Why have a backyard or home orchard? The obvious reason is home food production with the hobby and exercise experience that come with it. Fruit trees, their form, fruit, bark, and foliage, may also serve an aesthetic or decorative role in the home setting. Sometimes trees are simply nostalgic, sparking memories from childhood or past. Here are a few other benefits of having your own backyard orchard:

1. The ability to grow the tastiest varieties, many of which are not available in the supermarkets because they are not grown by commercial growers.
2. The freedom to select varieties that will give fruit many months out of the year.
3. The advantage of having tree-ripened fruit in your own yard. (It’s not possible to get ripe peaches, for example, in the supermarket.)

Want a fabulous local reference book on growing fruit trees? The Home Orchard is the one to get. Buy it in our office or online 

Resources

 

Growing Fruit Trees - UC Backyard Orchard -from The California Backyard Orchard website covers the basics including soil, tree selection, planting, first year care, irrigation, pruning and training, harvest, pests and diseases, and more!

Fruit tree pests? Go to the experts at UC IPM for help. Choose from a list of commonly grown fruit and nut trees for photos and guidance on dealing with pests and disorders specific to each tree type.

Fruit tree training and pruning:
Planting and Care of Young Trees (ANR 8048) (PDF 112KB)
Pruning Overgrown Deciduous Trees (ANR 8058) (PDF 97KB)
Training and Pruning Deciduous Trees (ANR 8057) (PDF 226KB)
Thinning Young Fruit (ANR 8047)

Calendar of Operations:

Almonds

Apples and Pears

Apricots

Cherries

Peaches and Nectarines

Plums

Walnut

Safely Preserving

Apples - Safe methods to store, preserve and enjoy

Cantaloupe - Safe methods to store, preserve and enjoy

Olives: Safe methods for home pickiling

Oranges - Safe methods to store, preserve and enjoy

Strawberries - Safe methods to store, preserve and enjoy

Other Fruit tree related sites and articles
 

Frost protection for Citrus and other subtropicals

Fruit tree leaf roller

Naval orange split

Peach Leaf Curl

Photographic guide to citrus fruit scarring

Budding and Grafting Citrus and Avocado (ANR 8001) (PDF 168KB)