The Home Orchard Handbook A Complete Guide to Growing Your Own Fruit Trees Anywhere

by Akin, Cem; Rottke, Leah

• ISBN13: 9781592537129
• ISBN10: 159253712X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-08-01
• Publisher: Quarry Books

Summary

Crisp apples, tart lemons, lush figs, tender peaches-imagine the bounty of a late-summer farmer's market, right in your backyard! Learning how to plant and care for fruit trees is a desirable, accessible activity for a wide range of people. It's a natural extension of many gardeners' repertoires, and the investment yields generations of results. Growing your own fruit ensures a fresh, delicious, abundant harvest for your family and friends for years. Fruit trees diversify a region's agricultural landscape and ecosystems, attracting pollinating bees, songbirds, and other desirable visitors. Cultivating orchards on your own decreases your reliance on grocery store distribution channels and boosts sustainability.

Author Biography

Cem Akin and Leah Rottke are key members of the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation (FTPF), an award-winning international nonprofit charity dedicated to planting fruitful trees and plants to alleviate world hunger, combat global warming, strengthen communities, and improve the surrounding air, soil, and water. FTPFÃ?s grounbreaking mission benefits the environment, human health, and animal welfare--all at once! For more information please visit http://www.ftpf.org.

Cem Akin and Leah Rottke are key members of the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation (FTPF), an award-winning international nonprofit charity dedicated to planting fruitful trees and plants to alleviate world hunger, combat global warming, strengthen communities, and improve the surrounding air, soil, and water. FTPFÃ?s grounbreaking mission benefits the environment, human health, and animal welfare--all at once! For more information please visit http://www.ftpf.org.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Fruit Tree 101

Ancient Orchard Poetry

Environmental Benefits

Well-being

Two Tigers, One Rat, and a Fig

Chapter 2: Site Selection

Room Enough for Fruit Trees

Sunlight

Air Circulation

Soil

Know Your Substrate!

Soil Drainage

Water

Managing Microclimates

Planting Solutions for Small or Urban Spaces

Raised Beds

Container-grown Trees

Chapter 3: Plant Selection

Fruit Tree Basics: Roots and Shoots

Rootstocks

Fruitwood

Days to Harvest

Graft Unions

Pollination

Fruit Tree Intelligence

Chill Hours and Climate

Selecting Fruit Trees

Get Exotic!

Tree Size

Tree Transport

A Family Affair!

Storage

Chapter 4: Planting

Timing the Planting

Spotting the Layout

Tools

Site Preparation

Planting a Containerized Tree

Planting a Bareroot Tree

Checking Depth and Orientation

Backfill

Berms

Mulch

Staking

Planting Procedure Checklist

Chapter 5: Irrigation and Fertilization

Irrigation

Water Needs

Flood Irrigation

Sprinkler Irrigation

Micro-irrigation

Watering Schedule Guidelines

Watering Schedule Comparisons

Rainwater Harvesting

Fertilization

Macronutrients, Secondary Nutrients, and pH

Building Healthy Soil

What Is Compost Tea?

Organic Options for Citrus Trees

Chapter 6: Pruning and Weeding

Basics

Tools

Root Pruning

Cuts

Forms

Thinning

Mature Tree Rejuvenation

Topping

Rules of Thumb

When to Prune

Weeding

Weeds Wanted!

Companion Planting and Permaculture

Chapter 7: Prevention, Troubleshooting, and Controls

Right Tree, Right Place

Orchard Cleanup

Insects, Mites, and Nematodes

Diseases

Environmental Disorders

Animal Exclusion

Chapter 8: Enjoying the Harvest

Dehydrate Your Orchard

Preserving Your Harvest Through Canning

Jamming with Chef Tal Ronnen

Assorted Fruits: Seasonal Fruit in Papillote by Chef Tal

Apples and Cashews: Celery Root Soup with Granny Smith Apples by Chef Tal

Avocados and Lemons: Summer Chopped Salad by Chef Tal

Grapefruits: Shiso Bites by Chef Tal

Apples and Dates: Raspberry Applesauce by Diana Stobo

Apples: Caramel Apple Tart by Diana Stobo

Apricots and Cherries: Cherry Apricot Crisp by Diana Stobo

Peaches: Summer Peach Cobbler by Diana Stobo

Tangerines: Creamy Tangerine-tini by Diana Stobo

Chapter 9: Beyond the Home Orchard

Community Orchard Committee

Outreach

Event Day

Community Orchard Planting Checklist

Community Orchards Speak Volumes!

Contact FTPF

Glossary

Recommended Reading

Index

Image Credits

Acknowledgments

About the Authors