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Written by John Reardon, home orchardist and member of Seattle Tree Fruit Society and City Fruit
Fruit trees need sunlight, water and dirt. Although almost anything will ‘grow’ here in the Pacific Northwest, our cooler summers mean that certain varieties of fruit will do better than others—no matter how well they are cared for. Your job is to pick the plants that naturally do well here, water at the correct time, prune regularly—and stay out of the way.
There are a few general rules to remember when caring for fruit trees, be they new ones or old.
Heat & light equals sweet
It takes sun to make sugar and to make the fruit sweet. The more sun, the better.
Don’t forget the water
In the Pacific Northwest, there is little water from the sky between July and October, when the fruit is maturing. Consistent watering produces larger fruits.
Fruit trees are resilient
If you prune away too much, it will grow back. If you don’t have much fruit this year, there’s always next.
Avoid chemical pesticides
We aren’t the only critters that like fruit: apples are sprayed with more pesticides, fungicides and herbicides that any other food crop. But pests can be reduced—or entirely avoided—by using a few non-chemical precautions.
Grow Fruit
Overview ResourcesThe following organizations and publications offer comprehensive information about growing fruit in Western Washington and Oregon. Many are written for the home orchardist. Fruit Handbook for Western Washington: Varieties and Culture Sustainable Gardening: The Oregon-Washington Master Gardener Handbook
Fruit Horticulture Program
Home Orchard Society
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