Grow your own apples, figs, plums, cherries, pears, apricots, and peaches in even the smallest backyard! Ann Ralph shows you how to cultivate small yet abundant fruit trees using a variety of specialized pruning techniques. With dozens of simple and effective strategies for keeping an ordinary fruit tree from growing too large, you’ll keep your gardening duties manageable while at the same time reaping a bountiful harvest. These little fruit trees are easy to maintain and make a lovely addition to any home landscape.

Construction tips, a list of tools and materials required, and other information on the planting of different fruit species, their upbringing and shaping. Learn how to combat the most common fruit tree diseases and pests, and develop a knowledge of habitat requirements and care .

The viability of modern fruit production is dependent on a number of factors. Probably the most important one of these after site selection is that of orchrd design. The selection of suitable cultivator and rootstock combinations is the starting point for ongoing tree training and pruning which will continue for the life of the orchard. The days of large size fruit trees producing a tonne or more of each fruit are gone forever - a modern orchardist cannot afford to wait for the trees to grow very large, and the production costs of fruit on large, old trees is very high.

Written by the long-time manager of the renowned Alan Chadwick Garden at the University of California, Santa Cruz, this substantial, authoritative, and beautiful full-color guide covers everything you need to know about organically growing healthy, bountiful fruit trees. WINNER OF THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY BOOK AWARD For more than forty years, Orin Martin has taught thousands of apprentices, students, and home gardeners the art and craft of growing fruit trees organically. In Fruit Trees for Every Garden, Orin shares--with hard-won wisdom and plenty of humor--his recommended fruit varieties and techniques for productive trees, including apple, pear, peach, plum, apricot, nectarine, sweet cherry, orange, lemon, fig, and more. If you crave crisp apples, juicy peaches, or varieties of fruit that can never be found in the store, they are all within reach in your own backyard. Whether you have one tree or a hundred, Orin gives you all the tools you need, from tree selection and planting practices to seasonal feeding guidelines and in-depth pruning tutorials. Along the way, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the core principles of organic gardening and soil stewardship: compost, cultivation, cover crops, and increasing biodiversity for a healthier garden. This book is more than just a gardening manual; it's designed to help you understand the why behind the how, allowing you to apply these techniques to your own slice of paradise and make the best choices for your individual trees. Filled with informative illustrations, full-color photography, and evocative intaglio etchings by artist Stephanie Martin, Fruit Trees for Every Garden is a striking and practical guide that will enable you to enjoy the great pleasure and beauty of raising homegrown, organic fruit for years to come.

This is the grown up version of the funny little pruning book Kath Irvine cobbled together a few years ago. A bit of a cringe, in hindsight, but that little book is what got her here. That and Fern Publishing. Together they've gone over and over her writing. Every word has been weighed up. Order and structure and tense challenged. They've walked the line between tidying up her terrible grammar, and retaining her quirky ways. Pruning Fruit Trees has been a big extra to life. The house is super dusty and please don't look in the oven, but it's been worth it. Her focus is on helping beginners, but she also hopes to give experienced pruners new eyes for trees. Calm trees is her overall aim. A less is more approach to cutting with a focus on training as well as pruning. This doesn't mean wild, woolly things that need ladders compact and productive are my guiding lights.

Developed especially for use by backyard orchardists, rare fruit growers, and small-scale growers, The Home Orchard offers a comprehensive look at standard growing methods, as well as some innovative practices that enthusiasts have developed in recent years, some of which are uniquely suited to the small-scale grower. You will learn how trees grow, which species grow best in the different regions and soils, varieties from which to select, preparing the soil, planting, watering and fertilizing, pruning and grafting, thinning the fruit, diagnosing problems, controlling pests, and harvesting. You'll also find special attention given to organic and non-toxic pest management and fertilization methods. Key pests and diseases are identified and natural control methods are emphasized. Irrigation methods for the backyard grower are discussed and the difficult task of how often and how much water to apply is simplified. The focus is on giving the trees enough water but doing so in an efficient, water-saving manner. Included are hundreds of photographs and diagrams that clearly show how to produce the best crops. Photos of several practices, such as key budding and grafting methods, are depicted in step-by-step photos. No other publication provides this breadth and depth of coverage --