How long does it take for an orchard to grow?

Fruit trees take some time to start producing fruit, so if you’re buying saplings from a garden store- keep in mind that these trees are probably 1-2 years old. Once you’ve transplanted your saplings into the ground at home, you can expect fruit after about two years, or more depending on the type of fruit.

Growing an orchard also requires lots of planning! Some fruit trees take longer to produce fruit than others, here’s a quick guide for knowing how long you’ll have to wait to harvest your fruit:

• Citrus trees: 1-2 years

• Fig trees: 1-2 years

• Apple trees: 2-5 years

• Apricot trees: 2-5 years

• Peach trees: 2-4 years

• Pear trees: 4-6 years

• Sweet cherry trees: 4-7 years

Growing an orchard from scratch is an investment of time and care, but having your own fresh fruit trees is worth the time and effort.

How hard is it to grow an orchard?

Planning your orchard is the hardest part of establishing and growing your fruit orchard. How much space can you dedicate to your orchard? Will you need to grow standard or dwarf trees? What orchard trees can be planted near one another? Is your soil fertile enough to support your fruit trees?

Fruit trees typically like well-drained loamy soil, and love full sun, so consider these factors before anything else! You’ll also want to put your fruit orchard in a location protected from high winds, as these can damage your fruit trees.

Once your orchard is planned, start planting! Your saplings need to be far enough apart that they won’t encroach on other trees at full maturity. For example, an established standard apple tree’s crown can spread up to 25 feet, so be sure to give each tree plenty of space!

Maintaining your fruit orchard is no small feat, but pruning, treating, and harvesting is all you’ll need to do to keep your trees happy and thriving for years to come!

How do you care for a fruit orchard?

Once your saplings are planted, you’re in it for the long run. You’ll still need to do some routine maintenance on your fruit trees.

Pruning your fruit trees is absolutely necessary to maintain the health of the trees, and keeping harvests plentiful. Fortunately it isn’t as daunting a task as you might have been led to believe, you just need to remember the three D’s: damaged, diseased, and dead. If any of the branches on your fruit tree belong in these categories, prune them off. When you’re pruning, try your best to cut off these branches at the base, or closest to the larger branch it’s growing off of. Most gardeners recommend pruning trees during the winter, as it’s easier to see what you’re doing without foliage obstructing your vision.

Taking it a step further for maximal fruit production, cut off any branches that are pointing downward or obstructing other branches. Don’t be afraid to thin out your trees a bit!

In order to protect our trees from diseases and fungus, we spray them with a copper sulfate three times during the dormant season. The first treatment on Thanksgiving, the second at New Year’s, and the third near Valentine’s day.

With dedication (and a little luck) you’ll have a great harvest from your fruit orchard!

Want to catch a glimpse of our orchard? Check out our farm chores YouTube video to see how we maintain our orchard.

Hugs,

Christina & Trevor