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@@genejaytre in nature things are one foot apart so just like that. If there is spot I give 1-2 ft gap. It depends if it’s a pecan tree it needs space but all fruit trees don’t need much space. Always feed organic material. Microchonzia, mulch, fish emulsion, worm castings are always your best friend. If the soil is healthy spacing doesn’t matter as plants will share nutrients. The blacker your soil is the more healthier it is. Soil is everything to success in an orchard. I had unhealthy clay in my entire backyard now in all mulch beds it’s pitch black and everything succeeds.
@@TheBusyGardener what is your climate because I live in New England and I don’t know if pomegranates will survive and come back after the following winter? I know apples will in this area
Hi, we live on 20 acres with half that available for planting. My goal for our orchard is to have plenty of fruit to preserve via canning or dehydrating so that our large family (10 at this point) can enjoy the fruit year round. I plan to plant 2 or three trees of each fruit and don’t want them huge. At what height should I top them for the end result to be approximately 10’? How close should I plant them?
How cool! You've got a TON of space, so you don't need to plant in as high density as we do. I generally space my clusters of trees 10-12 feet apart from each other, and the trees within the planting are spaced about 2.5-3 feet from trunk to trunk. I top my deciduous trees around 2-2.5 feet, and they have no issue growing to 10 feet high
This is a great video. I am an experienced gardener with a mini orchard of 13 trees and I was able to learn a lot from this video. It presented information in a simple informative way that filled in some of the gaps left by other videos on a similar topic.
Excellent video…Our lot is 5550sq Ft with 1700 sq Ft house. We have around 25 fruit trees some dwarf and some not so much. You confirmed what my plan was in keeping my trees to the height I want..We live in zone 10A.
Thanks! I like this idea! I have planted most of my apple and pear trees as espalier (a foot apart from compound walls), but I can only do so against the walls that receive direct sunlight. This arrangement will allow me to plant even more fruit trees!
Funny, I am slowly building the front to have a higher density. During all our lockdowns here in Melbourne we turned the front lawn into an orchard and now into a food forest setup. We are about to do a 2 or 3 close planting of apples (for some reason my 6-year-old daughter wants a golden apple lol I didn't plant one). In 60 sq metres trying to balance, trees, bushes, ground and annuals like pumpkins and peas has been a challenge lol. I have 7 trees at the moment, 5 multi grafts and wanting another 7 more lol
I prune mine right after planting! Let's the tree begin growing in a desired shape/height, and reduces the amount of canopy it needs to support while establishing.
I'm trying that Dave Wilson thing this year. I already have many trees. I just ordered 6 trees from Trees Of Antiquity. Doing 4 trees in one hole and put the other 2 in their own spot. Thanks for the good video.
Well, I'm glad I came across this video, because I have been planting a 'fruit hedgerow' along the top of my sloping garden for the past 2 years, so that all the plants get the best of the sun. Lately, I've been wondering whether it had been a good idea to plant the apples several feet apart with smaller fruit bushes squeezed in between. I plan to keep the apple trees quite short (so I can reach), but still had nagging doubts whether all those gooseberries, currants, etc were just a little too close to the apples. (I do intend to mulch heavily afterwards, using this fantastic mass of beech mast I have here, so there's no question of soil fertility being a problem). Having seen this and seen how close together the plants are, I am sure I'm on the right track. Thanks!
Hi Debbie! It's amazing how well plants can grow in less space than commercial orchards would seem to indicate. The one thought on your planting between trees is to ideally have sunlight hitting the smaller plants as well. Planting them slightly forward of the trees so they get good sunlight may be something to consider. Happy gardening :)
Fantastic video. I was inspired by the book "Grow a Little Fruit Tree". The author talks about the first cut that should be about knee high. My mini orchard, not as impressive as yours though, is in its 3rd leaf, has no fruits yet. Hoping this is the year. Thank you for showing yours!
Thanks, LAX! That sounds like the perfect book. I've heard this method referred to as growing a little fruiting bush. What types of fruit have you got planted?
I bought the book too. Live in North central AR on a ridge line. Planted our 15 little “sticks” this spring and they are doing amazingly well so far. But my friends were looking at it with very grim expressions like, hate to tell you, but… they were too kind to say anything. I did the solstice pruning to control the size. That’s when they really bushed out. I’ve dreamed of this for so long. It’s thrilling to be here in the first year growth. Hope I can keep them alive and healthy!
Looks great! I have similar plan with multiple trees, but I have to let them grow vertically instead. This is thanks to damn deer attack in Fairfax, Virginia, where I live. I am using metal fences around the trees that unfortunately make my orchard look ugly. I am hoping eventually the deer population will be gone forever due to hunting and road accidents. I hate them so much! Thanks for sharing!
I had an opposite strategy on my fruit orchard, i bought 12 varieties of dwarf/grafted seedlings of tropical fruit trees many years back, and spaced them 4 or 5 ft apart only along the border/fence of my lawn, so i can use the main space for other functions like get togethers/car parking. . I let them grow dramaticallt for visual impact , hardly pruning them since i want that space to look like a forest park. I mulch but am too lazy to put them in a shredder to break them down easily. I hardly prune unless somebody volunteers to do it for me. Though you surely will be producing more fruits than i did, i find your method labor intensive. I got new ideas though from your video. Tnx.
Hi Gela, Thanks for sharing your method. When it comes to being labor intensive, I've found it's a trade-off. Each thing I do (or don't do) will affect my yield. I could get away with doing a lot less, but I (generally) really enjoy working on it and seeing how my care/pruning choices bear out. Pruning, thinning, feeding, etc. are all work, and it's all about what you're trying to accomplish. I would be driven a little nuts knowing I could have a better yield, or larger/tastier fruit. As busy as I am, I haven't found it to take tons of time or urgent attention (unlike a veggie garden).
I really wish I would have found this video before I planted all my trees...LAST WEEKEND. 😢 I can probably still do it adding to what I just put out though.
Hi Angela! That has been my story so many times. If I could replant the entire thing over again I would have done a lot the same, but changed some key things like which trees to group. It doesn't solve your current issue, but like you said (and like I've also done) you can plant any new trees closer to your current plantings to increase the density. Thanks for sharing!
What has YOUR experience been with planting multiple trees in single tree space? Remember, it's SUCH a bug help to have the right tools and gear. ITEMS I USE AND RECOMMEND (Affiliate Items ALL IN ONE PLACE): www.amazon.com/shop/thebusygardener More "The Busy Gardener" Videos: ru-vid.com/group/PLScRNuJpsSkzyz_PaGsWNTePZiQEUKQoE
My experience has been that I give my trees at least 10 ft of space . I do have 10 figs that are zig zagged at about 6 ft apart that do well. But my fuyu persimmons are espalier at 8 ft . everything else like apple plums peaches etc...has 10 to 15 ft. This is good info ill try it. But doubt it would work on American persimmons as mine are 30 ft wide
I'm late to the game here. I realize this video is several years old. Just wanted to say thank you. Its very helpful. Also, one question for clarity: How do you ensure good pollination. If early, mid, and late season are close together, i am guessing the flowering periods don't overlap too much. Do you have to have other trees of the same seasonality close by?
Hi Paula, thanks so much for watching! For trees that require pollination from a compatible Neighbor, the blooms do you have to overlap. For the self fruitful varieties, this can help give a larger crop but isn't required. It's a little bit hard to tell in my orchard because I've got lots of overlap. I tried to place compatible pollinators close to each other to help
Very inspiring. Thanks! Question1: I live in Minnesota. I have planted 2 fruit trees for my zone (4B) yesterday Aug 24 - (a contender peach and a north star cherry) , and I would like to keep them about 5 1/2 feet tall forever (right now they are about 5 feet tall out from the nursery). I am about to make that big cut of the main central trunk at about knee high as you described - leaving a few buds / branches under which hopefully will start a "cup" shape for the trees. I am afraid to make the cut and weaken the trees enough that they won't make it through winter here - should I be worried? is that "big" cut to make the trees small hard on the tree's health and root system? Question2: the main central branch is about 3/4 of an inch in diameter.Is cutting with a reciprocating saw ok to make a clean cut? should a "tree pruning sealer" applied on the cut? Maybe you or one of your viewers can answer my questions. Thank you all!
Hey Fab! Q1) Make the cut! New trees are fine to make this sort of cut without any stress. In fact, making this cut upon planting gives the tree less canopy for the roots to support as they get established! A similar cut on an established tree could kill it Q2) The cleanest pruning cut is made using bypass pruners or loppers. Anything that creates a jagged or rough cut invites disease and is harder for a tree to heal. That said, a reciprocating saw can be used for pruning cuts but is secondary in preference to shears or loppers
I tell people all the time that fruits and vegetables don't grow with specific spacing in nature. That's from tomatoes, peppers, to fruit trees. Your video has been helpful!!
Thanks. I feel scared to cut the tree. I feel like I'm gonna kill it. I've only been growing my citrus and fruit trees in containers but since my local nursery isn't really selling dwarf varieties anymore I need to learn to do this and probably thinking to put some in ground in my front yard. I'm wondering though do I need to cut to knee height ? Will it still be okay to cut at waist height ?
@@TheBusyGardener it will depend on what rootstock he his for instance you can get away planting m27 root stocks with as little as 3.5 feet apart I have done something similar to you but with less space I have 6 trees I have 2 semi dwrf 1 m9 and rest m27 hoping to make some cider in a a year or two as they are fully mature after 3/4 yrs(m27)
@@kathrynwoodall7045 Hi Kathryn! Pollination is better with high density planting because you've got trees that much closer. The bees don't have to make too far a jump to pollinate other varieties when they're within just a few feet.
I think planting different species trees should be better than same ones, less prone to pest attacks and varied and richer mix of leaf droppings for manure. Few stone fruits along with a few citrus, pears, pomegranate, etc and a hardy banana in the centre. It seems that banana is good for water storing and massive mulching. Pl coment.
Tree size and fruit size are independent of each other. On a mature tree (regardless of size), you can most easily control fruit size through thinning the number of fruit. I've got a vid on fruit thinning!
I found this video very informative and encouraging We have an area just about the same size as your test orchard. And i was thinking I'd only be able to get 4 varieties in there, at best. Very very encouraged! Thank you.
I had been wondering if a regular sized tree which has not been grafted onto any dwarfing rootstock could still be maintained as small and you answered that question! Now I can plant some tiny trees in places where I never thought I could! I just planted 4 fruit trees 8 feet apart and the most difficult part for me is choosing how to prune them for desired size,
What low nitrogen fertilizer do you use? I have 3 fruit trees coming next week that I am going to plant this way. My family thinks I’m nuts bc I have a tiny yard and I’m planting 3 trees. 😆
Hi Micki! This method IS a lot different than what most people think of with tall, shading, fruit trees. I use GroPower "Flower N Bloom" 3-12-12 (manufactured locally in Southern California). Any low Nitrogen, high Potassium, High Phosphorus feed should accomplish the same goals. Here's a vid that may help flesh out how to feed your trees. Thanks for watching! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-O_aNpUkVEng.html
@@walkbyfaithfamily9177 You can plant them REALLY close with success, though they seem to do best with 3-4 feet between them, from trunk to trunk. How close did you plant them?
The Busy Gardener - I put the apple tree (dwarf) 4 feet from a peach tree (standard). I ended up moving it more like 6 feet away. I still have 2 more trees to plant though- another apple and another peach. Could I still use that hole I dug??🤷♀️. They are spaced in a diamond pattern if that helps.
As I reflected on what I saw in your video I had a question: 'at some point you're likely to tired frim this high maintenance system, what is your plan should that occur? Will you thin them, replant, or let survival of the fittest thing decide?
Hey Truck Taxi! That's a great question. 3 parts to my answer: 1) This system is less high maintenance than I make it. In other words, I'm working on things more than they need to be. The average backyard guy could get away with a lot less than I do. 2) Keeping the trees pruned smaller means a lot less work/hassle in other ways (no ladders, easier harvest, etc) so there is a bit of a tradeoff. 3) I have 5 kids. If they wanna eat the fruit, they're gonna have to learn to care for it. So that's my long term plan, lol.
old dave ! We’re still a few months away from any stone fruit coming on, but you can spot lots of citrus in my fall update here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-JeCeDHGj-ak.html
@@TheBusyGardener were the fruits after you severely pruned the trees, thanks if I were you, I would graft some of those trees, it's very easy, also it's going to be interesting how the trees make out without the nitrogen
@@olddave4833 The fruit was limited, for sure, but it was a hit I expected, and did this pruning for the long term structure of the tree. Returning the structure for more compact and bushy, vs long and spindly. Those same trees have a ton of fruiting wood on them for this next growing season, so it'll be interesting to watch. The trees are still getting nitrogen in this feed and the breakdown of organic material, just less they would with a high "N" fertilizer. As far as grafting, I'm seriously considering trying it out when the trees mature a little.
Ilove your methods and concepts! i just bought my first home with 30 mature fruit trees but most are WAY too tall to reach the friut. Can you prune older mature trees and not hurt the trees? i'd like to restructure some of them to lower the fruit access but dont want to hurt the mature tree growth and fruiting. i'm nearby in Riverside. hit 120 degrees last summer.
JuicingGardener (Sheryl Mann) hi Sheryl! Thanks for stopping by and the kind words. A couple questions: 1) How old are the trees? 2) How tall are they? In short, you’d need to make whatever height reductions over 3 seasons, which will severely affect and limit your fruiting for the next few years. If your trees are older, or if you don’t want to sacrifice that many years of fruit with uncertain results, you may consider starting over with new trees. That might sound drastic, but you’ll have fruit sooner, and you’ll be able to develop a canopy at your desired height right away. If you decide to go keep your mature trees, here is an excellent resource from Dave Wilson Nursery: www.davewilson.com/home-gardens/growing-fruits-and-nuts/cultural-practices/taming-big-old-tree
@@TheBusyGardener super valuable info thanks! Some are easily 25+ feet tall. our avo tree is 60+ feet tall. we have room to add more trees and keep them shorter, reachable. our big old ones still fruit well. i like your idea of taking 3 years to modify them slowly to give them breathing room.
oh we just bought the 1979 house. it was built on orange groves so have no idea age, but they COULD be 50+ years old. i'm too new at fruit trees to determine their age
So, are your current trees all Citrus and avocado? If so, height is truly not as big a deal, as you can pick much of the fruit with a fruit picking basket (they aren't as delicate as peaches, for example). Citrus puts most of the fruit in the bottom 2/3 of the tree, so you won't sacrifice too much fruit by bringing the canopy down a few feet. You're blessed to have the option to keep trees and add others. Have anything in mind you're considering adding?
I just subbed your channel, and am looking forward to seeing more of your adventure. Quite a different climate experience out here than in the Midwest! :)
Greetings from Nova Scotia, Canada! The most important thing you have said is that as backyard gardeners we do NOT need all that commercial orchard space for our fruit trees! I have known this now for several years and what I find most frustrating is that the planting instructions that come with all fruit trees are for commercial orchards! It is quite ironic that these instructions actually cause the nurseries to sell less fruit trees to the home gardener! Anyway take care and stay safe!
Great Video. Just I was looking for. I'm trying to plant fruit tress in a 30 feet by 6 feet stripe. How far apart do you plant two different spices? I want to get the maximum usage from that spaces with different varieties.
If you're wanting just a strip, I think you can still get away with planting 2-3 in a hole, 2-3 feet from trunk to trunk. The closer they are together, the more work they'll be and the less fruit you'll get from each variety, but you'll have more varieties. So it's up to you on that one.
@@TheBusyGardener Thank you so much for getting back with me. What kind of hand pruners are the best? What do you use? Money is not a problem really just want something that will last, thank you again, Cathy By the way they will be used for pruning tree branches Apple, fig, pear I appreciate your knowledge and your generosity.
If I planted my tree around August (late winter in australia) didnt cut them down to knee height is it too late? I pruned them all to have four branches coming out at different angles but some are just below hip height where the branches start. Also my nectarine and peach pnly had four branches coming out but their summer growth has taken off and there are now plenty of new branches coming from the main stem starting very low down. They are low and all very long (half a metre). Does that sound ok?
Great video! Will this work on a pear or plum tree that has been grafted with a few varieties? Could cutting the tree possibly remove one or two of the different varieties?
If you have a multi-budded tree and you cut to knee high, you might accidentally remove desired types of fruit from the tree. Those trees usually have each type of fruit on them marked, so you can definitely reduce size without accidentally cutting off a branch for an entire type of fruit
I just purchased a few fruit trees. My 2 Asian pears are the tallest but I’m nervous about cutting them down before they have established strong roots. What do you suggest? They’re still in their original pot because I need the roots to grow.
Will trees produce fruit sooner if you cut them down? Example, a pear tree would normally take 7 years to produce fruit. Would cutting the trunk make it produce sooner?
For a lot of trees, the rootstock has more to do with how quickly they fruit than any pruning practice. In your pear tree example, a vigorous dwarf rootstock will produce fruit more quickly than a semi-dwarf or standard rootstock
Do you have rabbit browse issues in winter in your area? Here, with several feet of snow, they eat any young bark 4 feet and lower. I'm wondering if I will need to raise the first cuts up a few feet, so young growth is out of their reach
Not too many issues with rabbits. Most of our branching is pruned to at least 18 inches above the ground. That said, our ground level never gets taller because of snow!
So I planted a peach tree and just couldn’t wait to pick that first Piece of fruit. Well this is our second year and it’s growing so beautifully however the fruit gets about a little bigger then a golf ball and falls off. They don’t mature enough for picking. They get about half way and falls off. What am I doing wrong ? I so want this tree to be happy and healthy.
Congrats on the planting! It could be lots. Under watering, OVER watering, not yet mature enough tree, not enough nutrients in the soil. It's a pretty young tree so it could be starts and stops with that. How often and how much/long are you watering?
I replied a second ago with a response: most fruit trees will do ok in a barrel. The main consideration in a barrel that decays like wood, is having a plan for reporting when the existing barrel eventually degrades. That said, you also want a container that is light enough to be physically moved if needed (even with help)
Your video gave me some good ideas for grafting... earliest fruiting on the north (in northern hemisphere) and latest on the south. I want to do an apple+pear variety tree and peach/plum/apricot variety tree... maybe applicable to grapes too. Good stuff.
Thanks for watching, Technosaurus! Multi-budded trees are essentially the same concept, just on a single tree. I haven't tried grafting though I may go for a multi-stone, multi-apple sometime just to see how many fruit I can get on a single tree. If you think of it, report back in with how it goes.
Hello Cameron, just found your wonderful channel and subscribed straight away after seeing you with Kevin the Epic Gardener. Now watching back to back episodes on your miniature fruit trees as I planted my first 4 on Saturday 🥰
I have a some peach trees I want to do this with. Have you ever incorporated the Elen White method with high density planting? If so, could you refer me to your video or a link you may know of with these two methods combined? Thank you and I do enjoy your channel.
@@TheBusyGardener oh I see and understand that would be quite labor intensive. I believe I will be moving forward with the EGW method and combining High Density Planting. We have heavy clay here in GA so I'll be renting an auger. Thank you for the reply and best wishes from my family to yours.
Prune now!! I'm going to prune next week (and will have a video out about a week later). In the meantime, check out one of my other summer pruning vids.
Most of my trees have been purchased with the last two years, a few as recent as this spring. All purchased from big box stores or home improvement stores. Is it too late to do a heavy prune to control height? They are all in giant containers. Thanks in advance.
Thanks for the info your shared here. What a great little orchard you've got going. I, wonder if you could point to any downsides of this approach? i.e. significantly more work in pruning to keep the trees in check or anything like that?
Hi Newpatch! I think it's more an issue of trade-offs than downsides. For the home gardener, this approach is actually a bit LESS work because the trees aren't getting too big, you don't have to drag a ladder out, less fruit to manage, etc. That being said, with smaller trees you will get less fruit than a full size tree (30ft tall instead of 8-10ft), you do make more cuts because you have access to the whole canopy. On the whole, this approach is especially well suited for the backyard grower.
Cross pollination only matters if your planting any seeds from the resulting fruit. Fruit from one genus won't pollinate fruit from another genus. Such as apple to peach, pomegranate to plum, etc.
The fruit in our main orchard has put out TONS of fruit! These trees here have been in the shade of this olive tree, and are far less productive (except for my Anna apple, and Pomegranate against the wall)
Great video, very illuminating! I struggle with pruning so your technique and explanation was helpful. Do dwarf varieties need to be chosen to prune low? Thank you!
Just found your channel it's great clear explanation & you really offer tremendous encouragement. I wound love to use this concept too but instead of planting the fruit trees in the ground directly I'm planting them in bottomless containers because my native soil is poor & rocky so I figure I'll give them a headstart In good rich soil plus the container will help to dwarf the tree too but would you still suggest planting similar varieties together as opposed to completely different varieties?
Wow, thanks for the uplifting words, Geriann! A few thoughts on that: 1) I am a big advocate of planting directly in the ground. A container planted tree will need more attention, and is more sensitive. 2) your soul may be better than you think! Putting a solid mulch layer on top and feeding your trees in early Feb, early April, and late June will give them everything they need. I've also got incredibly rocky soil. 3) I suppose it's possible to multiplayer in a container, but that's a really small space for all that root structure to make use of. I've got a handful of planting videos that Can help you on this journey!
@@TheBusyGardener ok i understand what you're saying about container planting but i have the bottom of my containers open to the ground so eventually they will root into the ground the earthworms & other nutrients will be accessed because by taking off the bottom of the container creates an open system similarly to directly planting in the ground plus having a good part of the rootball above the surface prevents it from getting waterlogged in our rainy season. Here in the tropics in the West Indies we only get 2 seasons a wet & a dry season almost half of the year. My soil seems to be rocky & loamy not a very good combination drainage is poor in the rainy season & as you know most plants & fruit trees dont like "wet feet".
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I want to try the knee-high, open-canopy style of pruning. I notice your tree trunks are at least arm-thick. My new trees are finger-thick. Do you have an opinion as to when I can start pruning them? (At what size? And if ok to leave just the trunk with no leaves?)
Thanks, Christopher! It's worked out really well for us, and I think makes the whole fruit tree thing manageable for the average person. Have you got any fruit trees planted?
Protects them from sunburn/sun scald! Especially important on subtropicals like avocado and citrus with more tender bark. The plus of using IV Organics is that the natural oils they use repel pests too. You can use code BUSY10 for 10% off anything on their site
Get the rootstock that works best for your soil, THEN make decisions based on dwarfing. Only exception in my mind is if you don't plan to prune it, or are planting in a container. Then I strongly suggest dwarfing rootstocks to help manage size.
On fertilizing. You want to see at least a few inches of growth before feeding. Not because you'll burn it, but because you want the tree to establish before jumpstarting feed induced growth
Depends on the tree and the location. In our main orchard (similarly planted but in more sun) we have from a dozen to 100 fruit (even after thinning) on some trees
I’m planning to start mine this year, I’m in a much cooler climate (Zone 3) and 99% of the people I tell I’m doing this think I’m crazy and it won’t work, and that what works in California won’t work here. I’ll be using all hardy varieties and rootstocks, zone 2/3 stuff - apples, pears, plums, cherries, even a Hardy apricot. You think the same principles applied will work for me in Zone 3?
Yeah, we are at opposite ends of the spectrum! This close planting will definitely work for you, and if you are planting cultivars that are hardy in your climate, you should have great success
This is SO helpful to see how you planted and pruned these trees. I'm still kind of confused about dwarf tree pruning though... If you cut at knee height, will the tree still grow to 10' tall? or more like 6' (at full maturity)? I need to figure that out before I prune mine. Thank you so much for sharing your garden with us.
So glad it helped! Cut down at knee height, these trees will still reach their full mature height. This topping is primarily done to encourage a different growth habit. So, I suppose it's possible that a dwarf tree that would be 23 feet may not reach that exact beight because we've removed a central leader and opted for an open center pruning. That said, most of our deciduous trees in full sun easily reach that 10' height and need to be kept there through pruning. Good luck!
Thanks so much! This is an awesome video. Next spring I am planting out a backyard orchard and plan to do it just like this. It was great so see it in someone's yard!
So I'm a novice at this. And I'm dying for cherry trees. Can I plant them along an outer fence line and the roots won't spread out too far? And I believe the varieties I'm looking into require cross pollination. Can I plant them close together or would further apart like 10 feet across the yard be better?
Cherries are terrific! Roots will spread with cherries, but does the fence line matter if the roots stay beneath the soil? Most cherries require a compatible pollinator in order to set fruit. When it comes to pollination, the closer, the better. 10 feet is ok too
I just transplanted a 5 gallon (about 4 ft i think at this point) sweet cherry and it looks like the nursery already pruned into a open center. I’m happy with the shape but I think that it probably needs to be pruned further to get the height down. Should I leave it be or am I able to bring it down some? I’ve also got an Asian pear that i transplanted in the spring and it’s more of a central leader. Id like that to be a modified central. It’s got a lot of great 360 degree branching, should I have any issues pruning the central branch now? Thank you!
A bit late to the reply, but it's ok to prune it down further, especially if it's a younger tree! PRUNE AWAY! A young tree will tolerate severe pruning much better than an established one.
Out side my backyard have 3 big tree when I grow vegetable on raised bed big weed join in won’t do any good even with cloth in My jujube ga866 grow on ground 1 year don’t do any good maybe big weed can I dig tree up this spring or wait winter I just buy 2 jujube sugarcan honey jar if I grow in container can I cut to knee high tree 7,8 feet tall branch top only ,can I cut it even bottom tree don’t have any branch please advice still confuse grow container or in ground please let me know , can I grow jujube closed to house thank you very much
If you cut the jujube, it should branch out from the buds, even if there aren't any right now. The one in the ground could be dug up right now, but be sensitive with the roots
I haven’t got your beautiful climate. I live in N Ireland and just bought 3 cherry. And 3 apple trees. Could I plant them like you did in an allotment?
Hi Ernesto! I used these tags: www.amazon.com/dp/B01LP3KFWS/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_GkOpCbH29AQQP I also include a strip of flag tape so I can easily locate them when there are a lot of leaves. Info I include are the: Species - Variety, and in the top right I put the year planted, and the rootstock, if known.
so glad I found your video! I want to get my first fruit trees soon and I don't have much space. Ive been in my house 5 years and never thought it was possible to get fruit trees because they get so large and you need multiple for pollination. This is life changing info, thank you! What would be some differences of getting dwarf vs regular sized trees? Would there be a difference in the growth rate? (does it require significantly more pruning for the normal sized trees). It seems like the dwarf trees are harder to find and more expensive. Thanks so much
I'm so glad this has given you some ideas! Most of my trees are standard sized, and will be controlled via pruning and feeding with low-nitrogen fertilizer. Whatever dwarfing/standard route you take, if you're planting 2/3/4 to a hole, make sure they're the same type so a standard rootstock doesn't overtake the others. In other words, don't plant 2 dwarfs and one standard in a single high density planting.
@@TheBusyGardener Thank you for your helpful info! I've been trying to shop for bare rooted fruit trees but I can't find anywhere local near me that will have them this spring. I've been searching online but many are sold out of the varieties I want. Surprisingly, my local Home Depot has potted fruit trees and many of the varieties I was looking for! I am not sure if the trunks are too thick to be doing the "cut at the knee method". I searched and didnt see any buds that low. Do you think they could create limbs? Or must they have buds for sure? Just trying to see if you had any input on if you would highly not recommend these Home Depot potted trees or if you had any opinions. Thanks so much. Ps- Really enjoying your collaboration video with Epic Gardening.
@@Thunderkitty0 There shouldn't be an issue with cutting down ANY potted 5 gallon plant. Only exception are nectarines and maybe peaches if the trunk is larger than 3/4inch, where they might not push out growth. 5 gallon plants are usually smaller than this and shouldn't present any issue. I'm glad you're enjoying the vids with Kev!
@@TheBusyGardener yes, great job with Kevin, its been so enjoyable watching the videos. I truly appreciate how helpful you've been. I just have one more question. Sorry to bother you again! So good news is that I found my local tractor supply store has smaller fruit trees for peaches and pears. But they do not have cherries. I think I want to buy the home depot cherries but they are in #7 pots (so 7 gallons?) Some of the tags do have callipers listed such as, "11/16 inch". Do you still think they will push grown if I cut them down to knee level? (they're all tall as me). I don't see any buds but they will make buds, right? They are the Stella and the Rainier variety. Thanks again
@@Thunderkitty0 They should! One good thing about Home Depot is that if the tree fails, you can return it as an exchange. You're making a common pruning cut which should be great, and you've got a safety net if the tree doesnt' respond as it should.
