Fruit Trees

Question from Bryan:

I’m new to fruit trees but eager to learn. I just bought a bunch of different type. My citrus are doing great, but my necterines, one tree imparticular, are loosing leaves. I’m wondering if they are sick or I’m doing something wrong. can you help?

Answer from Pat:

Citrus are evergreen subtropical or tropical fruit trees, thus they retain their foliage year round. They need little pruning but the are heavy feeders. Decidoust fruit trees are light feeders and need very careful and correct pruning. Nectarines are deciduous fruit trees, therefore they go dormant in winter, drop their leaves in fall and grow new ones in spring after flowering. Thus you are doing nothing wrong unless you fail to give them proper care from this time forward. Fruit trees need care. They cannot be simply planted and forgotten. Be sure to train young deciduous fruit trees properly to develop good scaffold branches and a good shape. Pruning should be light when the tree is young, just a matter of training. Later in the tree’s life it is important to prune each deciduous tree in winter according to type and apply dormant spray. For general guidelines, purchase a copy of my book and read it month by month. Follow the instructions for each type of fruit tree. Also purchase a pruning handbook with instructions for pruning all types of fruit trees. I am writing a new pruning handbook but it probably will not be published for a couple of years. In the meanwhile get the best one you can find.