Webinar: How to Select the Right Fruit Tree

Do you dream of growing a fruit tree but aren’t sure how? Our edible gardening expert Dan Alexander will share information on available fruit tree varieties as well as what to look for and consider when selecting the right tree for your garden. This webinar is appropriate for all gardening levels.

• What are the challenges in choosing a fruit tree?
  • Do I Have a Good Location?
    • Sun exposure
    • Drainage
    • Irrigation
    • Room to grow
    • Compatibility with existing landscape
  • Size
    • Standard
    • Semi-dwarf
    • Dwarf
  • Type
    • Deciduous
    • Evergreen
  • Important terms
    • Dormant
    • Bare root
    • Grafted or budded
    • Variety
    • Rootstock
    • Caliper and age
    • Chill hours
    • Self fertile vs, needs a pollinator
  • Planting
    • In the ground
    • Multiple trees together
    • In containers
    • Soil amendments and fertilizers
    • Staking
  • Some popular varieties
    • Apples
    • Fuji
    • Granny Smith
    • Pink Lady
    • Gala
    • Red, Yellow Delicious
  • Pears
    • D’Anjou
    • Bartlett
    • Asian
  • Cherries
    • Bing
    • Rainier
    • Stella
  • Plums
    • Santa Rosa
    • Satsuma
    • Other Japanese varieties
  • Apricots, Peaches and Nectarines
    • Challenging in coastal/bay influenced climates for lack of June/July heat
    • Pluots/Apriums (hybrid Plum/Apricot) preferred in cooler microclimates
    • Donut peach does relatively well.
  • Figs
    • Mission
    • Brown Turkey
    • Black Jack
    • Green figs are more difficult here
    • Spring crop usually negligible, good Fall crop
  • Persimmons
    • Do very well in the Bay Area, can handle heavy clay soils, but are large trees that need room to grow.
    • Hachiya is the larger, astringent fruit that needs to ripen fully to eat
    • Fuyu is the smaller fruit that is less astringent and can be eaten before it is soft
  • Nuts
    • Mission almonds grow well here.
    • Walnuts are difficult and are large trees.
  • Citrus
    • Lemons, Limes (except Mexican or Key lime due to frost tenderness)
    • Mandarin oranges (Tangerines)
    • Kumquats
    • In warmest area Navel Oranges will grow well in the Bay Area.
    • Grapefruit is difficult to ripen to any sweetness
    • Valencia Oranges are difficult to sweeten.