Q: I have always wanted some fruit trees in my yard, but I don't know the first thing about them. I am a new homeowner and new gardener so I finally have the room to try this.

What do I need to know before I go to the nursery to buy one?

A: Fruit trees can make pretty, ornamental trees to sit back and enjoy. At the same time they can be a lot of work, especially if you want edible fruit that is pretty. It is easier to grow edible fruit that is ugly, since you will spend less time and money treating pests and diseases.

All trees bear some form of fruit or nut, but from your question I assume you want edible fruit like apples or oranges. The botanical difference between a crab apple and an eating apple is that crab apples are smaller than 2 1/4 inches in diameter. If you can grow a crab apple, you can grow an eating apple. Many crab apples are actually good to eat or to make into pies or applesauce.

Fruit trees of all kinds need plenty of sunlight. They don't grow as well or have as many fruit when in the shade. They prefer soil that holds some water, but that drains well so the soil does not stay waterlogged.

Standard-sized fruit trees can grow 20 to 30 feet wide and tall. This may overpower a landscape making it hard to harvest tall fruit. Many kinds of fruit trees are available in several dwarf sizes. If a variety isn't available as a dwarf, you may be able to keep it at a manageable size by keeping it pruned.

Consider the final size when you plant them in order to space them appropriately. When planting, spread out the roots to produce some growing in all directions. Use mulch around the whole area under the branch width. Never pile the mulch around the tree trunk.

Some species of fruit trees are not able to set fruit unless another tree of a different variety is planted close. Most apples, pears, sweet cherries and Japanese plums are self-unfruitful, meaning you will need to plant at least two different kinds of each one to produce fruit.

Some fruit trees are easier to maintain; therefore, they will bear more fruit if pruned into a manageable shape. It is easy to get the shape started when the tree is small and simple to keep that way if it is pruned once a year. There are fruit tree pruning and maintenance books available from your local Extension Service office.

The tendency for people with new fruit trees is to try to get a huge crop as soon as possible, but a lot of fruit can break branches off a small tree. Keep the fruit quantity low during the first few years so the trunk and branches can grow large enough to support their weight. In the future, too many fruit on a branch leads to smaller fruit of poorer quality - hand thinning them to just a few on each branch will receive a higher quality fruit.

Once the tree has reached the fruit-bearing stage, it may need a lot of fertilizer, which can be monitored at that time.

All fruit trees have insect and disease problems. Aphids, scale, grasshoppers, caterpillars, leafhoppers and spider mites are the most common insect problems. Insects that affect leaves will weaken the tree causing the fruit to be smaller with less flowers the next spring. Insects that go after the fruit can cause cosmetic or serious fruit damage. The reason apples are one of the most highly sprayed fruits at the grocery store is that people want them to look pretty. By growing them at home, you can decide how much damage is acceptable before you need to spray.

Fungal and bacterial diseases harm leaves, twigs and fruit. They can reduce the vigor of the tree and damage the fruit. Cosmetic damage may be acceptable, but serious harm might need treatment to save the tree or the crop.

Many fruit trees are tasty treats to squirrels, rabbits, mice and other mammals. Not only is the fruit edible, but the bark is likely to be eaten. Small tree trunks will often need protection during the winter to keep mammals from gnawing on them.

Fruits develop their maximum flavor when they mature on the tree, except for pears that ripen after picking. You may have a large crop that needs picking and processing all at once for the best flavor - plan ahead for a batch processing party.

That is a quick overview of fruit trees. Since most yards have one or two small ornamental trees or large shrubs, you should be able to find room for fruit trees.

For the best future crops, pay some attention to tree care and pruning during the first few years. Except for insect and disease treatments to produce pretty fruit, the overall care of a fruit tree isn't that different from other small ornamental trees.

E-mail questions to Jeff Rugg, Kendall County unit educator, University of Illinois Extension at [email protected].

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