Gardening

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PLANNING AHEAD There are many questions gardeners should ask themselves when choosing which tree to plant.

Tree selection

Fall is the ideal time to plant bare root trees

By KATE RUSSELL

Fruit and nut trees make excellent additions to landscapes, but how do you know which trees to plant? The questions below will help you select the best fruit and nut trees for your yard.

First, how big of a tree do you want? These trees are available in standard, semi-dwarf, and dwarf sizes. Most standard fruit and nut trees can reach 20 feet in height and width, or more, though peach and nectarine trees rarely grow larger than 12-15 feet. Semi-dwarf trees grow 12-15 feet, while dwarf trees only reach 8-10 feet. Smaller trees have the added advantage of being easier to care for and producing fruit sooner than larger trees. Most dwarf trees can be grown in large containers.

How big of a crop can you use? Different species produce different sized crops. Under ideal conditions, a dwarf apple tree might produce 200 pounds of fruit, a semi-dwarf apple can yield 400 pounds, and a standard apple tree might produce 600 pounds. A dwarf apricot tree only produces 40 pounds and a standard apricot tree might yield 240 pounds.

What is your Hardiness Zone? Hardiness Zones are geographic regions with specific annual minimum temperatures. This information helps you select plants appropriate to your microclimate. The Pajaro Valley is in Hardiness Zone 9 (b).

How much sun does your yard get? Most fruit and nut trees need at least eight hours of sunlight each day to be healthy and productive.

Will you need a pollinator tree? Some fruit and nut trees are self-fertile. This means they have both male and female flowers and only one tree is needed to produce a crop. Other varieties need a second tree for cross-pollination. Self-fertile trees are significantly more productive when there is a second tree nearby.

Which pests and diseases are in your neighborhood? Knowing ahead of time which pests and diseases are likely to affect your fruit and nut trees can help you select varieties that are resistant. This means less work for you.

Finally, how many chill hours do you get? Chill hours are the combined number of hours below 45 degrees Fahrenheit experienced by a tree each year. Without adequate chill hours, trees will generally not produce. Most of northern California gets 800 to 1,500 chill hours.

Fall is the best time to plant bare root trees; just be sure to plant them at the proper depth. This means the flare of the trunk and any grafting are visible above the soil level. For the first few years, when your fruit tree produces flowers, it will live a longer, more productive life if you remove those blossoms before they start turning into a crop. This gives the tree the time it needs to generate a healthy root system.