensure that the soil is dry enough to crumble in your hand. Additional suggestions for home orchards include using dwarfing rootstocks, growing strawberries in pots, and growing currants in partial shade.

Growing Small Fruits

Small fruits require less space than trees and are an excellent choice for both orchards and backyards. By growing fruits at home, you can enjoy nutrient-rich fruit from early summer through late fall.

Small fruit varieties include blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and goji berries. They also include strawberries – one of the most popular and easiest fruit crops. Depending on the variety, strawberries fruit in June (“June-bearers”) or throughout summer (day-neutral types).

Learn how to grow strawberries and raspberries in containers and discover what it takes to grow brambles with Penn State Extension’s online courses.

Growing Fruit Trees

Growing fruit trees is a satisfying undertaking, but there are many considerations that need to be addressed prior to planting the first tree. Begin by deciding on the type of tree you’d like to grow – apple, pear, or stone fruit (e.g. peach, apricot, cherry, or plum).

If you want to grow fruits commercially, it’s important to focus on the orchard establishment and site preparation. Assess all factors that will affect production efficiency, fruit quality, and orchard sustainability.

Apple trees are a particularly popular cultivar. Apples can be an excellent choice for large orchards and smaller spaces alike. Learn how to start producing fruit in your yard with the Growing Apple Trees workshop.

Successful fruit production involves several key practices – pollination, thinning, pruning, irrigation, and fertilization.

Pollination

To produce fruit, most trees go through pollination – the transfer of pollen from the male part (stamen) to the female part of a flower (stigma). Birds, bees, and insects that help carry pollen are referred to as pollinators.

Most orchards rely on solitary bees and honey bees for pollination as their abundance can be managed from year to year. During bloom, pesticide sprays should be used with caution in order to protect pollinators.

Thinning and Pruning

Fruit trees often set more fruit than they can support. Leaving too much fruit on a tree, however, can weaken the tree and make it more susceptible to pests.

Pruning fruit trees, especially apples and pears, helps develop the desired tree shape, increases produce quality, and improves air circulation within the tree.

Along with pruning, thinning can help the fruit to develop to its maximum size, reduce the spread of diseases, and promote return bloom in the following season. Thinning is a highly effective crop load management tool for stone fruit and apple tree growers.

Irrigation and Fertilization

Uneven precipitation can cause plant stress, affecting both crop productivity and produce quality. Frequent irrigation and fertilization are required to meet the crop’s water and nutrient needs.

Irrigation systems, including the drip-irrigation method, provide trees with a consistent source of moisture and minimize stress during drought periods. Proper irrigation timing can increase crop yield and quality.

Fruit tree fertilization refers to the nutrients added to the soil. The degree of fertilization depends on the desired type of growth. A nutritional analysis can help you choose an appropriate fertilizer for the next season.

Harvesting Fruits

Timing is key when determining when to harvest fruit from your trees. Checking the ripeness of a few individual fruits can help decide whether trees are ready for picking. Ripening periods, however, vary depending on the fruit variety. With apples, for instance, background color, starch content, and firmness are the most important factors in guiding harvest timing.

For successful tree fruit harvesting, access Penn State Extension resources on orchard management, fruit maturity indicators, and post-harvest handling. Information on harvest assist technologies and harvesting home-grown fruit is available.