One of the first things we did this spring on our new property was plant a few young fruit trees. But, since our new construction landscape was mainly sand with very little fertility, we chose raised beds to adjust the nutrient level and keep them watered as they established.
Don’t count your garden out from producing delicious, seasonal fruit just because you have poor soil quality. Raised beds are an excellent option for fruit trees! From cherries to lemons to peaches and everything in between, we can set you up to produce fruits at home with the help of the proper pruning techniques, soil amendments, and winter care.
Let’s discuss how best to grow fruit trees in raised beds.
Select the Right Variety
While many fruit trees grow easily in raised beds, those that reach over 20 feet tall and just as wide may not be the best choice. Know your space and choose varieties that fit your garden space and lifestyle. Consider dwarf varieties if you are a small-space grower and select a tree with pH needs close to your native soil.
Varieties We Love
The ‘Elberta Peach Tree,’ sometimes called ‘Early Elberta,’’ is known for its early fruits, cold-hardiness, disease-resistance, and extreme juiciness. It’s had heirloom status since the 1870s, and its insect resistance makes it ideal for organic growers. Plus, you’ll get fruit in the first year! ‘Elberta’ can grow to 15 feet with proper pruning and performs best in USDA Zones 5 to 9.
‘Improved Meyer Lemon Tree’ is perfect for patio, raised bed, and container growing. It will reach a mature height of five to twelve feet if left unpruned. Warm-weather growers will have success with growing tropical lemons; growers in regions colder than USDA Zone 8 should keep the tree inside. Certain areas of zone 8 will want to bring the tree indoors for cold winters. Ensure micronutrients zinc, iron, and manganese are in ample supply to keep growth healthy.
‘Lapins Cherry Tree’ is gorgeous throughout the calendar year, with fragrant blooms and high-quality summer fruits. It will arrive from Epic Gardening grafted on Mazzard rootstock, which gives it more cold tolerance and vigor. No second cherry tree is necessary for pollination. Water it well and generously apply organic mulch to suppress weeds and help the soil retain moisture.
‘Chicago Hardy Figs’ are hardy in USDA Zones 5 and 6 in containers and with added winter protection. Ensure the soil is slightly acidic. It can handle partial shade in warmer climates. Feed this fig tree with a well-balanced, slow-release granular fertilizer in the spring and mid-summer for the best results.
‘Dwarf Cavendish Bananas’ are low-maintenance and grow without much interaction in warm regions. They remain short enough that raised beds are a great option. Growers in USDA Zones colder than Zone 8 can keep them indoors in pots with the right conditions.
Select Your Raised Bed
Perhaps as important as selecting the right variety, choosing the right raised bed will reflect your fruit trees’ success. Before matching your raised bed to your fruit tree, check the specifications for mature width and suggested planting depth. Epic Gardening offers Birdies metal raised beds and cedar raised beds in various shapes, colors, and sizes.
The taller the raised bed, the less reaching and bending you’ll have to do initially when the tree is young, but consider the mature height and how you’ll fill it before planting.
Pick a Plot
Before filling a raised bed with organic materials, soil, and compost, find the perfect sunny spot in your yard. Ensure it receives full sun for at least six hours daily, away from tall buildings and trees that might cast shadows, ideally south-facing for prime sun exposure. Place it where water is easily accessible.
Consider what may be planted nearby in future years, as fruit trees should stay put once planted. While fruit trees can be transplanted, there is more risk involved than when they are young.
Prepare the Soil
All plants rely on the soil and gardeners for nutrients and water. Fruit trees require porous, sandy, loamy, well-draining soil with good permeability.
When filling your raised bed, add amendments required to give your fruit tree the nutrients it needs. If using organic matter like logs and grass clippings beneath compost and potting soil, be prepared to add more on top as the matter breaks down and sinks lower.
Adjust the pH
Always test your soil before fertilizing fruit trees, as many are sensitive to pH levels and have specific requirements for proper growth and fruit production. Most fruit trees thrive in pH levels between 6.0 and 7.5. These levels will allow them to absorb nutrients and produce good yields properly.
Irrigate Consistently
Water so the top eight to ten inches of soil surrounding your tree is moist, about an inch every week or ten days. Do not allow new saplings to dry out between watering sessions, as this can stunt their growth and root development. Deep watering methods will be best so the water goes directly to the roots. Keep the trunk, leaves, and branches dry to reduce the risk of fungal diseases.
Fertilize
Fertilize new trees at the time of planting after completing a soil test. Established trees will respond well to granular, slow-release, and well-balanced fertilizer. The Iowa State University Extension recommends applying 1/10 pound of actual nitrogen per year of tree age and a 10-10-10 feed uniformly broadcast.
Fertilize in the spring before buds break and cease fertilization by the end of July so they can prepare for winter and slow down growth. New growth is vulnerable to winter damage, so avoid promoting any.
Transplanting
All plants have ideal conditions that allow them to thrive, and as you’ve likely heard before, your growing zone and which variety you choose will affect the recommended planting time. Complete spring plantings before trees in your region begin to form leaves. To avoid unnecessary stress, settle the tree into its new home before it naturally breaks dormancy.
If the tree you are about to transplant has been outdoors in your area for some time, it is properly hardened off and safe to transplant.
Prepare the spot by moistening the soil and digging a hole as large as recommended for the type you’re transplanting. Amendments and compost may be mixed in at this time if needed. Water the tree before transplanting to avoid transplant shock.
If you’re planting bare-root trees, which are just a tree in their dormant state, timing is crucial to their success—complete fall bare-root tree plantings after extreme summer heat but weeks before a frost. Fall plantings typically occur in October and November, depending upon your USDA growing zone.
Spacing
Look at the specifications of the varieties you’ve chosen, and before planting them, ensure each tree will have the space to grow to its full mature width without being stifled by its neighbors. Each should have access to proper sunlight, water, and nutrients, so consider the competition that may occur when they’re too close together. While you can relocate trees, the process can cause harmful stress, so it’s best to plant them once, where they’ll remain for life.
Create a mini orchard by planting trees four to five feet apart. Keep them pruned to allow sunlight to penetrate and reduce disease pressure.
Control Those Weeds
Many fruit trees have shallow, horizontal root systems that won’t compete well with weeds. Clear out the space before planting to ensure they don’t have to work too hard to find the water, sunlight, and nutrients they need.
If you previously had issues with weeds in this raised bed, use strips of a silage tarp to suppress annual weed seeds from germinating. Keep the ground covered for up to 12 months for a perfectly weed-free area before planting. Metal tree surrounds will help keep weeds down and allow water to infiltrate the roots.
Pest Protection
From whiteflies, Japanese beetles, aphids, codling moths, and cankerworms, pests can undoubtedly be a nuisance. Even moles, deer, and rabbits may go after your young saplings, which may cause enough damage to cause death. Plastic and mesh tree guards protect the trunk and base from hungry critters.
If damage is cosmetic, consider organic methods like sticky traps, cayenne pepper sprinkled at the base, or a homemade spray with Epsom salt, molasses, and yogurt. Fruits are highly sought-after, but you can grow them without pesticides!
Here are some other organic methods for various fruit trees:
- Apply dormant or neem oil on apple and pear trees to ward off codling moths, aphids, pear slugs, and Japanese beetles.
- Attract ladybugs and lacewings by planting yarrow, mint, marigolds, calendula, cosmos, and sunflowers nearby to help manage aphids and other pests that may feed on your peach trees.
- Protect your cherries from birds and Japanese beetles with tightly woven netting.
- Sprinkle kaolin clay on plum trees to avoid damage from the dreaded plum curculio. Remove fallen or diseased fruits that may lead to more pests right away. Pheromone traps nearby may disrupt standard mating patterns and confuse pests looking for a mate.
- Hang sticky traps around to catch unwanted guests and replace them often. Note that these will kill pollinating insects as well.
- Select disease and pest-resistant peach varieties like the delicious, cold-hardy heirloom, ‘Elberta.’
Next, we’ll discuss different diseases that may occur in fruit trees, which cause cosmetic damage, versus those that can cause death in a young orchard.
Disease Control
There’s a great set of lyrics in an old Counting Crows song that go like this: “Hey, farmer, farmer, put away your DDT. I don’t care about spots on my apples. Leave me the birds and the bees, please!”
DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane), a synthetic insecticide, was discontinued in the United States in 1972 after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identified environmental, wildlife, and human health risks. Today, experts recommend organic methods to control and prevent diseases. Couple this with an integrated approach that includes cultural and prevention methods, and you’re sure to get a good fruit harvest.
Here are some fruit tree diseases to look out for.
Bacterial Canker
This harmful disease spreads quickly through water droplets, wind, and insects. The bacteria Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae (Pss) and P. syringae pv. mors-prunorum (Psm) is the cause. Bacterial canker is most common in young sweet cherries, plums, and prunes. It can infect nearby weeds, so be on the lookout for signs.
Symptoms of bacterial canker include:
- Shot holes in leaves
- Sunken patches on the bark
- Circular patches that become brown and necrotic and begin to ooze
Prevention is crucial in this disease, and keeping your orchard healthy is your best shot at keeping it from taking over. Prune in the fall, avoid injury, and control weeds.
Apple Scab
Apple scab causes dark spots and lesions on the external flesh of apples, with symptoms occurring primarily in spring and summer. The fungus Venturia inaequalis causes symptoms in leaves, flowers, and fruits.
It can also cause defoliation, leaving the tree vulnerable to further diseases. The fungus overwinters in fallen leaves and garden debris. Spores travel in spring rain, wind, and dew. The fungus then produces a second round of spores called conidia. Fungicides sprayed at the right time can control the disease, or you can plant newer, disease-resistant varieties.
Powdery Mildew
Powdery mildew (PM) affects peaches, grapes, pears, apples, and berries. The fungus Podosphaera leucotricha can survive on weeds and vegetable crops you may have as well. PM hangs out in warm, dry conditions and doesn’t require moisture to spread.
If PM is left untreated, you’ll see a reduction in blossoms, which may girdle or abort. Fruits may russet, and the plant’s longevity will decrease. Remove infected hosts from the area and adequately prune to open the canopy to prevent PM. Studies show that these cultural practices and fungicide applications significantly reduce the disease incidence in apples.
Peach Leaf Curl
Peach leaf curl is a fungal disease affecting peaches, almonds, nectarines, and apricots. The fungus Taphrina deformans overwinters in bark and buds, infecting the tree as buds emerge. Wind and water can spread the disease, which causes curling and distortion of all parts of the tree.
Shoots will thicken and turn yellow-green, and fruits will look irregular, with raised, often red, bumps. This disease thrives in the wet, mild conditions that spring brings and most rapidly spreads when temperatures are 50 to 70°F (10 to 21°C).
Fire Blight
Aptly named, fire blight causes pears, apples, and crabapples to appear scorched by fire. The bacterium Erwinia amylovora divides and spreads the disease quickly when temperatures are above 70°F (21°C) and even faster above 80°F (27°C). It spreads via pruning tools, insects, water droplets, and wind.
More than cosmetic, fire blight can kill young saplings in the first season, while more mature trees can survive years. Cankers and sores in the bark will ooze liquid in the spring, and flowers and leaves will wilt and brown. Prevention methods include proper pruning, limiting nitrogen fertilization, and removing debris from the area.
Properly Prune
We’ve all had an overgrown fruit tree in our yard. It may seem unnecessary when chores pile up, but improperly pruned trees produce less and are more susceptible to pest and disease issues, so it’s worth the work. An unpruned tree is not nearly as productive as a well-pruned one. The extra weight from too many second and third-year shoots and old branches will strain the tree, producing fewer, smaller fruits.
To correctly prune, identify the leader, then remove dead and diseased branches, low-growing suckers, and any funky, downward-facing braches using clean, sharp shears or pruners. Doing so will send energy to where it’s most valuable on the plant.
Pro Tip: Never remove more than a quarter of the branches annually to avoid long-term, severe damage to production. If a tree is incredibly overgrown, prune it in sessions and break it into two annual prunings to prevent shock.
Winter Protection
Growers who experience harsh winters should take extra caution before winter to ensure that newly planted fruit trees’ roots, young branches, and stems don’t sustain damage. Weather damage can open wounds that leave them vulnerable to disease and long-lasting frost damage effects. Many fruit trees are typically heat-lovers, so they’re one of the most likely to get injured.
While trees may bounce back after a harsh winter, this may stunt their growth or put them behind for several weeks, which means a delay in fruit for you. Here are a few things you can do to keep them safe:
Remove fallen fruits and broken limbs from around the base of the plant. Install tree guards at this time to deter hungry critters like deer and voles, trunk splitting, and sunscald, which occurs when daytime and nighttime temperatures considerably fluctuate.
Continue watering about an inch per week until a frost, sometime around October in most regions. Hydrated roots act as insulators when frost arrives, keeping them safe all winter.
Heavy mulch will help keep the soil around the tree at a consistent temperature, as fluctuations can be stressful. Mulching will also insulate the roots, keeping them cozy until spring. Three to four inches of straw mulch, compost, or woodchips will work.
Heavy frost blankets will help retain heat and add five to ten degrees of additional heat. Purchase one that reaches the ground to hold warmth from the soil. You may also use a sheet, tarp, or burlap sack, but they may hold different heat levels.
If you’re worried your tree has died after a hard freeze, scratch at the bark in February or March. If you see green, the tree has made it, but if the flesh beneath the dried, flaky bark is brown, the tissue is dead.
Before dormancy has broken, prune in late winter. Prune before buds swell and spring begins. Doing so allows the tree time to heal before it wakes up in spring. Michigan State University Extension says annual pruning is “necessary to remove damaged branches, improve air circulation, promote plant growth in a healthy manner, and encourage bud and fruit formation on the correct branches.”
Removing limbs, suckers, and watershoots may seem counterintuitive, but with intentional pruning, your trees will be healthier and more productive.
Key Takeaways
- Select disease-resistant varieties when available.
- Organically control pests and diseases for the healthiest fruits.
- Plant pollinator-friendly plants and flowers to attract beneficial insects and decrease pest populations.
- Protect your trees from harsh winters to avoid long-term damage.
- Prune and harvest properly and often.
- Enjoy the fruits of your labor!
