April 25, 2019

10 Fruit Tree & Shrub Favorites

Creating a Backyard Orchard

growing fruit trees & shrubs in Northeast Ohio

Apples and pears and peaches, oh my! Backyard orchards are trending, nurturing your own fruit trees is viable, especially if you have large sunny areas where you can plant multiple varieties.

In recent years, as more and more customers explore their options, we find they’re often surprised and delighted at the full array of fruit that can be plentifully grown here in Northeast Ohio.

Here are 10 Petitti-grown customer favorites.

apple trees

Juicy and sweet, a golden-skinned classic. Self-pollinating and also serves as an excellent pollinator for other apple varieties. Ripens in late September.

peach trees

An extraordinarily cold-hardy tree perfect for northern climates. Showy, self-pollinating pink flowers produce medium, stone-free red fruit in early August with sweet, mild flavor and juicy texture. 2-4 years to full harvest.

blueberry shrubs

Cold-hardy producer of large, plump, powder blue fruit midseason. Berries have a unique raspberry flavor. Visually stunning with showy, cream flowers in spring and red-orange cones in winter.

pear trees

A self-pollinating tree with medium fruit and juicy, crisp flesh. Best flavor when harvested firm and stored until ripe in mid-October. Blight resistant, early fruiters. Excellent for canning and baking. Plant with ‘Bartlett’ to achieve greater yields.

cherry trees

Dwarf, bushy plants producing medium, dark red fruit that are both extremely sweet and tart. Fantastic for eating fresh or baking. Harvest in late August.

raspberry shrubs

Fast-growing with sweet, deep red berries offered from late summer to early fall. Cold hardy with strong, upright canes. Wonderful for picking and eating fresh, for canning, and even freezing.

plum trees

Fruit are juicy and sweet with a mild, distinct flavor. Great for eating fresh or making jelly. Self-pollinating, disease-resistant, and heat tolerant. Mature to heavy bearers within 3-5 years.

blackberry shrubs

Heavy producer of large berries with amazing flavor in late summer. Thorn-less canes may need some support. Disease resistant.

fig trees

A self-pollinating fig producing small fruit with rich, sweet flavor. A continuous and early producer from July to frost, with a sealed eye that inhibits entry of disease and insects. Prune only when necessary. Grow in a large pot or garden bed in late spring through fall. Must be wrapped and stored as a cold treatment over the winter in order to set fruit.

citrus trees

Sweet, juicy, and ever-blooming. An excellent houseplant during the winter months. Prefers acidic fertilizer like Holly-tone® in early spring and again in mid-summer. Maintain consistent watering to develop large, juicy fruit.

Fruit Tree Planting Tips in Northeast Ohio

Enhance Pollination and Fruit Production

When planting any fruiting tree, remember to begin with 12 inches or more of deep, richly-amended soil and adding Petitti Planting Mix or SweetPeet® into the hole. At the time of planting, apply Bio-tone® for deep root establishment. Mulch the base of the tree to reduce weed competition and to retain moisture near the roots. Water 1 inch per week, deeply and thoroughly. Fertilize the tree in spring and mid-summer using Espoma® Garden-tone® or Plant-tone®.

And remember, growing multiple varieties of apples, pears, etc. enhances both your pollination and fruit production.

If you’re having issues with insects or disease, look for Bonide’s All Seasons® Oil or Orchard Spray.

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