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BACKYARD FRUIT PRODUCTION

BACKYARD FRUIT PRODUCTION. George Driever Horticulture Educator Pottawatomie County, OCES. Basics. Variety selection - select adapted varieties, size Site selection - know fruit’s soil, light and moisture requirements Planting area - < 10% slope

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BACKYARD FRUIT PRODUCTION

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  1. BACKYARD FRUIT PRODUCTION George Driever Horticulture Educator Pottawatomie County, OCES

  2. Basics • Variety selection - select adapted varieties, size • Site selection - know fruit’s soil, light and moisture requirements • Planting area - < 10% slope • Soil fertility - know fruit’s nutrient requirements • Understand the basics of soil fertility • Pest control - plan for control of pest problems

  3. Pre-purchase Planning • Rootstocks/Varieties • Number of trees • Sources of trees • Planting plan • Training plan • Spraying plan

  4. Rootstocks & Varieties • Rootstocks determine tree size and pest resistance • Varieties determine fruit characteristics and pest resistance • Both should be carefully selected

  5. Number of Trees • Two each of apples, pears and plums for cross pollination • Some trees are self pollinating • Example: One peach tree yields four bushels of fruit…..how much do we want to have on hand to process????

  6. Planting Plan • Choose north or east slope • Plant peaches on highest ground • Plant like fruits together for spray and pollination compatability • Allow 20 x 20 feet for each tree or train on a trellis • Mulch and maintain 5 feet diameter weed- and grass-free zone

  7. Training Plan • Begin the first year • All trees: wide crotch angles • Pome Fruits: central leader • Stone Fruits: vase shape…keep center open

  8. Cultural Practices for Disease Control • Properly space plants • Properly prune and trellis when practical • Avoid excessive soil moisture • Plant on raised beds • Improve drainage • Avoid overhead watering • Fertilize properly

  9. Air Movement • Pest considerations • Damage to seedlings and transplants • Drift from adjacent properties • Adjustments • Barriers • Fencing

  10. Pests of Fruit • Weeds • Insects • Diseases

  11. BENEFICIALS • Parasitic wasp • Lady beetle • Minute pirate bug

  12. Proper Identification • Essential for successful disease control • 1st - Disease vs. Insect • 2nd - Abiotic vs. Biotic • 3rd - ID pathogen

  13. Spraying Plan • Regularly scout for pests • Follow spray schedule • Plan to spray from dormant season until within two weeks of harvest • First three sprays after bloom are the most critical

  14. Modified Spray Programs • Extended Interval Spraying • Petal Fall + 3 - 4 Cover sprays @ 21 day intervals • Strip Spraying • Include outsides and ends • Reduced Dosage Spraying • Spray on schedule using lower rates • Spray As Needed • Requires scouting/monitoring

  15. Tree Fruits Ranked on Ease of Growing Pears Easy Apples Plums Cherries Peaches Nectarines Apricots Difficult

  16. Tolerate clay soils Fewer disease and insect problems Less likely to suffer frost damage Will not grow on clay or wet soils Several major disease and insect problems Bloom early in spring: susceptible to frost damage Pome vs. Stone

  17. Pome Fruits • Apples and pears easiest to grow • Choose disease-resistant varieties • Train to central leader • Bears after 3 to 5 years • Fruit stores well

  18. Apple Rootstocks and Varieties • MM-111 semi-dwarf rootstock Select varieties for: • heat and cold tolerance (zones 6 & 7) • disease resistance • Flavor • M-9 Fully dwarf rootstock • requires trellis or stake • 6 to 8 ft at maturity

  19. Training Apples • Central leader • 5 - 7 scaffold limbs • Encourage fruit spurs • Prune away crown suckers and water sprouts

  20. Growing Good Apples • Thin dime size fruit: 6 to 8 inches apart • Spray regularly starting fungicides at “Green Tip”; insecticides at 75% petal fall (tank-mix) • Fertilize in late winter and late spring • Harvest with slight upward twist and avoid bruising

  21. Pears • The easiest no-spray fruit • Asian pears….crisp, juicy • European pears…. more flavor, softer texture • All store very well

  22. Pear Rootstocks and Varieties • Rootstock: ‘Old Home’ x ‘Farmingdale’ a.k.a.: (OHXF) • Selected varieties must be fire blight resistant • Select for freedom from grit cells for softer texture

  23. Apple and Pear Insects • Codling moth • Up to 3 generations/year • Larvae • Adult • Damage • Cover sprays

  24. Apple and Pear Insects • Plum Curculio • Adult • Larva • Seldom form in fruit • Egg • Scars • Petal fall • Cover sprays • Pick up fallen fruit

  25. Site Selection - Stone Fruits • Peach and nectarine - do not tolerate wet soil • Avoid site where water stands more than one week after heavy rains • Avoid soils with high water tables • Dig holes 2 feet deep, fill with water If water stands 24 hours = bad site • Sandy soils - support peach trees • May require supplemental irrigation

  26. Peach and Nectarine Rootstocks • ‘Halford’ or ‘Lovell’ rootstocks survive in hot, humid Oklahoma soils.

  27. Peach and Nectarine Varieties • Resistance to bacterial spot • Winter hardy and late blooming • Cling vs. Freestone • White flesh vs. Yellow flesh • Span the season…..flowering time does not coincide with date of ripening. Choose early, mid- and late-season types.

  28. Training Peaches and Nectarines • At planting…..cut 18 to 30 inches high • Remove branches lower than 12 inches • Train to open-center “vase” shape • Select 3 to 4 main scaffold limbs • Prune heavily each year

  29. Pruning Stone Fruit Trees • Peach and Nectarine Pruning • Maintain open center pruning • Light penetration critical • Remove up to1/3of live wood/year • Remove suckers and water sprouts • Remove dead and diseased limbs

  30. Growing Peaches and Nectarines • Adhere to spray schedule • Stay ahead of peach tree borer • Apply N twice - spring and summer • Thin fruit: one every 8 inches before pit hardening • Provide plenty of water

  31. Cherries • Sweet Cherries • ‘Bing’ types….grow well • Need a 2nd variety for pollination • Choose crack-resistant varieties • Sour Cherries • Pie cherries. Easy to grow, dwarf varieties available • Both types have fewer pests than peaches

  32. GrowingGoodCherries • Select for disease and crack resistance • Select dwarf types so bird netting can be applied • Be diligent about peach tree borer • Train to vase shape…..little other pruning needed

  33. Plums Japanese or dessert-type Juicier, best for fresh eating European or Prune-type Good for drying, canning and preserves

  34. Plum Varieties and Pollination • Rootstocks: • Not as critical • Select Varieties: • Disease resistant • Winter hardy • Pollination: • European will not cross pollinate Japanese • Select two of same type to insure fruit set

  35. Plum Training and Care • Train to vase shape • Avoid knicking limbs when pruning….makes entry point for disease • Thin fruit to one every 3 to 4 inches • Avoid over-watering near harvest • Be diligent about peach tree borer

  36. Apricots • Choose cold hardy, late bloomers • Select dwarf types • Grow in container = mobile tree = frost protection • Thin fruit to one every 3 to 4 inches • Protect from birds • Be diligent about peach tree borer

  37. Diseases of Stone Fruits • Apricots • Cherries • Nectarines • Peaches • Plums

  38. Peach Leaf CurlTaphrina deformansPeach and Nectarine • Leaves severely deformed • Color varies from light green to purple • Infection requires free moisture, active leaf buds, temperature between 50° and 70° F • Control requires dormant season fungicide application

  39. Brown rotMonilinia fructicolaPeach, Nectarine, Apricot, Cherry, Plum • Infects immature or mature fruit • Soft dry rot • Rapidly spreading on fruit (48 hrs) • Infected fruit sporulate profusely, shrivel = mummies

  40. Control of Stone Fruit Diseases • Plant peach varieties tolerant to bacterial spot(Redskin, Redhaven, Candor, Dixired, Sunhaven) • Apply fungicides: • Dormant season: Peach leaf curl & Bacterial spot, Black knot • Shuck split: Brown rot, Scab, Black knot • Cover sprays: Brown rot, Scab, Black knot • Apply cover sprays at 10 to 14 day intervals

  41. Insects of Stone Fruits • Oriental Fruit Moth • 3 generations/year • Adult and pupa • Larva • Damaged shoot • Infested peaches • Petal fall • Shuck split • Cover sprays

  42. Insects of Stone Fruits • Plum Curculio • Shuck injury • Larva develop well • Adult • Petal fall • Shuck split • First and second cover sprays • “Wormy peaches”

  43. Insects of Stone Fruits • Catfacing insects • Plantbugs • Stinkbugs • Damage • Pre-bloom • Petal fall • Shuck-split • Cover sprays

  44. Insects of Stone Fruits • Lesser Peach Tree Borer • Adult • Infested limb • Damage scaffold limbs and branches • Gum mixed with wood borings or sawdust-like frass • Prebloom and cover sprays

  45. Insects of Stone Fruits • Peach Tree Borer • Most serious threat • Adult female • Larval instars • Borer in trunk • Lorsban - late May • Thiodan - postharvest

  46. Insects of Stone Fruits • Beetles • Green June beetles • Japanese beetles • Cover • Preharvest • Foliage feeders • Ripe fruit

  47. Pest Free Fruit Trees • Oriental Persimmon • Jujube • Paw Paw • Crab apples • Figs • Mulberry

  48. Small Fruits

  49. Blueberry

  50. Site SelectionBlueberry • pH 4.0 to 5.5 - get soil test • 1 to 4 lbs sulfur/ 100 ft2 • Full sun and well drained • Sandy loam with added organic matter - ideal • Avoid frost-prone areas Control weeds • bermudagrass • wild blackberries

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