Dwarf fruit trees

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Sarrah

Contributing Member
We haven't started our orchard here. Mainly because of the fencing expense. Now last place we lived we bought a dwarf nectarine. That little tree was the producingest tree you ever saw. Second year it was loaded with fruit enough for our needs.
The last few days DH and I have been talking about some options to major fencing. We are considering a series of hoop houses covered in netting. So we decided this would be perfect for berries and grapes. Then as conversations go we extended the thought into dwarf fruit trees.
We aren't getting any younger and there is a lot to be said about those nice little trees. Easy to care for easy to pick and if they produce like that little nectarine did. That is about perfect for us. If needs be we could plant two or three of each.

Anyone grow these? Know of a good supplier with hardy stock? Can you get a lot of variety in them? We figure build each tree it's own little shelter. Space isn't a problem we've a lot of area. We can get it all ready for spring planting. Unless there is a nursery that would ship for fall planting.
 
B

blueberry

Inactive
About 25 years ago I planted 6 fruit trees in my back yard: 5 full size and 1 dwarf pear. The Dwarf Pear is the only one still alive, and still produces year after year.

I replaced the other trees that died, but that Dwarf Pear just keeps going and going :)

It has not grown taller after the first few years, but I do have to trim the lower branches. I am 5'9", and can reach all the branches just fine.

I bought a fruit picker (long pole with a padded wire basket) for my other fruit trees.

I highly recommend dwarf fruit trees :D
 
F

Flagwaver

Membership Revoked
Blueberry, I've never used a fruit picker before. I assume at the end of the long pole is a pincher of some sort. Could it pluck small cherries easily? If so, where did you get your fruit picker?

Thanks. :)
 
G

Gingergirl

Veteran Member
Sarrah,

We have dwarf peach trees. Easy to pick, prune, and best of all, easy to spray. Not exactly in peach coutry up here, but they have survived about 5 years.

I plan to replace the old apple tree with dwarves and add cherries. The old Kieffer stays...not a dessert pear but makes the best canned pears.
 
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Dorema

Contributing Member
Before we moved here from Georgia, I had the best dwarf apple trees. I had 3 that gave us more than enough and were easy to take care of.
Dorema
 
Skyraider

Skyraider

Senior Member
I personally like Stark Bros. We have 23 dwarf fruits. Apples, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Cherries. All different varieties. Gives us cross pollination and early to late season ripening schedule. 3 - 4 years for decent production start. We had to fence it all in. The deer wiped out my entire orchard in two years. We cut locust poles and fenced with six ft welded wire. Haven't had a problem since, other than when someone left the gate open and two deer got inside. Just think of a pinball machine and that's what it was like trying to get them out.

We also have Stark Bros. pecan trees, english walnut, blueberries, rasberries and thornless blackberries.

Stark Bros. is well worth the little extra cost.

Skyraider
 
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