I like the part of my job where I interact with customers.\u00a0 I enjoy listening to their “likes” and I sometimes press them to understand what we can do better.\u00a0 Many times during these conversations I get the question “what kind of fruit tree can I plant in my own property?”\u00a0 Or sometimes, it is the more direct person who seeks me out to understand why a tree isn’t producing.<\/p>\n
I had a conversation like this with a customer earlier in the week.\u00a0 The family was enjoying some (very) late season blueberry picking, and wanted to know what kind of fruit trees they should plant on their half acre.<\/p>\n
My response was “anything but apples.”\u00a0 Most people have no idea how much work it takes to bring a high quality apple to market.\u00a0 Other blog posts have described the pruning, thinning, and most of all, constant fight against diseases and insects.\u00a0 The kind of apple trees that we grow today are not found anywhere in nature: they have been bred by people over hundreds of years for their ability to produce large tasty fruit, and not to survive untended in nature.\u00a0 It is like comparing a friendly beagle to a wild wolf.\u00a0 One of those can survive in nature, and the other won’t.<\/p>\n
The cynic will think that my advice here is self-serving.\u00a0 And it is, but not for the reasons you’d think.\u00a0 Honestly, I wouldn’t miss the business from any single customer who decides to plant his own trees.\u00a0 But untended fruit trees are huge vectors for disease and pests.<\/p>\n
Consider the case of the plum pox virus several years ago in Adams County.\u00a0 Out of nowhere, this virus arrived from Europe and threatened to completely destroy the peach industry in the mid-Atlantic.\u00a0 There is no defence against the virus.\u00a0 The Department of Agriculture worked quickly with local extension and growers to quarantine the area and destroy any trees that MAY have been infected.\u00a0 Many acres of trees were simply pushed out and burned.\u00a0 The good news is that this quick action actually worked and we are now free of the virus.<\/p>\n
But what if every other house had a peach tree?\u00a0 Would each of those homeowners be so quick to comply with destruction requests?\u00a0 California teaches us that the answer is no.\u00a0 They recently failed to stop a new pest (the citrus psyllid) that was initially found in backyard trees and moved quickly between backyard hosts.\u00a0 The bug now is a major threat to California citrus.<\/p>\n
So my advice is simple: unless you are willing to sign up for the great amount of care that fruit trees need, you shouldn’t raise them.\u00a0 At best you’ll get mediocre fruit (probably good applesauce material), and at worst, you’ll put commercial growers at risk.<\/p>\n
There are some great natural alternatives.\u00a0 One of these I suggested to my new friend this week: the American Persimmon.\u00a0 OK, a persimmon doesn’t taste like peach, but God put it here in this part of the world, and it will grow without a lot of fuss.\u00a0 Our colonial ancestors thought very highly of this native plant and frequently planted them near their homes.\u00a0 They are now rather hard to find, and could use a little help from people.\u00a0 Picked late enough in the season, they are sweet and juicy, and very good for you.\u00a0 And if you don’t get to them first, the deer will thank you too!<\/p>\n
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