Edible Landscape Planning
Question from Dave:
I have a friend at work who is planning on re-landscaping her yard. Can you recommend a book on edible landscaping?
Also, do you have some advice on peaches, nectarines, plums and cherries? I have trees that are two years old – they are nice and green but have zero fruit. And just a few fruits on the apple trees. I’m going to implement the horse manure fertilizing plan this fall. Is there anything else I can do to increase my chances of having fruit in the summer?
Answer from Pat:
When fruit trees fail to bear the reasons are usually one of three common causes: The first is planting and trying to grow trees not adapted to the region in which one lives. For example, there are no conventional cherry trees that bear edible fruit that are adapted to mild-winter Mediterranean climates, if that is where you live. The best home-garden Southern California nectarine is ‘Panamint’, but even it sometimes fails to bear on years when winters are warm and mild. Peaches and plums are also highly regional. Refer to the lists in Sunset Western Garden Book to make sure the varieties you are growing are adapted to your particular climate zone. It is possible also to plant a variety that is adapted to a mild climate but then a cold winter can freeze the flowers if they open at the wrong time.
Secondly, your trees are still young and might not have been pruned properly to bear a crop. Overly harsh winter pruning followed by too much nitrogen fertilizer can result in all leafy growth and little or no fruit. Deciduous fruit trees here require light fertilization only to be applied so it is active just as the flowerbuds open in spring. Also with two year old trees it’s too early yet to know how well they are going to bear. They are still young and your main aim at first should be pruning and training them into a good shape. Refer to pruning manuals for instructions. Each deciduous fruit tree requires different care. (Also please look at what I’ve written on this topic.)
Another reason fruit trees might fail to bear is because there were no bees to pollinate the blossoms when flowers opened, or you might have varieties that require a pollinator and have failed to provide the right one that blooms at the same time. Pesticides, especially Malathion, kill bees. Please read the sections on pollination and hand pollinating fruit on this blog, and please also look in the lists in Sunset Western Garden Book to see if your varieties require a pollinator. Graft the necessary pollinators onto your trees.
Hi Pat,
Just came across your website–I am considering planting a flowering cherry tree so timing is perfect. I live in Southern California. Could you tell me if there is one that would grow well here and also about the rooting system and size of that type of cherry tree. I would like an ornamental size tree (not a shrub). I would be much appreciative if you could provide information to me.
Thanks much and have a wonderful day.
Faith
You do not mention which Sunset Climate zone in which you are located. If you do not already know that, your first step is to find that out because most flowering cherry trees perform best in interior zones where they get some winter chill. You need to be sure that you plant a tree that will flower well in your zone. If you live in Sunset Zone 24 (in the fog bank near the beach) your choice is pretty well limited to the Taiwan Flowering Cherry (Prunus campanulata), which for many years has been an excellent choice for anywhere in Southern California. It is a delightful tree, upright growing and densely branched but with a graceful shape, and if I were you I would choose this one. Another possibility is P.s. ‘Pink Fair’, which has single flowers and good fall color. If you live in Sunset Zone 23 your choices are increased with ‘Dream Catcher’ and ‘Okame’ and if you live in Zone 20 or further inland from that, you have many choices, too many for me to discuss here. In that case I would look at the lists and descriptions you will find in Sunset Western Garden Book under “Prunus'”. But Taiwan Cherry is a winner anywhere in Southern California. Flowering cherry trees need fast-draining soil that’s well-aeriated, in other words not hard compacted clay. You can easily provide this by building a raised bed. Even 4 inches off the ground is plenty of height. Then amend the soil inside to a depth of one foot. If your native soil is alkaline clay, also dig gypsum into it while you are amending the bottom layer. Then fill the bed with good quality top soil to raise the level of the soil but be sure to incorporate some of it with the soil below before filling all the way so you do not create hardpan.
I neglected to answer you regarding the size of the tree. Taiwan cherry, like all ornamental cherry trees is classed as a small tree. but you can expect it to grow to be 25 feet tall and wide, unless kept smaller by pruning.