The Best Place to Plant Fruit Trees

by Katie Rosehill
    Bring fresh fruit you've grown in your yard to your table.

    Bring fresh fruit you've grown in your yard to your table.

    Crisp apples, juicy pears, tart cherries and sweet peaches are all in your reach as a home gardener if you know the best place to plant fruit trees in your yard. Use dwarf or semi-dwarf fruit trees if space is an issue, or consider using the espalier technique of pruning. Check with your local university extension office for the particular varieties that do best in your area.

    Well-Drained Soil

    Fruit trees, like the majority of plants, don't like soggy soil. The roots require oxygen to survive. Plant them in well-drained soil. Dig the hole and fill with water; if it takes more than 60 minutes to drain, you'll have to add sand to increase the drainage or siphon the water away from the tree roots with a French drain or other method. An alternative is to choose another location that is on a higher level.

    Chilling Requirements

    Fruit trees such as plums, peaches, apples and cherries all require a certain number of hours between 32 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit to produce flowers. If those requirements aren't met, there won't be any fruit because there won't be any flowers. Chilling hours for the same kind of fruit, apples for example, can vary from 100 to 1,000 hours depending on the variety. If your lot is sloped, consider planting these types of fruit trees at the bottom of the slope, since cold air flows down.


    While plums may need chilling hours, fruits such as citrus, avocado and banana need warmth. Citrus will tolerate temperatures below freezing for a short period of time before the fruit is ruined -- no more than six hours at 28 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Prolonged freezing temperatures will kill the tree. Some varieties are more cold tolerant than others. Increase the night-time temperature by planting near a south or west-facing wall or block wall fence, which absorbs the heat during the day and releases it at night.

    Full Sun

    Fruit trees require full sun, with the exception of some tropical fruit trees which grow in partial shade or require shade from the hot afternoon sun, such as mango (Mangifera indica L.). Mangos do not do well in damp, foggy coastal areas.

    Near Other Fruit Trees

    Fruit trees may self-pollinate, which means no other variety is required, or need cross pollination with another fruit tree. Plant the trees close enough that the pollen of one will be able to fertilize the other. Exactly how close depends on the variety.

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