One of the greatest garning

One of the greatest garning

joys, which also hapns

to be one of the more

icult to obtain, is to walk

t in the backyard and pick

sh, tree ripened fruit. _ ch year during February Aid March, we receive quite "* few calls at the Extension

ice from homeowners who

nt to plant a small, backrd

orchard.

I’m sure that at least

me of the calls are generatby

all the nursery and

rden catalogues that

eryone receives. Mail

der catalogues feature

autiful pictures of trees in

11 fruit, and offer tantalizg

descriptions of mouth atering flavors.

| Although I do very little (gardening, I was tempted to ^ry fruit trees many years ago, and it remains one of dne few gardening endeavors t have stuck with. Fruit

rl^-ees have very demanding

cultural requirements and

e favored targets for many

sect, disease, and wildlife groblems. ; Many fruit trees planted yith good intentions are eventually cut down, or Seated as ornamental, valued more for their spring flowers than summer or fall

£*uit.

All that aside, many Bomeowners enjoy the chal5>nge

of growing fruit trees, nd the rewards can be

eat. I often say that anye

can grow a few tomatoes

pile of squash. But not

eryone can go out in the

frd and pick fresh peaches

apples, and even fewer

n grow fruit good enough fo share with neighbors or ®iow off at work. * In addition to eating and Baking, fruit from my trees & used for jams, jellies, rfauce, and drying. We even

£ade a batch of cider last . U* There are many factors to consider before planting a Backyard orchard. The first Should be site selection, fruit trees require full sun fcr optimum performance, fcvoid low spots that are known frost pockets, as most fruit trees bloom before or •ear the average last frost Bate. Fruit trees cannot tolfrate wet soils, so don’t plant •ear springs or seeps, or areas where water stands after heavy rains. * From experience, I flways suggest that people •rho live in or adjacent to wooded areas to think twice