In the Garden with Pat Rubin

Bee garden writer Pat Rubin writes about everything that grows, from flowers and trees to vegetables and lawns. Pat volunteered for several years as a Placer County Master Gardener and has written about gardening for many national and regional publications. In addition to gardening, she spends time raising and showing miniature horses and miniature donkeys.

In the Garden will include news, events, advice and other gardening tidbits. Pat will also answer reader questions.

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January 23, 2008

Pruning the assorted orchard

Q: I purchased my first home a year ago and have been blessed with several fruit trees that produce delicious fruit. I have a white nectarine, orange, mandarin orange, Asian pear, and persimmon tree. I want to make sure they stay healthy and continue to produce the quality of fruit that they do. I have very limited gardening experience. Can you advise on the best way to care for my trees so that I have years of fruit to enjoy?
Susan Curtis, Sacramento

A: I was in a similar position many years ago. My husband and I decided we wanted an orchard, and planted about 20 trees: almond, peach, nectarine, apple, persimmon, pomegranate, plum and more. We soon learned they all have their quirks and idiosyncrasies when it comes to pruning and spraying. One bears fruit on new wood, another on old wood.

I bought a book on pruning and growing fruit and nut trees. The bookstores have several of them. Ortho, Sunset and others produce excellent books on caring for a variety of fruit trees.

I’d take the book out with me to the orchard each January. As I stood in front of the peach tree I’d turn to that section and read about pruning and spraying peach trees. Next came the almond, the pear, the plum, and so on. After a few years I knew each tree’s needs. And I learned to tell the various fruit trees by their bark as well as theirl eaves and growth habit. I learned about the different methods of pruning: open vase, modified central leader and more.
And each tree was pruned according to its needs.

Years later, my almond, apricot, peach, cherry and fig still produce copious amounts of fruit, provide shade for my miniature horses and are beautiful to look at.

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