Tips In Planting And Growing Fruit Bearing Plants

Having a backyard orchard of fruit plants is a great option to save money. A single plant can already produce basketfuls of fruits to last an entire season and even have spare fruits for canning. Homegrown fruits are also more likely to be fresher than commercial fruits. This is because commercial orchards usually use techniques and chemicals that may double the harvests and produce picture-perfect fruits, but may not necessarily be as organic as the homegrown. However, planting and growing fruit bearing plants at home is not as easy as it looks. You need to put time, money, and a lot of effort.

If you plan to start a backyard orchard, make sure you know the ins and outs of planting. For beginners, here is a list of practical tips.

1. Determine where you want to plant. One thing you need to keep in mind is that the location should have adequate sunlight and the necessary water system and is convenient to grow plants. If you have a spacious backyard, you can plant as many fruits as the space can allow. But if you have a limited area, you can opt to plant other fruits in containers. The containers should at least be five gallon in size and have a hole for drainage.

2. Avoid relocating and replanting your plants as doing so can be very fatal to them. But in case you really need to, relocate your plants during the winter or dormant season. Before the actual relocation, make sure that the area where you intend to replant the fruit has the same conditions as the previous location. The sudden change in conditions will not benefit the plant. After the relocation, it is necessary to prune the upper portion of the plant to allow it to adjust to the root loss that may have resulted from replanting. Take note, however, that doing all this cannot completely guarantee a successful relocation; it can only increase the possibility of the plant’s survival.

3. Fertilize your fruit plants as often as necessary. Fertilizers provide nutrients to the plants to enable them to grow healthy and produce good fruits. You can use either chemical or organic fertilizers. There have been arguments proving that one is better than the other, but your choice depends on which works better on your fruit crops. In addition to fertilizer, some home growers prefer to use composted manure and organic materials.

4. Protect the fruit plants from insects and pests. There are chemicals for insect and pest control, although running a sanitation routine can keep these unwanted creatures from your plants the natural way. For one, you should discard all the fallen fruits and plant debris around the plants to prevent pests, insects, and disease organisms from thriving. The general rule is to always keep the area clean. If you are using manure to further improve soil fertility, make sure it is completely dried up. Otherwise, it will invite insects and disease organisms. You should also prune the plant if there is an indication of disease, and throw away the damaged part at once.

Although planting and growing fruit bearing plants can be a bit of a challenge, the result is exceptionally rewarding. It can be laborious at first, but when you get the hang of it, your efforts will bear fruit, figuratively and literally.