Congratulations! Owning and growing fruit trees is your opportunity to grow food from the comfort of your own yard. Moon Valley Nurseries is here to provide you with the best practices on caring for your new fruit trees. Our nursery pros have put together helpful information on fruit tree maintenance to set you up for success on the exciting journey of growing your own fruit.
Whether you own citrus, stone fruits, nuts, or other varieties of fruit trees, growing your own fruit producing trees is a rewarding experience. The ability to walk out your back door and pluck a ripe peach, orange, almond, or pomegranate off your trees is an incredible feeling. We think every homeowner should get to enjoy this wonderful privilege, so we have put together this guide to give you the tips and tricks necessary to get the best crop from your fruit trees year after year.
The first step in properly caring for your new fruit trees is to follow correct watering practices for the current season. Different fruit varieties are going to have unique watering requirements. As a general rule of thumb, most varieties will need watering once to twice a week in the winter, two to three times a week in the spring and fall, and three to five times a week in the summer. You can always find the complete care information for your specific varieties by speaking with our nursery pros or you can find a care guide for your trees on our website.
A key part of keeping your trees healthy and producing great fruit is fertilizing. Fruiting trees and their produce will benefit greatly from a monthly dose of nitrogen-based fertilizer - such as our Moon Dust™ - in the spring and fall months. Many fruit tree varieties will also greatly benefit from monthly applications of our Landscape Soil Conditioner during the summer months. This will tailor the soil to maximize crop performance and the general appearance of your trees.
You can also use our Supercharged Moon Juice™ through out the year to provide a substantial boost to your fruit trees’ root effectiveness, ensuring they soak up all the necessary nutrients and minerals available!
Knowing how to correctly trim your fruit trees is another essential part of growing an abundant, tasty harvest. Trimming should be done to remove old branches and make way for new growth. This can be done by following a few simple guidelines. Be careful when pruning to never cut back more than two thirds of the overall foliage of your trees, and when your fruit tree is flowering or fruit is setting, do not trim it back. These flowers turn into your fruit, and if you trim during this time you could be unknowingly taking away from your harvest.
You can find the care guide for your trees here!
A huge aspect of having the yard of your dreams is designing your yard to ensure your trees, palms, and plants are well-placed for proper style, sun exposure, water needs, and growth patterns. Our professional landscape designers are happy to consult you in designing your yard for the best results and a landscape you will enjoy for years!
Download our handy fruit tree care infographic here!