Half a watermelon forgotten at the back of the fridge stops being food quickly. The flesh turns grainy while the juice separates out, and the smell announces itself whenever the door opens. Into the trash it goes – several pounds of organic matter bound for landfill for no reason.

The garden has better uses for it, though none work the way people assume. Treating spoiled fruit as homemade plant food is sound enough as an instinct. A melon just isn't fertilizer and won't behave like one. What it offers is raw material, plus a side benefit for wildlife that rarely gets mentioned.

1. Turn Overripe Watermelon Into Natural Plant Food

Start with what a watermelon is made of. Roughly 92 percent is water, leaving a thin margin of sugars and fiber once that evaporates away. Drop a melon into a planting hole expecting a nutrient boost and the plant receives almost none of it – no nitrogen in a form roots can use, no phosphorus ready to take up.

Microbes have to get there first. Bacteria and fungi dismantle the flesh and rind into humus across several weeks, releasing minerals as they go. None of that is a knock against the melon. It's the same process running any compost heap. What comes out improves soil structure and moisture retention, with nutrients in forms roots can take up – exactly what raw melon fails to offer. You can do it yourself with this compost bin from Amazon.

How To Add Watermelon to Your Compost Pile

Chop it small first. A whole melon sits in a heap as a sealed unit, breaking down from the outside over months. Pieces cut to a few inches (8cm) across give the organisms far more surface to work on. Include the rind – tougher than the flesh and slower to go, but it composts fine.

Too much melon at once is where this goes wrong. Watermelon is a green in composting terms – wet and nitrogen-heavy, and a heap fed too much of it turns sour and airless. Every addition wants dry browns over it. Fallen leaves do the job, shredded cardboard too, at roughly two or three parts brown to one part melon.

Can You Bury Watermelon Straight in the Garden?

Trench composting skips the heap altogether. Pick an unplanted spot and dig down at least 12 inches (30cm). The chopped melon goes in the bottom. Backfill until a solid 8 inches (20cm) of soil covers it. Worms and soil bacteria handle the rest underground, out of reach of anything with a nose. A Fiskars transplant spade from Walmart reaches that depth quickly enough that there's no reason to cut the job short.

Depth is doing all the work here. Bury the fruit shallowly and it fails outright – raccoons and rats turn up within days, flies not long after. Leave the spot a few weeks before planting into it as well, since material in the thick of decomposition ties up soil nitrogen temporarily and leaves early plantings hungry at the wrong moment.

Save a Slice for Butterflies and Moths

Flowers aren't the only thing butterflies drink from. Red admirals (Vanessa atalanta) and commas (Polygonia comma) feed at rotting fruit quite happily, and some species seem to prefer it. Concentrated energy is part of the draw. Fermenting sugars also carry minerals and yeasts no blossom offers. Plenty of moths work the same way after dark – fruit-baiting is an old trick among the people who study them.

Late summer is when this counts. Nectar thins out as the flowering season winds down, right as butterflies building reserves for overwintering need it most. A slice of overripe watermelon fills that gap. Replacing anything is beyond it, though. Nectar-rich planting and host plants stay the foundation, and a fruit dish only makes sense in a garden that has both.

How to Make a Simple Watermelon Feeding Station

The setup asks almost nothing. One or two small slices on a shallow dish, somewhere flat and stable, is the whole of it. A terracotta plant saucer from Amazon suits the job because the low sides let butterflies land and reach the fruit without any climbing, and clay stays cooler than plastic under direct sun.

Keep portions modest. Two slices are easy to refresh and easy to rinse, while a plate piled high becomes a problem long before it gets finished. A splash of water stops the fruit drying to leather, and the damp seems to help the fermenting smell travel – which is how insects locate it at all.

Where to Place It, and When to Remove It

Placement decides whether this stays charming or turns irritating. Fermenting fruit draws wasps and ants as readily as butterflies, so the dish belongs well away from doors and anywhere people sit. A sheltered corner beside a hedge works better anyway, out of the wind, with cover close by for the insects using it.

Swap the fruit out every couple of days rather than letting a dish run on indefinitely. Old melon slumps into slime and grows mold, and by then it stops drawing the visitors you wanted. Rinse the saucer between servings, since residue builds fast in the heat. If wasp numbers climb past comfortable, pull the dish for a stretch. The butterflies find it again once it returns.

Avoid These Overripe Watermelon Mistakes

Scale is the big one. A whole melon parked beside a tomato as a natural feed does nothing measurable for the plant and a great deal for the local rat population. The smell alone makes that corner unpleasant for weeks. Whatever goes into the ground goes in chopped and deep, and the rest belongs in the heap.

Seeds are the surprise waiting at the end. They come through a cool heap intact, so unless the pile properly heats, expect volunteer seedlings wherever that compost lands. Sap beetles (Nitidulidae) and fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) gather around exposed fruit as well, and neither does real harm outdoors. Split the melon between its two jobs and none of this becomes trouble. A couple of slices go out for the butterflies, and the rest gets chopped into the heap or buried deep, quietly turning into next season's soil while nobody watches.

The cherries look fine one morning. But then, a couple of days later, there's a bare pit still clinging to the stem and half a dozen birds arguing in the branches over what's left. Birds don't nibble at fruit the way insects do. They arrive as a group, take the ripest fruit quickly, and move along to the next tree before you even notice.

Plenty of gardeners assume how to protect fruit trees from birds has to start with netting or a spray. But there’s an overlooked item already in your kitchen that works just as well. It’s just sitting in your kitchen drawer, only costs a couple of dollars to replace, and takes hardly any work to put up.

Find out which common kitchen product doubles as an eco-friendly and organic way to stop birds from eating all the fruit on your trees before you can.

Best Kitchen Product to Prevent Birds

You can use tin foil to deter common garden pests, like unwanted birds. It works as a visual and auditory deterrent that protects fruit trees from hungry winged visitors.

Sight runs the show for most birds. They feed and navigate visually, so a strip of tin foil shining in the sun throws bright, erratic flashes that read as movement where movement shouldn't be. This makes tin foil a good natural way to deter birds in the garden.

Their reaction to the tin foil is more of a reflex rather than reasoning. A bird approaching a branch gets a burst of glare at close range, which prevents it from landing. This makes the tree register as a place where something unpleasant lives and scares away the bird before it can land and eat your fruit.

Sound does its share of the work as well. Foil rattles and crackles at the slightest breeze. That noise combined with the flashing makes the whole display harder to dismiss and scarier to unwanted birds.

A shiny object hanging still doesn't have the same effect and birds figure that out quickly. Wind is the ingredient that turns foil into a deterrent, so a still day with no breeze to move the foil will always be the weak point of this method.

How to Use Tin Foil to Stop Birds

Strips of tin foil should be about 2 inches (5 cm) wide and 12 to 18 inches (30-45 cm) long to do the job. Fold each one in half lengthwise so both faces are reflective, then twist it once before tying, which keeps it spinning and reflecting light. A roll of Reynolds Wrap heavy duty aluminum foil from Walmart holds up through weather that shreds the standard gauge foil within a week.

Hang the strips of tin foil at the ends of the branches where the fruit actually is, not tucked against the trunk where birds won't see them. Hanging roughly one strip every 2 to 3 feet (60-90 cm) around the outside of the tree canopy is a reasonable starting density. You can add a few more on the side facing open ground since that's the approach most birds use. Tie loosely with twine and leave plenty of slack. A strip that can't move is a strip that isn't working.

Move Foil Every Few Days

Birds are quick studies. Give them a stretch of a few days with foil that flashes and never actually does anything and they'll be landing right next to it and eating your fruit again soon. Habituation is what sinks this method for the gardeners who say it doesn't work. But there's an easy fix to this issue.

Simply move the strips every few days – take some down, add others, shift them to different branches – so the pattern never stays the same. Alternating foil with reflective bird scare ribbon from Amazon can double the effects.

Timing matters, too, for moving around the tin foil. Hang the foil before the fruit ripens and colors up because a bird that has already tasted what's in your tree is far harder to deter than one that never got a sample.

Hanging tin foil a week ahead of first blush is about right. Waiting until the damage shows up means fighting an established habit rather than preventing one and habits are hard to break.

Limitations to This Method

There are a few limitations to this method to know about before trying it. This deterrent works well for certain types of backyard birds, but not for others.

European starlings move in flocks large enough that the birds at the back barely notice what spooked the front. American robins get bold about fruit they've already claimed. For a small tree carrying a crop that matters, Vigoro bird block netting from Home Depot is the only thing that ends the issue outright.

There are two other cautions worth having in mind to keep your trees healthy as well. Never wrap foil tightly around a trunk or a limb, since it traps moisture against the bark and invites problems that outlast the birds. This is a common fruit tree mistake when using this method.

It's also important to gather up every strip of tin foil at the end of the season instead of letting the weather tear them loose because shredded foil ends up in bird nests, your garden, and your lawn mower.

Other Bird Deterrents to Try

The right lemon tree care in July will have a big impact on the flavor and juiciness of your harvest. These long, hot summer days encourage your lemon tree to produce rapid fruit growth and lush foliage, but they also stress the plant. Too little water, excessive heat, and inadequate nutrients are all risks at this time of year and can affect the quality of your citrus harvest.

Lemon trees are actively investing energy in developing fruit in July. Without appropriate and targeted midsummer lemon tree care, your fruits might stay small, have less flavor, or even drop early. With the right nurturing, though, your tree will remain lush, develop large, flavorful fruits, and even put out new green growth.

The good news is that looking after lemon trees in July doesn’t have to be dramatic or complicated. A few simple and easy tasks will keep your tree healthy through the hottest and potentially most stressful time of the year. These chores also ensure you will enjoy the juiciest harvest.

1. Water Deeply and Consistently

July heat increases water needs for most plants, including lemon trees. There's no telling how long the current heatwave will last for, which means you might even experience drought conditions during July, making watering lemon trees well a critical step. Even established trees can be stressed by dry summer conditions, and too little water can lead to early fruit drop. Consistency is also important as letting the soil totally dry out before watering can cause split skin on fruits.

The best way to water your lemon tree in July is with regular, deep soaking. Instead of watering lightly daily, water deeply every few days or once a week, depending on weather conditions and rainfall. The exception is for potted plants, which often need daily, or even twice daily, watering, as the soil dries out very quickly. Young trees, both in the ground and in containers, also need extra water as their root systems aren't yet big enough to source enough moisture.

To give a lemon tree a good soaking, use a hose at the base of the tree and let it run for up to 20 minutes. For a tree in a container, water until it begins running out of the drainage hole at the planter base. If you’re ever unsure about whether or not this essential part of July lemon tree care is necessary, stick your finger in the soil: if it’s dry up to your second knuckle, it’s time to water.

2. Fertilize to Support Fruit Development

July is an active growing period, and your trees are growing new foliage as well as developing fruits. All this growth requires a steady supply of nutrients, making fertilizing lemon trees another essential July gardening job. Nitrogen is a must for new leaves, while potassium and micronutrients support overall health and large, tasty fruits. Skipping this task can lead to yellowing leaves, stunted fruit, and poor-quality fruit.

You can make this task easy by looking for a citrus-specific fertilizer such as this from Amazon. This takes the guesswork out of choosing an appropriate nutrient balance. Overfeeding can be as bad as underfeeding, so follow the product instructions and don’t give more than is recommended, especially if you're growing your lemon tree in a container. Always water thoroughly after applying a fertilizer.

If your weather conditions are severely hot and dry, delay fertilizing, as feeding a tree during these conditions can stress it even more. Focus on water only during these times and feed once the conditions normalize. If you feel your lemon tree needs a boost, then a slow-release granular fertilizer or, even gentler, refreshing the soil nutrients with a mulch, are better options for a heat-stressed tree.

3. Prune Lightly But Strategically

Midsummer is not a time for heavy pruning, but light pruning of suckers and water sprouts is essential for directing the tree’s energy into fruit production. Suckers are new shoots that grow straight up from the ground near the trunk, while water sprouts are those that grow upwards from branches. Both take energy away from the fruits and also reduce airflow around leaves and branches, so add your lemon tree to the list of plants to prune in July.

This task is easy with the right tool. Use sharp, clean pruning shears such as these from Amazon to snip each of these little sprouts at its base. Check for new growth every couple of weeks and prune off whatever you find. You can also remove any dead or damaged growth in July. Generally, avoid pruning heavily in the canopy, as the fruits need shade from the foliage.

4. Watch Out For Summer Pests

Hot summer weather encourages many pests to accumulate, especially in trees stressed by high temperatures or dry conditions. Catching pest infestations early makes them much easier to manage, so when it comes to what to do with lemon trees in July, checking regularly is a must. Inspect new leaves, the undersides of leaves, fruits, stems, and joints in branches. Common lemon tree pests include aphids, scale, spider mites, and citrus leaf miners.

You'll often see the signs of pests before you see the pesky critters themselves. Typical warning signs include:

• A sticky residue called honeydew, which can attract ants
• Fine webbing
• Tiny bumps on stems
• Black sooty mold
• Curled leaves with silvery trails

If you catch them early enough, pests can often be managed with a strong blast of water from the hose to knock them off. On a smaller tree, scale insects can simply be wiped off. If necessary, move to neem oil such as this from Amazon, or insecticidal soap like this from Amazon, or remove heavily infested branches and leaves. If you continue to have issues, contact your local extension office for guidance.

5. Support Heavy Fruit and Harvest When Ready

Exactly when your lemons ripen and become ready to harvest depends on your growing zone and seasonal weather. In warmer areas, your fruits might be ready to pick in July. In other areas, the fruits are probably getting heavy and might need some support to prevent broken branches.

If some branches look particularly heavy or are bending, use a sturdy post fixed in the ground or a soft tie attached to a stronger branch to provide support. You can also remove any damaged or split fruit.

Determine readiness for harvesting lemons by guidelines for your growing area, past experience, and current signs. Ripe lemons have full color, are slightly soft to the touch, and feel heavy for their size. Harvest lemons by snipping them off rather than pulling to avoid damaging the branch.

If you're thinking of buying another lemon tree, now's a really smart time to invest. Immature trees that won't bear fruit for another year or two are often on sale at this time of the year, as nurseries don't want to store them over the winter. The best deals we found are at Fast Growing Trees:

Lemon tree care in July is all about helping it cope with the stresses of heat and drought while also supporting developing fruit. Watering deeply, feeding appropriately, trimming lightly, supporting fruit and controlling pests will all help keep your tree healthy, productive, and provide you with tasty, fully developed fruit. These steps aren’t difficult and don’t take a lot of time, but they generate big rewards.

The prospect of sweet cherries is tantalizingly close as midsummer arrives. Cherry season usually peaks around this time, although the exact timing depends on your specific location, local weather conditions, and the type of cherry you are growing. If you’re cultivating sweet cherries like 'Bing', 'Rainier' or 'Stella' then a few timely tasks are going to influence the size, sweetness and bulk of your crop. Accomplishing these chores will have a direct impact on how sweet, juicy, and beautifully bird-free your harvest of summer cherries will be.

Fortunately, the work required for cherry tree care in July won’t break your back nor dampen your summer mood. These tasks are simple, fast, and intensely rewarding, as the payoff will be the sweetest, plumpest, and heaviest harvest of summer cherries you’ve ever had. But don’t put off these tasks: they are essential to protect and maximize the sugar and moisture content of your developing fruit.

You don’t want your precious fruits to fall foul of unexpected heat waves or sudden summer downpours. By stepping in with some simple deeds right now, you aren't just protecting this year’s bounty, either. You are also safeguarding the reserves your tree needs to return even stronger next season. So, here’s how to make the most of your July cherries and nourish your tree for future fruit.

Best Cherry Care in July

Taking time for cherry care in July is a win-win for your home orchard. Whether you live in a mild coastal zone or a blazing interior valley, cherry trees are under intense pressure to support heavy fruit loads while fending off seasonal pest surges. These basic care strategies prevent fruit splitting, premature dropping, and bird raids, ensuring your harvest lasts longer and tastes vastly superior across USDA zones 4-9.

These protective measures for cherries in early summer don’t just protect your harvests, they also replenish the tree. July is a great time to boost soil moisture, light penetration, and nutrient availability, to help your tree finish fruiting without depleting energy reserves. It also helps your tree transition into setting fruit buds for next year, protecting against biennial bearing, and keeping trees vigorous and productive for decades.

Before diving into these tasks, ensure your cutting tools are sharp, clean, and sterilized to prevent the introduction of systemic disease. Before adding anything else to the soil around your tree, check moisture levels in the ground using a soil diagnostic tool. The XLUX Soil Moisture Meter from Amazon can help you to gauge soil moisture deep within the root zone before you water or add any supplements.

1. Deep, Consistent Watering

Everyone knows that cherry trees need water to grow, thrive, and produce juicy fruit. But how much and how often depends on the growth stage and the weather. Sweet cherries are preparing to fruit and trees need deep, consistent watering. Temperatures are rising as we get to July. It’s easy to overcompensate by dramatically increasing the amount of water you give the tree, or watering twice a day. But this is neither ideal for the tree nor good for your summer cherry harvest. Instead, think deep, consistent watering to stop fruit from splitting.

Deep watering a cherry tree encourages strength and resilience, by encouraging the tree’s roots to dive deeper into the soil. You can deep water with a garden hose or a soaker hose, just as well as with a complex sprinkler system. Focus water around the drip line, not near the trunk (since this can cause disease). Go for a 50ft option such as the RainPoint 50Ft Flat Soaker Hose from Amazon. Try to set up a regular irrigation schedule and stick to it. Overwatering or inconsistent watering can cause cherries to split. Bear in mind that cherry trees in containers will dry out more quickly.

Aim for one deep soaking per week that penetrates 12-18 inches (30-45cm) into the ground, rather than shallow daily sprinkles. For container-grown varieties, check pots daily, as they can dry out entirely in a single hot afternoon, arresting fruit development and turning skin bitter. Use Pro-Mix Premium Moisture Potting Soil Mix from Walmart to help regulate water retention and enhance nutrient uptake.

2. Apply a Thick Mulch

Cherry trees grow best in soil that neither gets waterlogged nor dries out for long periods. Organizing your irrigation is an important step toward making this happen for your tree, but there’s another easy way to lock moisture into the soil beneath the tree and keep that soil cool, and that’s mulching. You may have mulched your trees in early spring, but by July we need to add more. Garden compost works well for cherry trees, but any well-rotted organic matter will do just fine. Try a sprinkling of an organic compost like Charlie's Compost from Amazon to help microbial life.

A properly applied midsummer mulch layer functions as a protective shield, reducing surface evaporation by up to 70%. When applying your organic matter, layer it 3-4 inches (8-10cm) thick, extending all the way out to the tree’s drip line where the active feeder roots reside. Don’t let the mulch touch the bark, though. Keep a clear 6-inch (15cm) ring around the base of the trunk. Burying the root flare traps moisture directly against the wood, inviting collar rot, fungal cankers, and boring insects. For an extra boost to your soil, consider mixing fine wood chips with rich leaf mold to encourage beneficial mycorrhizal networks that enhance nutrient uptake.

3. Deploy Bird Netting

We love to watch garden birds on our backyard feeders, but it’s not so pleasant to watch them chowing down on our ripening cherries. But face it, birds love to eat cherries, so a polite sign is not going to help. The trick is to cover your tree with bird netting before you think you need to (in other words, before the fruit turns red). If your tree is small enough, cover the whole structure. Otherwise, cover individual branches. Keep the netting above the fruits, stretch it taut, and fasten it securely.

For whole trees, try a zip-bag such as Homada Fruit Tree Netting Cover with Drawstring from Amazon for a tangle-resistant mesh that won’t harm wildlife. For targeted cluster protection, use Agfabric Fruit Protection Bags from Home Depot. These are great for wrapping individual high-yielding branches or protecting patio cherry tree crops with ease. For container trees, consider a fruit cage or move the trees into the greenhouse until fruiting is done.

When installing protective netting, pull the netting tight over a framework (like PVC pipes or bamboo stakes) to keep the mesh suspended away from the outermost branches. If the netting rests against the fruit, clever birds will sit on top of the mesh and peck through the holes. If it is taut like a trampoline, birds will fly away safely without getting caught. Look for a mesh size of 20mm or less.

4. Tackle Aphids and Cherry Blackflies

Bugs are obviously annoying, especially when they are crawling on our favorite plants and trees. But biodiversity is important, so don’t make it your goal to take out every cherry blackfly or cherry aphid you spot. Cherry blackfly (Myzus cerasi) is an aphid that sucks sap from the foliage. This insect overwinters on the tree as eggs, and the aphids hatch in summer. Check the undersides of the leaves this month. If they are covered with shiny black aphids, you’ve identified the issue. You may also see leaves that are crumpled and curled. However, the aphids will leave the tree in summer, so if the damage is not severe, it might be better to leave them.

While a minor aphid infestation won't ruin your crop, severe leaf curling can compromise the tree's ability to photosynthesize, reducing the overall sweetness of this year’s fruit. If you must intervene, avoid harsh chemical insecticides that harm native pollinators. Instead, use a firm, targeted blast of water to dislodge colonies, or apply a gentle organic insecticide or insecticidal soap late in the evening. Arber Organic Bio-Insecticide Concentrate from Walmart is an exceptional planet-safe biological treatment that targets sap-suckers. Alternatively, import predator bugs. You can get a box of live ladybugs at garden stores and let them eat the aphids.

5. Trim Gently for Light and Airflow

It’s not a good idea to do a major cherry tree prune while cherries are ripening, for obvious reasons. But after your cherry harvest, it is a good idea to prune in July. It’s useful to prune sweet cherry trees every year to keep them compact. However, it's more important for tart cherries, since they bear their fruit on the ends of the branches. If branches get long and scraggly, they can break under the weight.

If you are gentle and reasonable with your cuts, July trimming can open up the inside of the canopy to airflow and sunlight. Take a good long look at the tree first to determine which branches are causing blockage problems and limit your trimming to these. Using clean shears or pruners, remove the least amount possible to open up the canopy. Use team favorites Fiskars Bypass Pruning Shears from Amazon, or Corona Forged Steel DualCUT Bypass Pruners from Walmart, for razor-sharp cuts that make clean, fast-healing cuts on fruit wood.

Cherry trees are highly vulnerable to fungal diseases like silver leaf and bacterial canker when pruned during cold, wet seasons. So the warm, dry midsummer window is perfect, as the exposed wood heals rapidly. Good pruning basics include removing dead, damaged, or diseased wood, alongside aggressive water sprouts shooting up through the center of the canopy. Opening up the center allows sunlight to reach the lower interior branches, which is beneficial for future ripening and sugar conversion.

Shop Cherry Care Essentials

Caring for your backyard orchard doesn’t have to be a chore. These pro-approved care essentials will streamline tree maintenance and help you give timely checks and support in a way that is kind to trees during their most energetic phase of the year, while also great for your pocket.

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By this point in June, a peach tree has stopped being a spring project and turned into a summer one. The blossoms are long gone, the little green fruit from a few weeks back have started to swell into something you can picture eating, and the tree is pouring real energy into growing fruit big enough to harvest.

Good peach tree care is really key right now in the back half of summer when your tree's water demands and the insect pressure both crest at once. If you ignore your trees now, they will find a way to let you know their displeasure – split fruit one week, a crop browning on the branch the next.

By the end of June, peach trees are in high gear. The fruit fattens fast, and the heat that ripens it also brings out every pest and disease waiting for a chance. The next few weeks are crucial for how your harvest turns out, so do these tasks now to keep trees happy and full of healthy fruit.

1. Water Deeply

Heat can both help and hurt a peach tree. It helps fruit get bigger quickly, but it also pulls moisture from the soil faster than the roots can replace it. A tree loaded with a full crop of peaches by June often wants an inch or two (2.5-5 cm) of water a week – even more in sandy soil.

Most people water a little bit and very often often, which keeps the surface damp and not much else. But the feeder roots sitting deeper never really get a drink when you water like this.

Instead, a slow soak at the drip line that is deep enough to wet the top foot (30 cm) of soil goes further than a light daily sprinkle. This braided soaker hose from Amazon makes watering peach trees hands-off. It weeps water right where the roots want it.

Steady watering matters as much as deep watering, too. An uneven watering schedule is exactly what causes fruit to split just before harvesting.

2. Thin Out Extra Fruit

Thinning peach trees usually happens earlier in the season, back when the fruit was marble-sized. But plenty of trees head into July still carrying clusters that never got dealt with. It's not too late, though. Crowded fruit stays small and shades its neighbors. It also gives brown rot an easy bridge from one peach to the next.

Aim for one fruit every 6 to 8 inches (15-20 cm) along the branch and pull the rest. Prune away the smallest and least healthy fruits first. The tree won't miss them – and you would rather ripen forty good peaches than a hundred mediocre ones. Branches carrying less weight are also far less likely to snap later on in the season, which is one less issue to deal with come August.

3. Prune for Light & Airflow

Pruning peach trees in summer isn't really about shaping the tree. It's about getting sun down to the fruit. By now the tree has thrown up a mass of vertical shoots, also known as water sprouts, that crowd the center and shade the fruit that's trying to color up underneath. Snip them out and the canopy opens up, allowing light to reach the peaches that were sitting in shade.

Keep pruning light. A few targeted cuts to vigorous upright growth plus anything dead or rubbing is all you need to do – this isn't the hard winter prune. A clean pair of Fiskars tree loppers from Amazon make quick work of this task and leave cuts that heal fast, which is important in humid weather when open wounds invite disease. Hold off on pruning if your tree is heat or drought-stressed, though. Let it recover first before making any cuts.

4. Stay Ahead of Brown Rot & Pests

Brown rot on peach trees can be devastating. It turns ripening peaches to brown mush almost overnight and spreads on contact. This common peach disease loves the warm, humid stretch right before harvest. The first defense is sanitation. Pull and bin any dead or rotting fruit the moment you spot it and quickly clear what drops to the ground.

Insects show up around the same time as brown rot. Oriental fruit moths tunnel into shoots and fruit, while stink bugs leave dimpled, corky spots where they feed. A weekly walk around your peach tree to check fruit and the undersides of leaves catches most trouble while it's still manageable.

For brown rot in a wet year, applying an organic fungicide like this one from Amazon as the fruit nears ripeness can help, though cleanup does the heavy lifting. Prevention is the best method of control.

5. Support Heavy Limbs

A branch that looked fine in May may be bending toward the ground by mid-June, weighed down by fruit that's still gaining size. Peach wood is brittle and a heavy limb that splits takes next year's growth with it – sometimes a third of the tree in one loud crack. Walk around trees in June and find the branches sagging the lowest.

Propping up heavy branches is simple. A notched board or a sturdy stake wedged under the limb takes the strain. Alternatively, a set of adjustable limb supports from Amazon does the same job with less fuss, if you'd rather not DIY your own supports.

Tie-ups work, too. Anchor heavy branches to a central stake with soft cloth strips so nothing bites into the bark. Either way, complete this task before the fruit reaches full weight – not after you hear the crack.

6. Refresh Mulch & Reduce Fertilizer

A few inches of mulch under a peach tree earns its keep in summer. It holds in moisture between waterings and keeps the soil from getting too hot, all while smothering the weeds competing for the same nutrients your tree needs.

If the layer of mulch you added in spring has thinned or broken down by this point in the summer, top it back up to 2 or 3 inches (5-8 cm) of wood mulch or straw. This organic mulch from Amazon is a great choice. Just keep it pulled back a hand's width from the trunk so the bark stays dry.

Feeding is the opposite story. By June, your peach tree should already have what it needs in terms of nutrients and a shot of nitrogen now will only encourage soft new growth right when it should be steering everything it has into fruit and, later, into hardening off for winter. Late feeding can also delay fruit ripening and produce tender shoots that won't survive a cold snap. Hold off on fertilizing peach trees until next spring.

June is a critical time for apple trees, as they shift from spring blossoms to fruit development. The trees are putting a lot of energy into growing fruits, but also into healthy foliage and strong roots. A few simple care tasks improve overall tree health and fruit size and quality while also minimizing the risk of typical problems.

Growing apple trees successfully depends on understanding growth timelines, ideal growing conditions, and potential problems. In June, most apple trees are in the early fruit development stage. Pollination has led to the production of small apples that will grow in size over the course of the summer.

During this crucial growth period, you might encounter a few issues, like pests, fungal infections, or overburdened branches. A fruit tree spray from Amazon can help manage pests and diseases. You might also see some fruit drop, which is normal. Apple trees drop some fruits early to prevent branches from getting too heavy. Some loss now is normal.

By following these essential June chores for apple trees, you can maximize your harvest and enjoy healthy trees for years to come.

1. Hand Thin the Fruits

June fruit drop is normal, but you can also aid this natural process by hand thinning some of the apples. By selectively removing some of the developing fruits now, you’ll get bigger, better-quality apples later in the season.

Apple trees produce more fruit than they can actually bring to healthy maturity. If some do not drop, or if you don’t remove them, the crowded apples won’t develop to full size and might have less flavor. Also, the overburdened branches can break under the weight of too much fruit.

To hand thin your apple tree, start by removing any fruits that look damaged, misshapen, or infested with insects. Then, thin out fruit with the goal of leaving one apple every six to eight inches (15 to 20 cm) along a branch.

2. Water During Heat and Drought

The weather in June can be unpredictable in many places. If you experience dry, hot periods, you’ll need to water your apple tree to keep it healthy and happy. Inconsistent moisture is a typical reason apple trees don’t produce well in a given season.

Ensure your apple trees get about an inch (2.5 cm) of water per week. If it isn’t raining, water deeply at the root zone about once a week. Water more frequently during very hot, dry weather and for younger trees.

3. Look for Signs of Pests or Disease

Apple tree pests and diseases can quickly ruin an apple harvest, so it’s best to look for signs early and often. The sooner you catch and manage these issues, the more likely you are to still get a good number of quality apples later.

Codling moths are the proverbial worm in the apple. Look for holes in the fruit. Apple maggots leave little dimples on the surface of fruits where they lay eggs. Spider mites leave behind silk webbing and cause leaves to look scorched. Aphids leave sticky honeydew behind, attracting ants and causing leaves to curl. Woolly aphids also leave behind a cottony material.

Common diseases on apple trees include apple scab and powdery mildew. Scab causes dark green spots on leaves and fruit. Mildew looks like a white or gray powder on leaves and new shoots. You can manage or prevent diseases like these by trimming your trees for airflow and avoiding watering from above. Remove infected growth or use a recommended fungicide, like Captain Jack's Fruit Tree Spray from Amazon, as needed.

4. Light Summer Pruning

Your apple tree needs to direct its energy into fruit development right now, not new growth. June is a good time to do some light pruning to trim back aggressive new shoots that drain energy. This trimming will also open up the canopy to improve airflow and sunlight penetration.

Use sharp, clean shears to trim off water sprouts and suckers. Water sprouts are the new shoots that grow out of main branches on the tree. Suckers are similar shoots that grow from the base of the tree.

5. Fertilize if Needed

Healthy, older trees probably don’t need feeding right now. On the other hand, younger trees can benefit from some June feeding. Trees of any age showing signs of nutrient deficiency, like pale leaves or minimal growth, can also use a light feeding now.

If you feel like your tree could use some extra nutrients, use a balanced product. Avoid products higher in nitrogen, which will encourage leaf growth at the expense of fruit. If you’re not sure your tree needs feeding, do a soil test or check in with your local extension office for guidance.

6. Support Heavy Branches

Even with fruit thinning, some branches can become very heavy as the apples develop. They can crack or even break all the way through. If you see branches that look too weak to hold up their load of fruit, you can use a sturdy stick or post under it to prop it up. You can also use soft ties to anchor it to the trunk or a sturdier branch. Keep monitoring these questionable branches throughout the season.

June is one of the most important months in the apple-growing season. By thinning fruit, watering and feeding as needed, and staying on top of issues like pests and diseases, you can enjoy bigger, better apples and healthier trees both this season and many more.

Nothing says summer like a sweet slice of watermelon. Interestingly, the original watermelons were quite bitter and were selectively bred to be sweet over the course of thousands of years. The ancestors of our modern watermelons were first cultivated in Africa and scientists have recently traced the genome back to a wild variety found in Libya and Sudan at least 6,000 years ago.

That’s a lot of generations of humans and their agricultural efforts to get us to our sweet and juicy modern watermelons! Luckily for the modern home gardener, growing watermelons is easier than ever. A few simple tips and tricks will help you grow the sweetest, juiciest watermelons you have ever tasted. It just takes a little bit of gardening know-how.

Let’s crack open the secrets to growing best watermelons this summer!

1. Turn Up the Heat

As mentioned above, watermelons are native to the northern part of the African continent so they like it hot. The hotter the conditions, the sweeter your watermelons will be. Soil temperatures should be at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3 C) before you plant seeds or transplant any indoor-grown seedlings. You can check the top couple inches of soil with a soil thermometer to ensure proper conditions for good germination and healthy plants. This soil thermometer from Urban Worm is available on Amazon and has a large easy-to-read dial.

If you live in a cooler climate, you can increase the warmth of your watermelons by growing them under a floating row cover until temperatures are hot enough. Row cover fabric, our favorite is on Amazon, can be used with hoops or just laid directly over plants. If using a row cover, be sure to ventilate when air temperature reaches 80 degrees F (26.6 C), and remove the cover if temperature reaches 90 degrees F (32.2 C). Watermelons need at least 8 hours of direct sunlight to convert the sun’s energy into tasty fruit.

2. Banish Pests

If your watermelon is destroyed by pests, it isn’t going to be juicy or sweet because you won’t be eating it! Common watermelon pests include aphids, armyworms, cucumber beetles, leaf miners, cutworms, crickets, darkling beetles, and spider mites. Your backyard wildlife might also try to take a bite of your melons (I’ve lost many to a family of groundhogs living under my shed). However, pest management needs to be thoughtfully applied because your watermelons rely on pollination by bees and other beneficial insects. Pesticides don’t discriminate between good bugs and bad bugs.

Using row covers early in the season can help keep pests off of watermelon seedlings, handpicking armyworms and other caterpillars from the plants is an easy daily task. You should also rotate your crops to reduce pests. It’s important to pay attention to plant types when rotating, too. Watermelons and cucumbers are both in the same family (Cucurbitaceae), so pests that were attracted to your cucumbers last year will attack your watermelons this year.

I have had success in keeping animals from taking a bite out of my watermelons by slipping the fruits into some old pantyhose. Pantyhose also make a great sling material to support melons that are growing from a trellis or need a lift off the ground. And even something as simple as placing a laundry basket upside down over the fruits and weighing it down with a brick will keep most animals at bay.

3. Give Them Space

Watermelons need plenty of elbow room to grow big and sweet. Each plant needs at least 3 to 5 feet (1-1.5 m) of space. The tremendous leaves on your plant convert the sun’s rays into sugars in the fruit, so giving them room to grow will help you get the tastiest watermelon possible.

Planting watermelons too close to each other or other plants increases the likelihood of fungal infections on the leaves like powdery mildew and anthracnose. Your watermelon leaves and vines need good airflow to prevent fungal infections. You should also keep an eye on the bottom of your watermelons, if they sit on damp soil the fruit can develop belly rot. Place a thick layer of straw or wood mulch under the fruit to keep them from becoming too damp.

4. Proper Watering

Watermelons are more than 90% water so they need to be watered deeply to be juicy and delicious. It is recommended to give watermelon plants 1 to 2 inches of water per week. A soaker hose buried under the mulch will help keep leaves dry and prevent fungal infections. You can find an affordable soaker hose from Walmart if you don’t already use one.

However, at the end of the season, everything changes. You should stop watering about a week before harvesting watermelons. This will concentrate the sweetness in the fruit and prevent it from bursting as it continues to ripen.

Proper watering, plant spacing, pest control, and growing conditions will ensure your watermelons will be filled with the sweetness of summer. Time to get growing!

What to do with strawberry plants after fruiting in June? Well, there’s one easy and obvious answer: eat them! But along with indulging, there are a few other things you need to do this month. Because what you do right now, in the immediate wake of your strawberry harvest in June, directly dictates whether you will be enjoying that same juicy abundance next June.

When you make the commitment to grow your own strawberries, you have to be prepared to roll up your sleeves and tend to your plants in summer, even after the yummy berries have been enjoyed. Indeed, the things you do now are critical to plant health and vigor and the future quality of your strawbs. Good strawberry care extends well past picking day, and this post-harvest period is a vital transition phase for June-bearing strawberries. Eating a few of those ripe, luscious fruits should be plenty of motivation for taking the best possible care of your plants.

June-bearing strawberry plants shift into a phase of structural repair and energy storage during midsummer. Take care of a few easy steps this month, and you’ll be helping your plants cultivate the rooting networks and dense foliage needed to generate a jackpot of free, luscious, and high-yielding strawberries next year.

5 Things to Do for Strawbs in June

Before you dive into these strawberry care steps for June, confirm that your berries are June-bearing. There are several types of strawberries commonly planted in home gardens. One type is June-bearing, and if you plant these in your berry patch, you get one big harvest of strawberries in late spring or early summer, often in the month of June. After that, the plants stop producing until the following year. The advice given in this article applies to June-bearing strawberry plants such as 'Jewel', 'Chandler', 'Cabot', and 'Allstar' strawbs.

These plants enter a semi-dormant phase for 4-6 weeks after harvesting strawberries, making June the ideal window for these quick steps across USDA hardiness zones 3-9. Before starting, just check soil moisture levels in the ground around your plants before making significant additions. You can buy the highly rated Yamron 4-in-1 Meter from Amazon to ensure the ground is well draining.

Everbearing or day-neutral strawberry varieties behave differently, producing a big crop in early summer, followed by lighter flushes through summer and fall. If you clean up the patch and cut back the everbearing foliage in June, you will forego all the rest of the berries, which would be a shame. For June-bearers, however, these steps are both vital and very straightforward. Once you have checked the soil, grab your trusty trimming tools and don’t forget some sterilizing fluid. You can buy Vi-Jon Swan Isoprophyl Alcohol from Amazon to sterilize cutting tools.

If you’re growing June-bearers in towers, hanging baskets, or terracotta planters, these rules still apply after strawberry harvest time. Container-grown strawberries experience quicker nutrient depletion and moisture loss than in-ground beds, making immediate post-harvest feeding and plant care even more critical. Just use handheld shears for container-grown strawbs so you don't accidentally nick favorite planters.

1. Renovate Strawberry Foliage

Just like you take dead branches off shrubs and trees when pruning, you need to take off dead or dying foliage after strawberry harvest. This tidies the plant and makes more room for healthy foliage to grow. Known as strawberry renovation, this process helps to give plants a new lease of life when they need it most. Wait roughly 7-10 days after harvest time for strawberries so the plants get a brief rest first.

For small beds, use hand pruners to clip away the old leaves. If you’re looking for a reliable bypass pruner, Corona’s ComfortGEL Bypass Pruner from Lowe’s is perfectly sized for making clean, precise cuts through dense strawberry leaf stems without crushing live tissue. If you manage a large, expansive patch, you can drive your lawnmower over the bed, making sure the deck is adjusted to a high setting.

The goal is to get rid of the old, worn-out leaves, while not touching the crowns and roots. This encourages the plant to put its energy toward new growth. It also eliminates the risk of common fungal diseases like leaf spot and powdery mildew. Just don’t renovate a newly planted strawberry patch during its first summer in the ground, and avoid mowing if your region is suffering a blistering heatwave.

2. Propagate or Prune Runners

Runners are shoots that I think of as babies to the mother strawberry plant. These runners (often referred to as stolons) are long, horizontal stems that extend outward from the mother plant. At the end of each long shoot, a small new plant begins to grow. If this baby touches the soil, it will grow roots and propagate a new plant.

In June: you can either let these babies grow into new plants to replace aging crowns or expand your patch size, or clip them off and toss them in the compost bin to preserve the mother plant’s strength. Generally, it’s not a good idea to let many of the runners develop any one year since it weakens the mother plant.

To maintain peak vigor, prune away excess runners so daughter plants are 7-11 inches (17-28cm) apart within a structured matted row. This intentional spacing allows sunlight to penetrate into the crowns, which improves fruit size and sweetness next year. You can buy team favourite Fiskars Micro-Tip Pruning Snips from Amazon to make light work of snipping wiry strawberry runners. Everbearing types rarely produce excessive runners, so this task is just for June-bearing varieties.

3. Feed Your Plants

Once your June-bearers are neatly trimmed and narrowed, it’s time to feed them. June-bearing strawberries require a targeted application of nitrogen after renovation to help regrow and repair leaves and roots. Apply a balanced feed or nitrogen-rich amendment directly to the soil surrounding the plants. Spread one-half teaspoon of a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer around the base of each individual crown.

Avoid going overboard, though. Excessive nitrogen triggers a massive explosion of lush, green leaves and wild runners at the direct expense of next year's flower buds. You can buy balanced, gentle feeds like Espoma Berry-tone Fertilizer from Walmart, which stimulate fresh summer leaf canopy growth. Gently work your granular feed into the top inch of soil and follow up with a deep watering.

Strawberries possess shallow root systems and need an inch of water per week, from rain or irrigation. Consistent moisture through July and August ensures the roots can easily access those soil nutrients, setting the stage for a spectacular spring showing.

4. Tackle Weeds & Check for Pests

Weeds like the same nutrients and water that strawberry plants need for growth. Strawberry plants have shallow roots that are easily overwhelmed by aggressive weeds chasing the same moisture and nutrients. Water deeply the evening before you plan to weed. Moist soil loosens its grip on invasive roots, allowing you to pull out stubborn weeds cleanly without dislodging nearby strawberry crowns.

Maintaining weed-free alleys between your fruit rows improves air circulation, which helps dry out morning dew and keeps devastating fruit rots at bay. The Fiskars Ergo Scratch Weeder from Walmart is a lovely ergonomic option to dig deep and pop out stubborn weeds by the roots without disturbing neighboring strawberry crowns.

Keep an eye out for common pests. June is prime time for strawberry root weevils, spittlebugs, and tarnished plant bugs, which manifest as chewed leaf margins or distorted, stunted foliage. Also check the undersides of leaves for powdery mildew or the speckling of spider mites. If you spot signs of mildew or mites, worry not. You can buy Bonide Captain Jack’s Neem Oil Ready-To-Use Spray from Home Depot to clear out summer spider mites, aphids, and preventative powdery mildew.

5. Lay Down Some Mulch

The final step in your June strawberry routine is to pick a snuggly mulch to spread around your June-bearing strawberry plants. Excellent organic options include clean straw, pine needles (which maintain the slightly acidic soil pH that strawberries love), or dry, shredded leaves. Mulching adds a natural barrier that locks in vital moisture, regulates soil temperatures during baking heat waves, and prevents fresh weed seeds from germinating in your clear rows. It also helps prevent soil-borne diseases.

Spread a two-inch (5cm) layer of mulch across the open spaces of your rows. Just don’t let it touch the crowns of the plants. This light summer mulching keeps the environment clean and structured. In fall, add an extra four inches (10cm) of straw over the tops of plants to insulate the crowns against freezing winter temperatures. You can buy HealthiStraw Garden Straw All-Natural Mulch from Amazon.

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Taking proper care of your strawberry patch corner is really easy with the right care kit. Make room in your garden shed for these high-quality, task-specific tools so your fruity perennials can keep coming back stronger (and fruitier) than ever – for many seasons to come. Treat your berry patch to these curated berry treats to make your summer renovation work a breeze.

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Lemon tree growth really takes off in June. As summer gets underway, the days are getting longer, the sun is more intense, and temperatures are starting to soar. Paying lemon trees a little extra attention during this period of accelerating growth is important.

The lemon tree care you provide now will lead to healthier foliage, better fruit development, and fewer problems later. It doesn’t take much to give trees a big boost at this point in the season.

Follow these easy June care tips for your lemon tree – and any other citrus you grow – and your branches will be full of juicy fruit in no time.

1. Move Potted Trees to Full Sun

Lemon trees thrive in full sun, especially during the active growing season. Full sun is necessary for healthy, strong growth, flower development, and fruit. If you grow a lemon tree in a pot, you have the flexibility to move it around to find the sun.

If you had your potted lemon tree indoors to stay warm during the dormant season, you should have started transitioning it outside in late spring. The exact timing depends on your local climate and weather, but generally, citrus trees should go outside after the danger of frost has passed and nighttime temperatures are around 50°F (10°C).

By June, your tree should be ready to move to a spot where it can soak up 6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day. Once you’ve transitioned your plant by placing the pot outdoors for a few hours a day, find it a full sun spot for the rest of the summer. A heavy-duty plant caddy, like this one from Amazon, makes moving large pots much easier.

2. Water Deeply & Consistently

As temperatures rise in June, watering citrus trees becomes increasingly important. The soil dries out more quickly and your tree uses more water as it puts out new growth. So in June, it’s time to increase how much water you provide.

For in-ground lemon trees, focus on watering deeply once or twice a week. Deep watering encourages strong root growth and ensures the soil won’t dry out too quickly. Soil in pots dries out much more quickly, so you’ll likely need to water a container tree daily during this time of year. Check the soil in the pot and water as needed. It should stay consistently moist but not soggy.

Signs of underwatering in citrus trees include dry soil, curled leaves, and fruit dropping early. Signs you might be overwatering include yellowing leaves and soil that is wet or soggy rather than lightly moist. If you need to repot or refresh your potted tree’s soil, that’s a great time to mix in some water-storing crystals like these from Miracle-Gro. They help soil in potted plants stay at the proper moisture level.

3. Add Mulch

If you haven’t done so already, it’s time to add a layer of mulch around your lemon tree. A 2 to 4-inch (5-10 cm) layer of mulch helps keep moisture in the soil. Citrus trees grow best with consistent moisture. Mulch also stabilizes soil temperatures during the soaring summer heat. Finally, a good layer of mulch helps keep down weeds.

Replace or refresh any old mulch around your tree or add a layer of new mulch if you have never mulched before. Keep the mulch a few inches away from the trunk of the tree. Moisture trapped against the trunk can lead to rot.

The best mulch to use is one that is organic and will naturally break down and add nutrients back into the soil. This organic mulch from the Home Depot is a great choice.

4. Fertilize for Summer Growth

You probably started feeding your lemon tree back in May, but if not then now is the time to start. Regular feeding helps your tree put out more new, strong growth. It also supports flower and fruit development to ensure you get the best possible harvest.

The simplest way to fertilize a lemon tree is to find a product specifically designed for citrus trees, like this one from Espoma. These fertilizers have nitrogen to promote new growth. Citrus trees also have a particular need for the micronutrients iron and magnesium.

How and when you feed your lemon tree depends on whether you use a liquid or slow-release fertilizer. The latter is best for in-ground trees, while liquid fertilizers work well for potted trees. In either case, follow the product’s instructions. Resist the urge to overfeed. Overfertilizing can damage roots or even reduce the fruit harvest by promoting foliage over flowering.

5. Watch for Pests

Summer is the time for your tree to thrive, but insects also thrive with the increased warmth and light. Inspect your tree regularly in June to catch and manage any common lemon pests early, before they become unmanageable and destructive.

Some typical pests of lemon trees are aphids, scale, mites, and citrus leaf miners. Look for the pests themselves, including on the undersides of leaves, as well as signs of pest damage. This could be sticky residue, curled leaves, sooty mold, or speckling on leaves.

A spray of water can usually dislodge pests and end a light infestation. You can also try neem oil or insecticidal soap, both of which are available from Amazon.

6. Thin Out Fruit Clusters

Depending on where you garden, you might already see fruit clusters on your lemon trees in June. While it’s fun to see all the potential new lemons, too many fruits can actually stress a tree. This is especially true for young trees and small potted trees. Branches holding big clusters of lemons now may break under the weight later as the lemons grow larger.

Thin out a few of the smallest lemons from any emerging clusters. In addition to protecting the branches, this will improve the quality of the remaining fruits. Thinning out citrus trees also provides more airflow, which reduces the risk of rot and other common lemon diseases.

June is one of the most important months of the year for lemon tree care. Regular water, fertilizer application, pest management, and fruit thinning will ensure your tree grows strong and healthy through the hottest part of the year, resulting in a good harvest of juicy, tasty fruits.

May is the gateway to summer. Warmer nights and longer days mean lemon tree care needs to shift from your early spring regimen towards a summer-focused one.

Lemon trees are hardy to USDA Zones 9-11, but they can be grown indoors in the winter and transitioned outside even into Zone 3. Container-grown Meyer lemon trees (which are currently on sale at Fast Growing Trees) are a wonderful addition to any garden and can bear fruit in 1 to 2 years.

Meyer lemon trees produce flavorful lemons that are perfect for lemonade, desserts, and cooking. If you have a lemon tree, keep reading to learn more about adjusting your care routine now that we are in the merry month of May.

1. Transition Lemon Trees Outside

If you don’t live in USDA Zones 9-11, you have probably been growing your lemon tree in a container indoors through the winter. May’s consistently warming temperatures mean lemon trees can begin to transition outdoors. Start acclimating your tree to the outdoors by moving it outside in the shade on days that are above 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 C). Make sure the last frost has passed.

Start slow and gradually increase the time the tree is outside so it can build a tolerance to sun, wind and the great outdoors. Make tree moving easy by planting into a self-watering rolling citrus tree planter from Vego Garden or by placing the pot on a plant dolly like this one from Amazon.

Expose the tree to one hour of direct sun before moving it back into the shade and then indoors at night. After about two weeks of slowly increasing the time in the sun, it should be able to handle 6 hours of direct sunlight which is what it needs to produce fruit. Once temperatures are consistently above 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15.5 C) at night, your lemon tree can stay outside for the summer.

2. Maintain Proper Watering

One of the biggest problems for container grown lemon trees is inconsistent watering. Containers dry out faster than inground gardens, and citrus trees can become stressed and drop leaves and fruit if you aren’t careful to maintain proper moisture levels. Moving trees outdoors into warmer, breezy weather can further dry out the soil.

Water your lemon tree when the top 2 inches of soil are dry. You can check this by just sticking your finger down into the soil or you could use a simple but effective soil moisture meter, available from Amazon.

If you are planning on going out of town this summer, you might want to invest in a smart irrigation system or plant your lemon tree into something like the Vego Garden self-watering rolling citrus planter. This will help keep your lemon tree healthy even when you’re not home.

3. Prune Suckers

May is also a good time to prune any suckers or “water sprouts” that are growing from your lemon tree. Suckers are green sprouts that lack bark and grow from the trunk or larger limbs of the tree.

Suckers take precious energy away from your tree that is better spent on producing juicy lemons. These sprouts are thorny, unproductive and should be pruned away regularly.

Your lemon tree is no longer in a dormant state by May, so you will see these suckers begin to grow and they’ll continue to appear throughout the growing season. Snip them away with a pair of cleaned pruners so you don’t spread pests or diseases to your lemon tree. No fancy equipment needed, just your regular pruners will do fine.

4. Fertilize Lemon Trees

In May, your lemon tree will see increased growth and begin to work on developing flowers that will turn into lemons. This increased activity means the lemon tree will need more nutrients to support its health and fruit production.

Lemon tree fertilizer is typically high in nitrogen and applied between April and September. Regular feeding will give your lemon tree the nutritional boost it needs for the best harvest possible. The GrowScripts Citrus Tree Care Kit from Fast Growing Trees has everything you need measured out and an application guide to take all the guesswork out of fertilizing.

You can also use Espoma Citrus-Tone from Amazon which is an organic feed that also improves soil by introducing beneficial microbes. Yellowing leaves are often an indicator that your lemon tree needs more nutrients.

A little work now will set your lemon tree up for fruitful success. Taking care of a lemon tree in May is a little like taking good care of yourself. Going outside, staying hydrated, eating a balanced diet, and a little maintenance is good for all of us!

I was born in April, the month most associated with spring, but it’s impossible not to love May just as much. May is the month of blossoms, when baby birds learn to fly and spring breezes whisper through the new leaves. Life feels easy and everything is coming up roses.

For those growing apple trees, May is particularly sweet. The fruit is set a week or two after the petals fall in late April, so, by mid-May, the tree is full of baby apples. And there’s nothing irksome to accomplish this month, no tricky pruning or grafting.

Instead, the tasks of the moment involve simple steps like looking out for pests and making sure your trees get enough to drink.

What to Do With Apple Trees in May

Every month has its task list in the garden, but some lists are lighter than ever. When it comes to apple tree care, May is one of the easy months. I always feel butterfingered when I’m pruning and grafting fruit trees, but all these hard jobs are done by May. That leaves basic tasks that do not require step-by-step instructions.

Still, you need to take care of your apple trees in May. Be assured, as you begin, that you will be skipping happily through May’s tasks, not trudging up a rocky road. Here are the five most important tasks to accomplish.

1. Give the Apple Trees a Drink

Apple trees may bud in April, but they begin their active growth phase in May. That means that they need more water, from rainfall or supplemental irrigation. Keep in mind that water requirements for apple trees depend on rainfall. The more rain you get in May, the less you need to water.

Your first-year apple trees will need up to 2 inches (5cm) a week in May. Established trees need about half that much. It’s a good idea to check the soil moisture regularly. If the soil feels dry, provide a little extra water. If it feels moist, all is well. When the earth beneath your apple tree feels wet, it’s received too much water. You can even purchase a low-cost soil moisture meter from Amazon if you want more precision.

2. Clear Weeds from Beneath the Apple Tree

When rain has fallen or you’ve just watered, it’s the perfect time to go weed hunting. Now weeds don’t actually compete with big trees for nutrients. On the other hand, they do provide hiding places for insect pests. Pull up the weeds by hand and dispose of them.

While you are weeding, take time to clean up the area. Rake and collect any fruits that fell to the ground as well as broken branches and winter mulch, if any remains. Add a fresh layer of organic mulch, keeping it a hand’s distance from the tree trunk. You can find Miracle-Gro organic mulch at Home Depot or your local hardware store. Organic is always a good choice for mulches used around edible plants.

3. Monitor Apple Trees for Pests

Common apple tree pests like codling moths and aphids can get started in the orchard in springtime. Your job in May is to keep an eye out for these pests.

Codling moths are about half an inch long, with gray banding and shiny bronze scales on their wings. They can cause real apple tree damage. They like to eat apple seeds, and tunnel into the new fruit to get the prizes, making the apples unappealing and often inedible.

Monitoring for codling moths means more than keeping an eye out for moths flying by. The best monitoring tools are pheromone traps. Put them high in the tree canopy, in the upper third of the tree, and check them every week or so. If you find pests, use organic control methods. You can find codling moth traps on Amazon.

Aphids are the familiar, small sap-sucking insects that are often found in groups on the underside of leaves. On apple trees, aphids feed on sap, causing leaves to curl, turn yellow, and weaken the tree. You can spray them off with the hose, use insecticidal soap, or purchase and release lady bugs, who like to eat them.

4. Monitor Apple Trees for Fungal Diseases

Another “look-out” job in May is to scout the apple orchard regularly for fungal diseases. Even the names sound icky: apple scab, cedar apple rust and sooty blotch! These are easily controlled by fungicides if you catch them early, so monitoring apple trees in May is important.

The three most common fungal diseases are in fact those named above. Apple scab leaves darkened, scabby areas on fruit and foliage. Cedar apple rust only attacks if there are both cedar trees and apple trees in the area, since both are required to complete its life cycle. It presents as bright orange spots on leaves. And, as you might have guessed, you can recognize sooty blotch on the surface of the fruit. Trimming and thinning apples is the main treatment for sooty blotch.

Make a close inspection every week. That allows you to catch these problems early and apply fungicides. Immunox fungicide, available at Walmart, is a good option for treating apple tree fungus issues.

5. Thinning the Apples

If you think that there is no such thing as too many apples, I have to agree with you. I personally can chomp through a small bag of apples a week. But the task of thinning apples is not intended to reduce the crop of apple fruits. Rather, it eliminates the small or misshapen apples in order to limit the harvest to big, healthy fruit.

Now we have to admit here that Mother Nature takes care of this step in large part. I remember my early years of raising apples - how horrified I was to find half of the young crop dropping off and littering the ground beneath the tree. This is known as the “June drop” although it usually takes place in May in my region. And June drop is Nature’s way of giving the healthiest fruit more elbow room, sunshine, and nutrients to fatten up into crisp, juicy fruit.

However, it sometimes works out better when you aid in this process a little. Take a look at the apple clusters and prune out any that are imperfect or noticeably smaller than the others. Then, just keep pruning.

If you are extremely disciplined, prune out most of the apples, taking out all but one from each cluster. If you have a hard time with this, like I do, leave two per cluster. You are sure to get a healthier, bigger crop for your troubles.

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Fig trees are a wonderful addition to a home garden and can live for more than 50 years if cared for properly. April is a crucial time for preparing trees for a healthy growing season and maximizing fruit production.

Growing fig trees is a mostly hands-off endeavor, but a few spring tasks will help you get the most out of your tree. A little care now will make all the difference this summer. You’ll be enjoying the fruits of your labor before you know it!

Let’s get down to business and prep your fig trees for their best year yet.

1. Last Chance for Pruning

If your fig tree is still dormant in April, which is common in cooler parts of the country, now is the time to prune. Pruning during the dormant stage is important. Pruning fig trees just before they begin to put out new growth in the spring will allow them to heal quickly when they get growing and won’t harm your crop of figs. Pruning too late will attract pests to the fig tree’s sap and open wounds in the tree can invite disease.

Cold-hardy fig trees like ‘Chicago Hardy’ figs (available from Fast Growing Trees) are frequently grown in containers and should be pruned so they don’t become too top-heavy. Mature fig trees should be pruned so 3-5 strong branches are the main scaffolding of the tree. Thinning the canopy and pruning away any tree suckers will allow proper airflow and sunlight penetration so the tree will grow well and produce good fruits.

2. Fertilize

When new growth begins, you should fertilize fig trees to give them a good nutrient boost. In warmer climates, this window might have already passed. In cooler climates, now is the ideal time to feed your fig trees. As figs enter the active growing stage of the year they need nutrients to ensure healthy roots, foliage, and an abundant crop of tasty fruits.

Firstly, water your tree the day before you plant to fertilize so the roots are hydrated and ready to absorb fertilizer. Apply a balanced organic fertilizer, like Burpee Organic All Purpose 4-4-4 fertilizer from Amazon, and work into the top inch of soil with a hand rake.

After fertilizing, apply mulch to keep roots cool and moist through the summer heat. Be sure to keep the mulch away from the trunk of your fig tree. Mulch touching the trunk will invite fungal problems.

3. Manage Damage

Your fig tree may look a little worse for wear after winter and April is the time to manage the damage. Limbs may have been snapped in early spring storms, pests are beginning to wake up, and the threat of a late frost is still in the air.

When you prune your fig tree, be sure to carefully prune out any broken branches and dead limbs. Pruning will help your fig to not waste energy on dying branches, but instead focus on new growth and fruit production.

Common fig tree pests like carpenter worms, dried fruit beetles, fig beetles, scale insects, and fig tree borers are waking up and getting to work in the spring. You should identify pests early in the season so you can remove infected wood or use physical barriers or chemical controls where appropriate. Don’t sleep on this task. Catching infestations early is critical to the survival of your tree.

In addition to pest management, you should keep an eye on the weather. Figs are native to the Mediterranean, so they won’t handle a late cold snap well, unless they are a specially bred cold-hardy variety. Cover trees with protective frost blankets, which can be found at Amazon. If you have container-grown figs, bring them back indoors when there is a cold snap in the forecast. A plant caddy, available from the Home Depot, can help you easily roll your potted fig tree indoors or around your patio for optimal sun exposure and easy watering.

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April is a pivotal month in the garden as temperatures warm and plants begin to grow. You might call it the month in which spring has really sprung. This month is an especially important one for your fruit trees, and you’ll have to do some maintenance now for healthy growth and generous harvests later in the growing season.

Growing fruit trees is always exciting, since you witness progress month by month, and often week by week. The trees awaken from their winter rest, bud out, flower and leaf, then form fruit that develop over the season. Proper fruit tree care in April is the key to it all, and it can feel overwhelming.

That’s why having a shortlist is helpful. It’s always easier to complete proper maintenance tasks when you are clear about what needs to be done when. Here’s the list of six critical fruit tree maintenance tasks to get you through April.

1. Inspect Each Tree’s Soil

It’s easy to think of soil as a given, something that is always in place that you don’t have to worry about. But that is far from the truth. Good, well-draining, nutrient-rich soil doesn’t happen without regular maintenance, and the more effort you put into building good soil, the better your fruit trees will perform.

April is the moment to begin. Check the soil around the base of each fruit tree. Winter weather can compact the soil, reducing drainage and limiting the water and nutrients that get to the tree’s roots. Loosen up the top layer of soil and work organic compost into the mix. If necessary, aerate the area by poking holes into the soil that allow water and air to pass. You can do this with a lawn aerator spike, like this Walensee tool from Amazon.

It’s a good idea to test your soil at this time to figure out exactly what nutrients and micronutrients are needed. This allows you to provide the appropriate fertilizer. MySoil's Soil Test Kit provides a comprehensive soil pH and nutrient analysis.

2. Feed Those Hungry Roots

With the soil test results in hand, select the appropriate fertilizer. Generally, a balanced, granular fertilizer for fruit trees will be sufficient, like this Jobe’s Organics Granular Garden Fertilizer for Fruit and Citrus Plants and Trees. Fertilizing in April gives the tree a good start for the entire fruiting season.

Always water the soil before applying fertilizer around the root zone. Never allow the product to touch the trunk. Water again once the fertilizer is in place to move those nutrients into the soil.

3. Ensure Your Trees Get Enough Water

Everyone knows that fruit trees need water to survive and thrive, yet thoughtless irrigation can cause problems. Remember that while a fruit tree will waste away without enough water, overwatering is even more of a problem. Give your fruit trees too much water, and their leaves will yellow, wilt, and fall, and the roots may actually rot.

Poor drainage is often the cause of overwatering, so do your soil check first. Then start a watering program for the trees. They do best with consistently moist soil, and deep watering is the key. This means watering less often but for a longer time so that water passes down at least a foot (30cm) into the soil. This may require a hose drip for 20 minutes, like this Rainpoint Soaker Hose.

Of course, a fruit tree’s water needs in April depend in large part on the weather. If your spring is rainy, there may be no need to water at all. Try sticking a finger into the soil as far as you can. If it is dry, it’s irrigation time.

If you're finding it difficult to gauge soil moisture, then it's worth picking up a moisture meter, like this Raintrip 4-in-1 Soil Moisture Meter.

4. Mulch Now

Nothing makes me feel more like I am caring for my fruit trees than applying mulch to their soil. It’s like tucking a baby into bed. Mulching holds in the moisture, keeps away the weeds, and regulates soil temperature, cooling the ground in hot weather and warming it up in cold weather.

Layer a few inches of organic mulch around the base of the fruit tree in a donut shape, never allowing it to touch the trunk. What mulch to use? I like organic compost, but you can use wood chips, dried chopped leaves, shredded bark, or coconut husks, like this Back to the Roots Organic Expanding Mulch.

5. Keep Pests and Diseases at Bay

April brings out garden pests and fruit tree diseases that are ready, willing, and able to attack your trees. You’ll want to keep a close eye on the trees with weekly inspections and act early to deal with any problems. Be sure to inspect both sides of leaves for bugs and look along the base for sawdust or cankers. If the weather is damp, look for signs of fungal diseases as well.

As a preventative measure, clean up debris around the base of the tree, including fallen leaves and fruit. This is where many pests hide.

If you do spot an infection or infestation, select an appropriate organic fungicide or insecticide. Products like lime sulfur or fixed copper can prevent fungal infections. Neem or horticultural oil spray is a good place to start when insects are present. Bonide Captain Jack's Neem Oil is a highly rated option.

6. Prune Your Fruit Trees

You knew we’d get here – and here we are. There is no option that allows you to avoid pruning your fruit trees in spring to improve airflow and branch structure. Many gardeners worry about this task, since cutting off parts of a tree seems so definitive, and pruning directions can seem complex. Here’s an easy way to prune in April.

Start with basic pruning – learn the “three Ds” – and act before the tree leafs out. Remove dead, damaged, or diseased branches. If you need to take off entire branches, make the cut just outside the branch collar. Make other branch cuts at 45-degree angles, just above a bud. If you need to upgrade your shears, then Fiskars' Bypass pruning shears are highly rated and make a clean cut.

Remember that your job in April is to thin out branch growth to let sun and air penetrate the tree canopy. Remove crossing branches and work toward creating an open structure. This is very important for apple and pear trees that do best with a goblet-like shape.

April Fruit Tree Essentials

This proactive approach in April sets the foundation for an abundant harvest. By dedicating time now to proper soil health, strategic watering, and preventative care against pests and diseases, you are ensuring your trees can focus their energy on producing high-quality fruit. You’re not just performing maintenance; you’re investing in the sweet, generous yield that awaits you in the summer and fall.

But the work doesn’t stop once April ends. Continue to monitor your trees closely as the growing season progresses. May will bring new challenges and opportunities, from thinning developing fruit to adjusting your watering schedule during drier spells. The key is consistent, attentive care.

April is full of changes as spring gets under way. Lemon trees that you had indoors all winter are springing back to life from their dormant period. There are a few crucial care tasks that need to be done in April to give them the best chance to produce tasty fruit this summer.

Lemon trees are hardy to USDA Zones 9-11, but many gardeners across the country grow them outdoors in the summer and bring them inside in winter. Growing lemon trees in containers is a great way to stretch your growing zone so you can have delicious lemons even if you don’t have balmy weather year-round. Just bring them indoors when the weather gets cold and put them back outside as spring warms up.

In particular, Meyer lemon trees make wonderful potted fruit trees – if you don’t have one yet, they are currently on sale at Fast Growing Trees! Let’s dig into the tasks you need to complete before April ends so you can have your most bountiful lemon harvest yet.

1. Repot Lemon Trees

April is the perfect time to repot your lemon tree. After all its growth last year, it can use an up-potting. A sure sign that your tree needs a bigger pot is if you see roots coming out of the drainage holes or peeping above the soil. Typically, lemon trees need to be repotted every 3 to 4 years.

Choose a new pot that is about 25% larger than the old pot and make sure to choose a pot with drainage holes. Soggy soil will lead to fungus problems and harm the health of your lemon tree so good drainage is key. If your tree needs a substantial up-potting, I recommend planting into something like the Vego Garden self-watering rolling citrus tree planter. It is specifically made for citrus trees and features a self-watering system that prevents overwatering and underwatering. It also has wheels which will allow you to move your lemon tree easily for years to come.

On the topic of good drainage, you should give your pot a soil refresh by adding well-draining soil. You can use regular potting soil and mix in some perlite or vermiculite to improve drainage, or you can purchase a cactus and citrus tree potting mix. Miracle-Gro’s Cactus, Palm, and Citrus Soil mix, available from Home Depot, is a great option for a ready-made mix.

2. Fertilize Lemon Trees

Beginning in April, your lemon tree needs to be fertilized every 4-6 weeks. As they leave dormancy, lemon trees begin to show new growth and need nutritional support to ensure they are healthy and produce tasty fruit.

If you have a patio lemon tree that comes indoors in the winter, the GrowScripts Lemon Tree Care Kit from The Sill has pre-measured nutrient applications and a care schedule to go along with them. Just follow the instructions and your potted lemon tree will thrive all year long.

Espoma Citrus-Tone, available from Amazon, is an organic citrus fertilizer that is great for lemon trees planted in the landscape or in a container. It is gentle and won’t burn plants. In general, citrus trees need more Nitrogen than Potassium or Phosphorus, so look for an NPK ratio that reflects that. Additionally, it should be a pretty low concentration formula so as not to burn your lemon tree. Don’t use a fertilizer that has any number in the formula higher than 8 (e.g. 8-8-8).

3. Move Lemon Trees Outdoors

April is a great time for a little spring vacation! If you moved your potted lemon tree indoors to winterize it, now is the time to begin acclimating it to the great outdoors. Place your lemon tree outside during the day and bring it back inside at night when temperatures dip. Once temperatures are regularly above 60 degrees F (15.5 C), you can make the final move outside so your lemon tree will get plenty of fresh air and sunshine.

Citrus plants are native to sub-tropical parts of the world and are healthier and more productive when they are in conditions that imitate their natural environment. Warm weather and full sun (at least 6-8 hours per day) will help you get the best crop of lemons yet.

To make moving plants outdoors easier, you can invest in a plant caddy with wheels or a plant mover. This adjustable plant caddy from Amazon changes from an 8-inch diameter to 21-inch diameter and holds up to 330 pounds so it will grow with your lemon tree. A plant mover dolly, available from Walmart, is another good option to make moving your lemon tree outside easier.

Give your lemon tree a little love this spring. A new pot, fresh soil, good nutrition, and a vacation to your patio will set it up for summer success!

April is a “make or break” time for your strawberry plants. This is when the plants are waking up from winter dormancy and starting to grow and bloom. After a long, cold winter, new growth is ready to peak out from under the old mulch. Now is the time to treat your plants right, so they’ll reward you later.

Growing strawberries can be as simple as mostly leaving the plants alone, but if you want strong, healthy plants and to maximize your summer harvest, now is the time to get your hands dirty. Dust off your gardening tools, maybe wear a light sweater, and get into the strawberry patch to do these five crucial tasks.

1. Tidy Your Patch

Winter tends to leave the garden a little messy. It’s worth taking some time to tidy up your strawberry patch, and the plants will thank you for doing so. First, remove any unnecessary debris, like dead leaves and twigs. Clear out old mulch that’s decaying and remove any leaves still on the plants from last year. This lets the crowns breathe a little to prevent rotting.

Your tidying task should also include pulling out any early weeds. Weeds compete with berry plants for nutrients and water. Start to remove them now to get ahead of growth, but return to the patch throughout the growing season to keep pulling any weeds that pop up.

Finally, consider removing some of the runners. Snip off old runners that will divert energy away from the main plants. If you’re trying to control the growth of your patch, this is a good time to cut off new runners heading in directions you don’t want the plants to spread. Fiskars' Micro-Tip snips are perfect for this task. Press the runners you keep into the soil to encourage new plants to grow and fill in any empty spaces.

Strawberry Plant Picks

If you have lost some of your strawberry plants over winter, then April is your last chance to plant new bare-root plants for fruit this year, but you can plant nursery plug plants into May.

2. Add Fresh Mulch

Once you’ve given the crowns of your berry plants a little breathing time, it’s a good idea to add fresh mulch. Mulch is important for strawberries because it holds moisture in the soil and minimizes weeds. Mulch also provides a clean surface for berries to ripen.

Straw is a great choice for mulching strawberry plants as it's good at both holding moisture in the soil and allowing for airflow to prevent rotting. Try this HealthiStraw GardenStraw. Straw is also very clean, providing the ideal surface for ripening berries. Just be sure you get straw, not hay, and that it is clean and free of weed seeds.

Bark mulch is too heavy for strawberries and doesn’t let enough air through.

3. Feed Your Berry Plants, Maybe

Believe it or not, fertilizing the plants in spring may or may not improve the harvest later. Strawberries are heavy feeders, but April is not the time to fertilize June-bearing plants. Extra nutrients now lead to excessive foliage growth and softer berries that rot more easily. Late summer or fall is a better time to feed this type of strawberry plant.

However, if you have everbearing or day-neutral strawberry plants, now is the time to fertilize strawberries to support continuous fruit production. Use a balanced product, like a 10-10-10, or a product designed for strawberries, like this TPS Plant Foods Strawberry Fertilizer. Apply the fertilizer now and again next month.

4. Protect Early Blooms from Late Frosts

Depending on where you live and garden, you’re likely to start seeing some strawberry flowers as early as April. This is an exciting preview of the summer harvest to come, but it’s also a potentially dangerous time. A frost now could damage or totally kill those delicate blooms, preventing them from becoming berries later.

Keep an eye on the weather forecast and protect any April flowers if necessary. Use row covers – like these AGfabrics floating row covers – if you have a lot of blooms to protect. If you only have a few, you can use towels, blankets, buckets, or even extra straw mulch.

Remove any flowers that get damaged by frost, so the plant can put more energy into the others. Frost damage is easy to spot. You’ll see a black or dark brown spot right in the center within a day of the cold snap. If the damage is severe, the entire flower may darken and even fall off on its own.

5. Pinch Flowers (First Year Only)

This April strawberry task has a caveat: only do it if you have just put new plants in the ground this spring. For mature plants, you want to keep all flowers in place to maximize your harvest. For new plants, pinching some of the flowers will help the summer berries develop more fully.

Watch your plants and pick off any new flower buds that appear for the first two to three weeks. After that, let them grow. This allows the plant to develop healthy, numerous leaves during the early growth period. Having enough big, healthy leaves is crucial for ensuring the plant has enough energy later to develop large and juicy berries.

April is a critical time for summer strawberries, so don’t skimp on these tasks. Give your plants time and attention now to enjoy the best possible harvest later.

A raspberry patch that only produces for two or three weeks feels like a missed opportunity. The plants are already in the ground, the canes are already trellised, and then it’s over until next year. The harvest window doesn’t have to be that small, though. You just have to know which types of raspberries to plant for a harvest that lasts for months.

When first growing raspberries, it’s important to learn that varieties are split into two distinct fruiting types that run on different schedules. Getting both in the ground is central to a long-lasting harvest.

Summer-bearing varieties fruit once on second-year canes. They produce a concentrated flush in early to midsummer and then that’s it until next year. Everbearing types fruit twice – once in fall on new canes and again the following summer on those same canes.

I’ll share the best summer and everbearing raspberry varieties to grow together so you can harvest fruit from summer all the way into fall. Get ready for tons of delicious fresh berries, jams, and desserts!

Summer-Bearing Raspberry Varieties

Summer-bearing raspberries fruit on floricanes, or canes that grew the previous year. So year one is mostly about getting established. Year two gives you a dense harvest that all comes in all at once. For an early harvest, try these summer-bearing types of raspberry plants.

‘Boyne’

‘Boyne’ is a cold-hardy Canadian raspberry variety that grows in zones 3 through 7, with vigorous canes and medium-sized berries that are a bit tart. This variety is best for cooking and baking. Turn it into a delicious raspberry jam!

Berries ripen late in June to early July. Give plants full sun and well-drained soil. Keep plants watered well and this variety mostly handles itself. That tart flavor deepens when cooked, which is why it’s been a jam staple for years.

Pick up some Boyne raspberry plants from Scenic Hill Farm on Etsy.

‘Killarney’

‘Killarney’ is cold-tolerant and can be grown in USDA growing zones 3 through 6. It has firm, bright red fruit and a cleaner, sweeter flavor than Boyne – it tastes better straight off the bush. Fruit ripens a week or two after Boyne, which stretches the summer window without much extra effort.

Canes are moderately thorny but upright and easy enough to trellis. It handles humid summers better than a lot of varieties. Killarney has fewer fungal problems, which matters in wetter gardens.

You can get bare root Killarney raspberry plants from Burpee online.

‘Nova’

‘Nova’ is a productive mid-season variety. It produces large, firm berries that don’t fall apart in the freezer and have a sweet yet mildly acidic flavor. This raspberry variety handles heat better than most summer-bearers, so this is a good option for gardeners in USDA growing zone 7 and parts of zone 8.

Canes are sturdy and semi-thornless, so picking is faster and less painful than with most other types of raspberries. A pair of gloves like this from Amazon keeps your hands protected from thorns once the patch is producing.

Shop Nova raspberry plants from Stark Bro's.

‘Cascade Delight’

‘Cascade Delight’ comes out of Washington State University’s breeding program and is built for the Pacific Northwest, but it performs just as well in other areas.

This variety produces large, conical berries with a balanced sweet-tart flavor and firm texture. These raspberries store better than most, which is worth noting if you’re growing more than you can eat fresh.

It has a solid resistance to root rot and better tolerance of heavier soils than most varieties in this category. You can grow this midsummer ripening type of raspberry in zones 5 through 9. It's a good option if drainage has been an issue with other varieties you’ve tried.

Get starter plugs of Cascade Delight from Cane Creek Meadows on Etsy.

Everbearing Raspberry Varieties

Everbearing raspberry varieties produce on first-year canes in fall and again on those same canes the following summer.

They’re more flexible than summer-bearers and easier to manage if you prefer a simpler raspberry pruning approach. Just mow the whole patch to the ground each fall and you will get one big fall crop annually instead of two smaller harvests.

Here are some of the most delicious and easy-to-grow everbearing types of raspberry plants.

‘Heritage’

‘Heritage’ is the benchmark everbearing variety. It has been planted widely enough across zones 3 through 8 that its behavior is pretty well mapped at this point, though they do best in mild climates.

A fall crop of raspberries comes in September and October on new canes. Those same canes carry a summer crop the following year. Berries are medium-sized, firm, nothing flashy.

A raspberry trellis system, like this one from Amazon, keeps the canes upright and the rows workable. It's worth setting up before the plants get established rather than after, since it's much harder to train prickly, sprawling canes.

Buy your Heritage raspberry plants from Fast Growing Trees.

‘Caroline’

‘Caroline’ gets called an improved Heritage fairly often, and it’s not wrong. Berries are larger and the flavor is richer. They are more aromatic, deeper, and hold up after freezing better than most. This type of raspberry is more tolerant of root rot, too, which matters in heavier soils.

Fall crop ripens slightly earlier than Heritage, which extends the harvest window at the other end of the season. Zones 4 through 8, and a good choice if you want everbearing performance with better flavor.

You can find Caroline raspberry bare root plants from Burpee.

‘Joan J’

‘Joan J’ is thornless, which sets it apart from most everbearing varieties, and it produces some of the largest berries in this category – firm, sweet, and showy. It’s also the earliest fall-bearing primocane available, so the crop is underway before Heritage and Caroline have hit their stride.

Canes are vigorous and grow upright in zones 4 through 8. The thornless trait makes maintenance and picking considerably more pleasant, especially for a patch that gets worked frequently through fall.

Get your delicious Joan J raspberry plants online from Burpee.

‘Autumn Britten’

‘Autumn Britten’ is a UK-bred variety with unusually large, sweet berries and a long fall harvest window. The flavor is milder than Heritage or Caroline. It's less acidic and more dessert-forward. Zones 5 through 8.

This variety of raspberry ripens mid-fall and keeps going later into the season than most everbearing types. It's worth pairing with Joan J because Joan J starts early, then Autumn Britten carries the berries through the season, and between the two you get a fall harvest that’s hard to match with a single variety.

You can find Autumn Britten raspberry starts for sale online from Walmart.

Raspberry Planting Essentials

A hanging planter is an excellent way to grow strawberries as the plants appreciate the sunshine and sharp drainage. Growing so high from the ground, the fruit stays clean and slug-free and, because strawberries are perennial plants, if you store the basket in a garage over winter, you’ll enjoy years of sweet berries. It's an excellent way to grow fruit in a small space.

The trick to a productive hanging basket is to choose an everbearing strawberry variety. These have been bred to produce berries all through the summer, some into fall, so you can be picking juicy strawbs as you head out onto your patio for months on end. Everbearing strawberries tend to crop most heavily in May or June with a second big flush in late summer, and a steadier rate of growth in between.

Abundant flowers make this a pretty hanging planter, too. A few new strawberry varieties have pink blooms instead of white, and some cultivars are prostrate. This means stems tend to spread along the ground rather than growing very tall, so look fabulous in a hanging basket as the berries cascade over the edges. Early spring is an excellent time to plant strawberries and the bonus of planting them in a hanging basket is that you can pop the planter into a greenhouse or sheltered frost-free spot in your garden if a harsh frost is forecast.

Here’s exactly what to do for a basket full of scrumptious strawberries.

1. Prepare Your Hanging Planter

You'll need a large hanging basket that’s 13–14 inches in diameter. Strawberries like good drainage but consistent moisture. So, if you’re using a frame basket with a coco coir liner such as this metal design from Amazon, it’s best to add a second liner to hold more moisture in the soil for juicier berries. Any strong plastic will do, and an old compost bag is perfect. Cut a circle bigger than the basket diameter, snip five or six straight lines from the perimeter towards the centre (like the spokes of a wheel) and fit this into the basket on top of the coco liner. There will be areas of overlapping plastic so it fits snugly and, though it will hold moisture in the soil, excess water will still be easily able to find its way out of the basket.

If you’re using a solid hanging basket, such as these recycled plastic planters from Amazon, you can skip this step. Do check a solid basket has got at least one drainage hole and drill some holes if not.

2. Half-Fill With Potting Soil

You can use any all-purpose potting soil but one that’s been especially formulated for container use such as this Miracle-Gro Potting Mix from Amazon will help get moisture levels right. Fill the basket half-full, being careful not to let any compost get beneath the plastic liner if you’re using one.

3. Add Your Strawberry Plants

Now add your strawberry plants. How many plants you fit in will depend on the size of the strawberry variety you choose but, for a basket of 13–14 inches, expect to use between one and four plants. Top up with more compost and firm it around the plants. Choose a sunny position to hang up your basket – your plants ideally need to have 6–8 hours of sun a day – and water well to settle the soil around the plants’ roots.

Best Strawberry Varieties For a Hanging Planter

4. Water Consistently

Keep your hanging basket watered so the compost doesn’t dry out. A hosepipe wand such as this 3-foot-long design from Amazon makes watering up high much easier. Pay attention to how much you water as the plants’ need for moisture will alter not just according to the weather but also the stage of berry production. This may mean you need to water every day during peak berry production if the weather is hot and dry.

Keeping the compost just moist but not saturated will bring the biggest berry harvest: if you see yellowing leaves, you’re likely overwatering; if you spot any crispy leaves, you’re probably under-watering.

5. Start Feeding As Soon As You See Flowers

Because you’re growing your strawberries in limited soil, it’s wise to feed your plants to fuel lots more flowers and so plenty of berries. Use a liquid tomato feed such as this Espoma Tomato Plant Food from Amazon – you can use purpose-made strawberry feed if you like, but it’s more expensive and a tomato food does the job just fine. Start feeding as soon as you spot the first flowers appearing, fertilising your basket once a fortnight until you stop picking berries.

Snip off any long, leafy ‘runner’ stems to keep the plant focused on using its energy to make fruit rather than new plants.

6. Save Your Basket For More Berries Next Year

Once your plants have finished fruiting, leave the basket hanging in place until the leaves have browned. A light frost will help the plant go into dormancy – but as the plants are very exposed in a hanging basket, bring them indoors before any really harsh weather arrives. Store your basket in a non-heated place where temperatures won’t dip much below freezing, such as a garage. The plants will be dormant (asleep) over winter so they don’t need light but check the soil once a month and water sparingly if necessary so it doesn’t dry out completely.

Most strawberry varieties live for around six years but start to become less productive after 3 years.

Happy harvesting!

If you’ve always dreamed of growing fruit but never quite had the space – or time – for a tree, listen up! A columnar fruit tree naturally grows in a tall but narrow pillar shape so it's perfect for a pot and, only reaching 2–3 feet wide, doesn't take up much room at all. And although a columnar tree is petite, you still get full-sized fruit. And plenty of it, too – a mature columnar apple tree may give you 50 pounds of fruit in one season.

In spring, these upright trees also bring a striking display of white or pink blossom, so they're a real asset in a small garden.

What are Columnar Fruit Trees?

Columnar fruit trees are the result of a chance mutation noticed on an apple tree in British Columbia, Canada, back in 1963. The gene that caused the mutation turned out to be highly heritable, and plant breeders have since made all sorts of successful crosses to create a variety of columnar tree cultivars. Breeding new varieties isn't a speedy task though, but there's finally a good range available to buy.

Not only do these slender trees bring an abundant harvest in a small space, they require minimal pruning and the fruit is easy to pick.

Are Other Fruits Available on Columnar Trees?

Apple trees are the most commonly available columnar fruit trees. Other fruits such as peaches, nectarines, cherries and plums are also grown in a columnar form, but they're not so readily available and typically sell out fast as soon as they come into stock – it’s best to register your interest and ask to be notified as soon as they’re restocked. Nature Hills offers Nectarine ‘Flavor Gold’; and both Nature Hills and Fast Growing Trees stock Peach ‘Blushing Pearl’ (all suitable for zones 6–9).

Can I Grow Only One Fruit Tree?

Most columnar fruit trees are not self-pollinating, which means you’ll need a second tree of the same species but a different variety that produces blossom at the same time for cross-pollination to happen. Most garden centers and online nurseries list compatible varieties so it's easy to work out the best options. Bees will do the task of pollinating the blossom, and then fruit will grow. The two trees don’t have to be together but do ensure they’re within 50 feet of each other, and the closer, the better.

How Do I Plant a Columnar Fruit Tree in a Pot?

You’ll need a pot around 15–20 inches in diameter (which will be around 15–20 gallon capacity). Choose one with a broad base to ensure your tree doesn’t topple over in strong winds: this 20-inch corten steel cube planter from Amazon would be a great choice, as would this round concrete planter, also from Amazon. Plant your tree in any good-quality potting soil, with the graft union (that’s the knobbly bit on the trunk near the bottom) just above the soil surface.

Give it a sheltered spot in your backyard in full sunlight, which means 6–8 hours of sunshine a day.

Most columnar apple trees are suited to zones 4–9, but do check your variety. In colder zones, you’ll need to move your tree to a frost-free place (a garage works well) once leaves drop in fall. Keeping the pot on a plant caddy with lockable wheels, like this one from Amazon, makes it easy.

Regular watering is essential, especially when your tree is fruiting. Most columnar fruit trees are typically sold as 2–3-year-old saplings which will fruit in their first year after planting, though it will usually take 3–5 years before a tree crops to full capacity. Check how old the plant you’re buying is, if you don’t want to wait for a young tree to start fruiting.

I’ve always dreamt of growing fruit trees, but never had the space to do it. Now that I finally have a yard big enough to plant a couple, I’ve started researching easy to grow fruit trees that produce big harvests with minimal effort. Even though I’m a garden editor and writer, I don’t have a naturally green thumb. So I’m always on the lookout for hard-to-kill varieties of every kind of plant.

Since fruit trees can be more of an investment than bedding annuals or vegetable seeds, I want to be sure the varieties I buy will actually succeed. That’s why I compiled this shortlist of easy fruit trees to grow. Even if you don’t have much space – or much gardening skill to keep plants alive – these easy fruits for beginners will thrive either in the ground or in containers.

One of the benefits of growing fruit trees in pots is that you can grow tender, tropical species in a cold climate. Simply move the pots indoors as fall arrives and overwinter your plants in a greenhouse or sunny corner of your house. Here are the easiest fruit trees that even beginners can grow in pots or in the garden.

1. Figs

Figs are the ultimate beginner fruit tree. They are very easy to grow, produce early, and put out tons of fruit. After only one or two years, you will be harvesting delicious figs from the comfort of your own backyard or patio.

If you’re short on space and are interested in growing a potted fig tree, a dwarf-sized ‘Fignomenal’ tree from Burpee is the perfect choice. It only grows 3-5 feet (0.9-1.5 m) tall and is ideal for container gardening in colder climates. It’s hardy in USDA hardiness zones 7-9, but just pop the pot on a rolling plant caddy, like this one from Amazon, to easily move it indoors for overwintering. It keeps producing fruit all year, even indoors!

Looking for an even easier fruit tree to grow? If you can’t be bothered to move plants indoors and outdoors each year, then the ‘Chicago Hardy’ fig tree from Fast Growing Trees is what you need. This easy to grow fruit tree is hardy down to zone 5. It’s deer-resistant, drought-tolerant, and puts out plenty of fruit every late summer into early fall.

2. Citrus

If you live in a cold climate, you may think that growing a citrus tree is out of reach. But as long as you choose the right variety and are willing to move citrus trees indoors when nighttime temperatures drop below 40°F (4°C), it’s actually quite easy. Sweet citrus trees typically require higher heat to produce fruit, so sour varieties are your best bet for more northern areas where you’ll move your potted citrus tree indoors.

A ‘Meyer’ lemon tree, which is available from Fast Growing Trees, is just about the easiest citrus cultivar to grow. It’s compact, so it's perfect for pots. Plus, its fruits are a bit sweeter than regular lemons because this plant is a cross between a lemon and an orange. They produce just one or two years after planting, so you won’t have to wait long to enjoy this unique fruit.

If you want a sweet citrus fruit you can eat right off the plant, try a satsuma (Citrus reticulata) or Calamondin orange tree, both of which you can get from Fast Growing Trees. Calamondin is a cross between a kumquat and a satsuma, so it’s a bit tart but is delicious in marmalades and desserts.

3. Elderberries

The American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) is an extremely low-maintenance fruit tree. Birds and butterflies will love it as much as you do! The elderberry is native to much of North America and can range in size from large shrub to small fruit tree, making it a good option for pots.

To grow an elderberry in a pot, you will need to provide plenty of water. These easy to grow fruit trees like a lot of moisture, so caring for them in containers is a bit more work than growing them in-ground. But if you only have a small patio, it is possible. If you have enough space, I recommend planting elderberries in your garden.

Both the berries and flowers of this fruit tree are edible. You can bread and deep fry the flower panicles for a tasty fritter-like appetizer straight from the garden. Use the berries to make jam, wine, or herbal medicines. You can get a species elderberry tree from the Arbor Day Foundation or shop other elderberry cultivars from Stark Bro’s Nurseries.

Walk past a fruit tree in late winter, and those tall, straight shoots pointing skyward may look like healthy growth. But they're not. Water sprouts, as they are commonly known, are the tree's version of a mid-life crisis. They are the epitome of stress, with panic growth that accomplishes nothing, while burning through energy the tree needs for actual fruit.

Most backyard orchards have at least a few of these “fake fruit” imposters hiding amongst legitimate branches. Fruit tree pruning generally involves cutting away dead wood and shaping for light. Removing water sprouts on fruit trees is primarily about rescuing future harvests. Leave them where they are, and they multiply fast, shading out fruiting wood and stealing nutrients. You need to cut them now before buds swell, and your tree wastes more time sustaining growth that'll never result in a single crop.

Because every water sprout can grow so rapidly, every day you wait after the sap begins to rise is energy wasted on wood that will never produce fruit. So take steps now to remove water sprouts before they really start to drain your fruit tree’s life force. Don't let these energy thieves steal future fruits. Here’s how to get rid of those energy bandits for healthier trees – and happier harvests.

The Impostors in Your Orchard

Water sprouts are those perfectly vertical shoots that pop up from horizontal branches or straight out of the trunk. They grow fast (sometimes several feet in a season) with leaves spaced far apart along smooth, whip-like stems. As well as being vigorous, they produce zero fruit while draining energy meant for harvest.

Trees shoot out water sprouts as a stress response. Heavy pruning, storm damage, drought, pests, or old age can trigger them. The tree panics and pushes out emergency shoots, trying to rebuild the lost canopy. The problem is, water sprouts on fruit trees grow from dormant buds that normally stay asleep. They don't develop the lateral branches and fruit spurs that productive wood does, so they never contribute to harvest, no matter how long they sit on the tree.

If you have wall-trained or espaliered trees, keep a close watch. The structural pruning these trees require often triggers a heavy flush of sprouts. This isn't just a fruit tree problem. Maples and oaks also throw out these epicormic shoots (the technical name for water sprouts) when stressed or over-pruned.

Spot the Fake Fruit Energy Thieves

Tree water sprouts stand out once you know what to look for. They grow vertically even when coming off horizontal branches. That upright angle gives them away. Bark will be smooth and green, compared to the rougher, grayer bark on older wood. The leaf spacing can look a little off, too. The leaves will grow several inches apart, instead of clustering like they tend to do on fruiting branches.

Don't confuse water sprouts with suckers, though. Suckers grow from the rootstock below the graft union, often popping up from roots several feet from the trunk. Water sprouts come from above the graft, emerging from the trunk or scaffolding branches. Both steal resources, but need different removal. Suckers get dug out from their root connection. Tree water sprouts need to be pruned at their base.

Why Later Is Too Late for Pruning

Late winter pruning works best for removing water sprouts. The tree is still dormant but close enough to spring that structure shows clearly without leaves in the way. Wounds heal faster when cut just before active growth kicks in, and the tree redirects energy into legitimate fruiting wood instead of regrowing removed sprouts.

Not pruning now would be a big mistake. Wait until leaves come out, and it's harder to see what you're cutting. The tree has burned energy pushing out growth on water sprouts, wasting resources that could have gone to fruit. Prune too early (December or January) and the tree sits with open wounds through the coldest stretch of winter, inviting disease.

Tree wounds heal faster when cut just before active growth kicks in, and the tree redirects energy into legitimate fruiting wood instead of regrowing sprouts. In warmer regions (USDA zones 8-10), this window closes fast. Once the buds swell, the tree has already committed nutrients to these thieves. Pruning them in February hits that perfect timing where dormancy is wrapping up, but growth hasn't fired back up yet.

What Happens if You Don't Act

Water sprouts left on the tree create a cascade of problems. They shade out lower fruiting branches, cutting the light those productive branches need for flowers and fruit. Less light means fewer flowers. Dense vertical growth blocks air circulation through the canopy, creating humid pockets where fungal diseases love to set up.

Energy drain is the real killer, though. Every foot of water sprout growth is energy not going to fruit. The tree feeds those vigorous shoots first since they're growing so actively, leaving fruiting spurs starved for nutrients. Harvests drop year after year as more energy gets pulled into non-productive wood. So there’s no time to lose!

Grab your gloves, and a sturdy pair of ladders. Make sure your gloves are thick, but allow full movement. A gauntlet style like the Arm Protecting Gloves from Uncommon Goods is great for jaunty water sprouts. For high-up water sprout work, always use a sturdy tripod ladder like the Werner Fiberglass Type 1A Tripod Ladder from Lowe’s.

Grab Your Pruning Superheroes

When you're tasked with big cuts, you need the best kit. Grab these pruning legends to make light work of removing those pesky water sprouts!

How to Snip Like a Pro

Sharp bypass pruners work best for most water sprout removal. The Fiskars Bypass Pruning Shears from Amazon stay sharp through heavy use and make clean cuts that heal faster than crushed stems from dull blades. Make cuts at a slight angle just outside the branch collar – that raised ridge where the sprout comes off the parent branch. Don't cut into the collar itself, but don't leave a stub poking out beyond it either. The collar tissue has cells in it that heal the wound naturally without help.

For water sprouts growing from the trunk, find the point where the texture changes from smooth sprout bark to rough trunk, and cut there. You’ll need to sterilize tools between cuts to avoid spreading infections and diseases like fire blight. A good rubbing alcohol is Swan 70% Isopropyl Alcohol, available from Amazon in double packs. Keep in a spray bottle as an alternative to cloth applications.

Search and Destroy: 3 Ds and Beyond

Start with the 3 Ds, which is any dead, diseased, and damaged wood. Anything that's clearly not alive, or dying, gets removed first. Dead stubs and diseased branches provide entry points for pests that make water sprout problems worse by stressing the tree further. After the 3 Ds, you can move to the sprouts. With clutter gone, the tree's true framework emerges, so it’s easier to remove troublemakers.

Remove these energy bandits completely at the base – don't leave any stubs. Stubs act as hydras, sprouting multiple new shoots where there was one before. Cut flush with the parent branch or trunk using sharp pruners for small stems. Larger water sprouts will need a good pruning saw. The Corona RazorTooth Folding Pruning Saw, available from Amazon, has a curved steel blade for ergonomic slicing and is adept at handling water sprouts that are thicker than a thumb.

After pruning, it’s a good idea to give your fruit tree a little mulching to help settle it and protect the roots ahead of spring. Pick a wood chip or shredded bark based option, such as Brut Aspen Organic Mulch from Amazon, with a lightweight, fine mulch texture. Add in a donut-style around the base of the trunk, leaving a couple of inches clear around the tree so as to prevent the risk of trunk rots.

Preventing Future Water Sprouts

Water sprouts usually show up when a tree is stressed. Over-pruning is the big culprit. Take off too much canopy in one season and the tree panics, trying to replace lost leaves. Lighter yearly pruning avoids that shock. Sunscald on young trunks can also kick it off. Regular deep watering and not going crazy with fertilizer can keep things steady. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers in early spring if your tree is prone to water sprouts. Excess nitrogen acts like rocket fuel for non-productive shoots, and will make your pruning job twice as hard next year.

Clearing shoots once a year, ideally in late winter, sends energy back into fruiting wood instead of useless whips. Light reaches the inner canopy again, air moves through instead of sitting damp, and the main branches get the support they need to set decent fruit. A few sprouts coming back the first year isn’t failure, though – it’s normal, so take heart. Stay consistent, and the tree usually levels out. By next summer, hopefully you’ll be enjoying fuller harvests, sturdier structure, and less chaos overall.

Don't Forget These Fruit Care Picks

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We love our fig trees (Ficus carica), which have been cultivated for centuries, with archaeological evidence of their harvests dating back to Neolithic times. Native to the Mediterranean, today the edible fig is a global garden favorite, prized as much for its architectural shape and lobed leaves as for its honey-sweet fruit. While figs thrive best in USDA hardiness zones 7-10, gardeners in cooler climates are increasingly finding success by utilizing containers and cold-hardy varieties.

If you are still learning how to grow figs, you may be surprised to learn how important pruning fig trees can be to the health and longevity of the tree and the abundance of the fruit. Some fruit trees require delicate training, but the fig is fast-growing. Without intervention, a single tree can quickly dominate a small yard, casting deep shade and making its fruit hard to reach. Proper pruning creates a strong branch structure that can support a heavy crop. It also ensures that every fig gets the sunlight it needs to ripen to perfection – and helps to increase your fruit harvest year after year.

Whether you are tending to a century-old specimen or a brand-new sapling, we’ve pulled together everything you need to perfect fig tree pruning with confidence and precision. Here’s how to cut, when to cut, how to avoid mistakes, and how to care for your tree after snipping, so you can become a fig pruning guru.

Why Prune Your Fig Tree

The basics of pruning can intimidate even an experienced gardener. We are all afraid of making a mistake, and the fear of killing a healthy plant is a common hurdle. However, in the world of figs, neglect is a far greater risk than a heavy hand. Regular pruning is key to a healthy harvest.

By removing dead, damaged, or diseased wood (also known as the 3 Ds), you allow the tree to divert its precious energy away from struggling limbs and into the production of top-quality fruit. A tree full of younger branches is healthier and more productive than one with older branches. You are encouraging the tree to invest more energy in top-quality fruit harvests, rather than woody growth.

As you thin out branches and open the canopy, you improve air circulation. This is a critical factor in preventing the trapped humidity that leads to fungal diseases and fruit rot. Furthermore, sunlight is the primary fuel for sugar production in figs. An open, airy canopy ensures that sun reaches the interior, ripening the fruit evenly and intensifying its flavor.

Finally, there is the matter of scale. Did you know that a healthy fig tree, left to its own devices, can grow up to 30 feet (10 m) tall? This can make harvesting a dangerous high-wire act. By pruning figs, you keep the fruiting wood within arm's reach. Regular trimming also prevents the tree from becoming invasive in certain USDA growing areas, where its vigorous root system and spreading habit can otherwise crowd out native flora.

When to Prune Fig Trees

A key part of knowing how to prune a fig tree is knowing when to prune. Fig trees are deciduous, so they lose their leaves and enter a deep dormancy in late fall. The gold standard for pruning is during this dormant window, either in late autumn after the leaves have dropped or in early spring before the first buds swell. Pruning a fig between late winter and early spring allows you to easily identify and remove any wood that suffered die-back during a harsh winter freeze.

Pruning in winter is less stressful on the tree. There is also a biological reason for this timing: fig trees are bleeders. When cut during the active growing season, they ooze a thick, milky latex sap. This sap isn't just a nuisance, it acts as a beacon for sap-sucking insects and provides an entry point for pathogens. By pruning during dormancy, you minimize bleeding, allowing the tree to seal its wounds more effectively before pests become active in summer.

If you prune in late summer to control size, stick to pinching back new, soft growth rather than cutting into old wood. This minimizes sap loss and prevents a tree being stimulated into new growth that won't have time to harden off before the first frost.

Ground versus Container Figs

Pruning fig trees for fruit benefits and tree health also requires an understanding of how the plant is growing, based on whether it is in the ground or in a pot. Before you grab your shears, consider the fig variety and its home. In-ground trees, such as the classic 'Brown Turkey' or honey-sweet 'Celeste,' have space to develop massive root systems, resulting in larger yields, but require more aggressive structural pruning. These varieties are the backbone of the traditional open-center or vase shape, which maximizes light penetration.

For those with limited space or colder climates (USDA zones 5-6), container-grown figs are a revelation. Varieties like 'Little Miss Figgy' or 'Chicago Hardy' are bred for their compact habits. Pruning a container fig is less about taming a beast and more about root restriction. Because the pot limits the roots, the tree naturally grows more slowly, but you must still prune the canopy annually to prevent it becoming top-heavy and to encourage the new wood on which the best figs grow.

Best Pruning Tools

The right pruning tools will prevent ragged cuts that invite rots and diseases. For most fig pruning, a high-quality pair of bypass pruners is your best friend. Unlike anvil pruners, which crush the stem, bypass pruners act like scissors, leaving a clean, surgical edge. Our team loves Fiskars Bypass Pruners from Amazon for their clean, precise cuts.

For larger fig tree branches on mature trees, anything over an inch (2.5 cm), you will need the leverage of long-handled loppers such as the highly rated Corona 33in Bypass Loppers from Amazon. Alternatively, you can use a dedicated pruning saw, such as the Silky Gomboy Curve Professional from Amazon, which has excellent cutting action with minimal drag, and folds away so it is safe to store.

The specific tools you use to prune your fig tree may depend on the age and stage of the tree. Just make sure they are clean and sharp. Sharpen dull blades with a sharpening tool such as the AccuSharp Garden Tool Blade Sharpener from Amazon. Use rubbing alcohol, like Epic Medical 70% Isopropyl Alcohol from Amazon, to wipe pruning blades between cuts and prevent pathogens spreading.

Don’t forget garden gloves. Choose a comfortable pair that allows full movement, like the Arm Protecting Gloves from Uncommon Goods, to protect from fig latex.

Pruning Figs for the First Time

Fig tree pruning shouldn't start the day you plant, but rather one year later. This settling in period allows the tree to establish a robust root system. Once that first year has passed, your goal is to select a scaffolding – a framework of 3 to 5 strong, healthy branches that will support the future weight of your harvests. And the intention is to prune year after year to support that framework.

Identify a strong central leader (the main trunk) and remove any competing vertical shoots, as well as any crossing branches. For the best fruit tree pruning, you want your main branches to grow outward at roughly a 45-degree angle. If branches are growing too vertically, they are prone to breaking; if they are too horizontal, they will sag under the weight of the fruit. Cut these selected scaffold branches back by half to encourage them to thicken and branch out further, creating a sturdy vase shape. A strong structure means the tree can bear plenty of fruit.

How to Prune Mature Figs

When pruning a mature fig tree, first remove the 3 Ds, plus side shoots and crossing branches. Then, focus on tree suckers – those thin, vertical shoots popping up from the base of the trunk or the roots. They should also be removed, as they suck energy away from the fruiting canopy.

Once the tree is cleaned up, focus on thinning the canopy. An increase in sunlight and air can only be a good thing for your fig trees. Look for branches that are rubbing against each other, as these wounds are magnets for pests. Remove branches with a thin crotch – that is, branches growing at less than a 45-degree angle from the main branch.

Prune back the tallest branches to a height where you can comfortably harvest. Finally, shorten the fruiting wood (the previous year's growth) by about one third. This stimulates the production of new wood, which is exactly where your summer crop of figs will appear. Prune back by one third the length of specific branches for a more compact shape. Take care not to remove more than a third in one session.

Common Fig Pruning Mistakes

One of the most frequent pruning mistakes is flush cutting. This involves cutting a branch perfectly flat against the main trunk. This removes the branch collar (the wrinkled area of bark where the branch meets the trunk), which contains the specialized cells the tree needs to heal the wound. You should always cut just outside this collar to ensure a quick recovery.

Another common mistake is over-pruning in a single season. While figs are tough, removing more than a third of the canopy at once can send the tree into shock, causing it to produce water sprouts (those weak, whip-like vertical growth shoots you see appearing from the tops of trees). If a tree is severely overgrown, it is better to spread the rejuvenation over two or three years, rather than doing it all at once.

After-Pruning Care Essentials

Once the cutting is done, your work isn't quite over. Pruning is a surgical procedure for a tree, and it needs a recovery plan. Immediately after pruning, you need to apply a fresh 2-3 inch (5-8 cm) layer of mulch, such as wood chips, well-rotted manure, or a commercial blend such as Back to the Roots Organic Mulch from Amazon. Add this around the base, but ensure the mulch doesn't touch the trunk, as this can cause bark rot. This mulch will help to regulate soil temperature and moisture for shallow fig roots during the critical spring push.

As soon as you see the first signs of green growth in spring, you can apply a high-potassium fertilizer. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers, which encourage a flush of green leaves but can lead to smaller, less flavorful fruit. A gentle formula for lush growth and healthy fruit development is TPS Nutrients’ Fig Tree Liquid Fertilizer from Amazon. For container figs, remember that nutrients leach out of the soil faster due to frequent watering. Add a liquid feed every two weeks during the growing season.

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Many home gardeners feel anxious about winter-pruning fruit trees like apples and pears. Many new growers have searching questions – like, how much do I take off? What if I cut too much? These fears often result in timid trimming, which can leave a tree more prone to disease. If you’re staring at an overgrown tree and nervously cradling pruning shears in bemusement, this may help clear the way for you.

The "bird in a branch" rule is one of those unusual expressions that has been around for a long time – for a good reason. This homespun rule comes from folklore, and it’s an easy way to grasp core pruning basics regarding how much of your apple or pear tree to trim. Since late winter is the ideal time to prune these trees, now’s the time to master the essential rules for pruning apples and pears. So let’s dive into the wisdom behind this curious expression.

Folklore of the Flying Bird

In yesteryear, grandparents passed on their gardening tips to children and grandchildren through stories that were easy to remember. That still happens in Europe, but less so in this country. So you may have never heard the folklore of the flying bird – but it’s definitely worth keeping in mind for fruit tree pruning.

This gardening adage suggests that a bird should be able to fly through an apple tree without its wings touching a branch. UK horticulturist Monty Don is an advocate for this classic fruit tree pruning trick, which indicates that a pigeon should easily get through the center of the tree without graze or incident. It relies on the tree having a goblet or open vase shape.

While a pigeon is the standard, some old-timers make the distinction of a small bird for younger trees and a wood pigeon for mature types. It provides a perfect visual goal when pruning a fruit tree. You aren't just cutting wood; you are creating flight paths that allow maximum air and light to penetrate the central space. With this maxim to hand, let’s consider how we tackle the canopy, and why now is the time to do it.

Why February is the Sweet Spot

Gardening experts don’t always agree, but almost all agree that deciduous trees should be pruned during dormancy. So if you've been staring at the jumbled branches of your weary looking apple tree, the time is right for kickstarting healthy growth.

The best time for pruning is between the moment the leaves fall in winter and the moment new leaves appear in spring. In February, the tree is in its deepest sleep, but the sap-rise of spring is just weeks away, and the trim won’t stress the trees. Plus, although spring hasn’t yet sprung, the days are getting longer, and warmer weather is around the corner. The cuts will have time to heal before it’s time to grow again.

This timing is strategic because of plant hormones. By pruning now, you redirect auxins (growth hormones) to the remaining buds, ensuring that when the tree wakes up, it puts all its energy into quality fruit rather than a tangle of weak twigs. The cuts have time to callous over before spring pathogens wake up. So, back to those birds…

The Magic of Sunlight, Air, and Sugar

Most gardeners agree that plants have many kinds of magic. One of them is the process of photosynthesis, where plants convert sunshine, carbon dioxide from the air (CO2), and water from rain into glucose (sugar) and oxygen. This is how the tree fuels its growth – and it’s a big part of how we get the oxygen we need to breathe.

Opening up the canopy of the tree, so a bird could fly through without touching a wing against a branch, is the key to this process. An open-center pruning strategy allows air and sunlight to pass freely through the canopy and reach the fruiting spurs deep inside the tree. Without this light, the interior becomes a dead zone, where fruit won't ripen and fungal diseases like apple scab can thrive in the stagnant, damp air. So that open shape is crucial to preventing disease and topping up the fruit size.

Which Fruits Benefit from this Prune?

The best pruning system for stone fruits is called the open center (also known as the vase shape). Pruning to this system results in a vase-shaped tree, easy for a bird to fly though. This really benefits stone fruits like apricot trees, nectarines, peach trees, plum trees, and tart cherries. It keeps the center sun-drenched.

Mature apple and pear trees naturally want to grow tall with a central leader (one main trunk), but the bird rule still applies. You want well-spaced scaffold branches for these trees. Think of it as a multi-story apartment building. Every floor needs a clear view of the sun. If it's too crowded for a bird, it's too crowded for the sun.

Apples and pears are fine for late winter pruning with the flying bird trick in mind. Stone fruits like cherries, apricots, and so on should not be pruned while the tree is dormant – it is best to cut those in summer. But you can cut apples and pears in late winter using this method. Here’s how to prune your tree with the flying bird trick.

Choose the Right Tools

If you have an overgrown tree you need to prune, you’ll need the right tools. To get the job done without tearing the bark, you need sharp, professional-grade steel. Here are the best-in-class options:

Try the Flying Bird Trick

Taking a saw to a beloved tree can feel like surgery. But remember: you aren't hurting the tree; you are liberating it. Grab a trusty pair of gardening gloves before starting your pruning. Make sure they are comfortable and well fitting, like Arm Protecting Gloves from Uncommon Goods.

1. Take a Long Look

Don’t just jump in with a pruning saw. Walk all the way around the tree. You should also climb up on a ladder and look at it from a height. Use a sturdy tripod ladder like the Werner Fiberglass Type 1A Tripod Ladder from Lowe’s. Identify dead, damaged, or diseased wood, known as the 3 Ds. Clearing these will free up energy for healthy parts, and the tree's true framework emerges clearly for smarter decisions.

Look for water sprouts, too – those vertical, thin shoots that look like whip-sticks. They suck energy and block bird flight. You want to encourage the tree to make horizontal branches primed for fruit. The branches must arc away from the trunk, rather than cross through the middle. They should also be low enough to make harvests easy.

2. Cut Out the Bad Stuff

Don't try to fix it all in one go. The golden rule is never remove more than 30% of the canopy in one year. If you go overboard, the tree will panic and produce a forest of water sprouts next year. Attack the most crucial problems first, and if you have to, postpone the rest until the following year.

Remove your 3 Ds, as well as crossing branches: If two branches rub together, they create a wound. These are the “flight path” branches that will stop your pigeon flying through! Pick the strongest of the two, and remove the other. Also, remove branches that grow inward. Locate the main scaffolding branches that form the vase. Cut out any vigorous upright shoots on the inside of the main scaffolds.

When cutting a branch, don't cut flush against the trunk. Leave the small wrinkled swelling at the base of the branch. This is where the tree’s natural healing cells live. For any high branches, use long reach bypass pruners like Corona Long Reach Cut 'n' Hold from Amazon, perfect for loftier pigeon paths. Also, trim out any suckers around the bottom of the trunk, and take out any branches close to the ground.

3. Call Your Trained Bird

Once you’ve finished, step back. Think about the next visiting bird. Can you imagine a pigeon flying through the middle? If you don't have a well trained bird to demonstrate, then a hat toss is a good test. Throw your cap through the branches (or if you have a drone, try that). If your bird or hat gets stuck, your tree is still too dense and more cutting is needed.

Common Mistakes with This Method

• Don't Lion's Tail: It’s a common pruning mistake to strip all the small inner twigs and leave only a tuft of leaves at the very end. This makes branches heavy, imbalanced, and prone to snapping.
• Don't Leave Stubs: Exposing a 2-inch (5 cm) stub means it will rot before it heals. You should always cut back to a bud or a main branch for healthy cuts and faster healing.
• Don't Prune While Wet: Pruning during rain can spread fungal spores, which will compromise the health of your apple or pear tree. Instead, you should wait for a crisp, dry February day.

After-Pruning Care

Forget the pruning paint: science shows it traps moisture and encourages rot. Let the tree air-dry. However, sanitize your pruning tools with isopropyl alcohol between trees to ensure you aren't spreading fire blight or other nasties. You can buy Epic Medical 70% Isopropyl Alcohol from Amazon. It’s also a good idea to give your fruit trees a drink after pruning,

Hold off on that high-nitrogen fertilizer until you see fruit set – otherwise, you'll just be pruning off all that new green growth again next year. However, it’s fine to give your apple tree a light mulching after pruning, to help it retain a steady soil temperature and water moisture.

Use leaf mold, straw, well rotted manure, or wood chips. You can buy Brut Organic Aspen Mulch from Amazon for an organic option. Make the layer 2-4 (5-10 cm) inches thick and add it in a donut shape, leaving a space around the trunk to avoid bark rot.

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If you’re tempted to find out how to grow blueberries, you’ve probably heard about their impressive superfood credentials. It’s true: this luscious, juicy fruit is packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, as well as being super-low in calories. These berries help to lower blood pressure, fight cancer, reduce cholesterol, and boost memory. All that, and they taste sublime, adding an unusual pop of color to your edible garden exploits.

What might be surprising is how easy it is growing blueberries. Most varieties maintain a manageable size, making them ideal for small raised beds, containers, and patios. As native fruiting shrubs, their needs are modest once you’ve mastered the basics of their soil and water preferences. And given the range of varieties available in the US, you can mix and match both early and late-fruiting breeds to guarantee weeks of sumptuous berry bliss.

Furthermore, even when they’re not fruiting, blueberry plants deliver some of the most stunning foliage displays in the fall, often showcasing vibrant coral and magenta leaves. They truly earn their keep as edible ornamentals. Here’s how to cultivate your own delectable super-blues.

Quick Blueberry Facts

Planting Blueberries

To grow blueberries well, you must first consider the best spot for your shrubs. Allowing for your planting zone, there are a couple of key factors that can determine overall health and yield. Get this right and these perennial plants will thrive for years. Unlike many garden vegetables that prefer neutral soil, blueberries are calcifuges. This means that they hate lime and alkaline conditions, and love acidic conditions.

Planting blueberries is remarkably easy once the site is prepped. While these easy fruiting shrubs are famously hardy, they do require a bit of front-end work regarding their environment. Most gardeners find that planting a mix of varieties not only extends the harvest season but ensures better pollination. Whether you have a sprawling backyard in the Midwest or a sunny balcony in Florida, there is a blueberry planting strategy for you.

Soil Needs

Soil pH is critical when learning how to grow blueberry bushes. Blueberries must be grown in acidic conditions. Ideally, this should be in soil with a pH of 4.5-5.2. If soil pH is too high (alkaline), the plant cannot absorb nutrients (specifically iron), leading to yellow leaves (chlorosis) and poor growth.

If you aren’t sure about your soil type, it’s worth testing soil with a soil pH kit so you can determine how acid, alkaline, or neutral your ground is. For those who have had success growing other acid-loving plants like rhododendrons, camellias, and azaleas, the good news is that you should have no problems growing blueberries in your soil.

However, if you have alkaline soil, you can adjust acidity by adding granulated sulfur or pine bark, though this should be done several months before planting to allow the chemistry to shift. As well as needing acidic conditions, growing blueberries is far easier with sandy, well-draining soils.

If you aren’t sure, it’s a good idea to test soil ahead of planting so you can make small adjustments as necessary. Use a reliable soil meter like the Yamron 4-In-1 Soil Meter from Amazon to test soil pH levels, moisture and light levels, and nutrient loads ahead of planting.

Light and Warmth

Blueberries are sun-lovers. To get the sweetest fruit and the most flowers, aim for a position that receives at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily. While they can tolerate a little afternoon shade (especially in hotter US climates like Georgia or Texas), too much shade will result in fewer berries and leggy growth.

Temperature is also a factor here. Blueberries require chill hours (hours below 45°F) during the winter to set fruit in the spring. Northern Highbush varieties need 800–1,000 chill hours, while Southern Highbush varieties only need 150–400. Always check your local USDA zone to ensure your variety will thrive in your specific climate.

Planting Step by Step

When you plant your blues, make sure the roots are moist. Aim to get your plant in the ground within a couple of days after buying it. Once you’re ready to get your blues in the ground, follow this easy guide:

• Ensure the site is free of weeds and grass. Blueberries have shallow, fibrous roots that don't like competing with aggressive weeds.
• For a container-grown shrub, dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball but no deeper. If your soil is heavy clay, mix the excavated soil 50/50 with acidic peat moss or aged pine bark.
• Place the shrub in the hole. Plant so the soil level matches that of the nursery pot. Planting too deep can cause root rot.
• Gently firm the soil around the roots to remove air pockets. Water immediately and deeply with rainwater or acidified water.
• Finish with a 2-4 inch layer of bark chips or pine needles to keep the roots cool and moist.

How to Care for Blueberries

Blueberries are generally low-maintenance once established, but they aren't “set and forget" plants, by any means. Because they have shallow roots, they are susceptible to drought and nutrient fluctuations. Due to regional variations in humidity and heat fluctuations, you'll need to keep a closer eye on them during the peak of summer.

Watering

Blueberries need consistent moisture but won't tolerate wet feet (standing water). Aim for 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) of water per week. During the fruiting season, watering deeply is non-negotiable. If the soil dries out, the berries will shrivel or drop early.

Stick to a consistent watering routine, especially during fruit development. Otherwise, berries may shrivel or crack before they reach their prime. Try a watering wand like the Green Mount Watering Wand from Amazon for a targeted spray. And remember, rainwater is better than tap water, which can be alkaline.

Fertilizing

Do not fertilize blueberries in the first year; let them get their roots established first. From the second year onwards, apply an acidic fertilizer in early spring just as the buds begin to break.

Use a fertilizer specifically formulated for acid-loving plants (often labeled for azaleas or camellias). You can buy Down to Earth Organic Acid Mix from Amazon. Avoid fertilizing with nitrates or chlorides, as these can be toxic to blueberry roots. Ammonium sulfate is a common choice for growers looking to maintain a low pH while providing nitrogen.

Mulching

Mulching blueberries is arguably the most important care task after getting the soil pH right. Because blueberry roots are extremely shallow and lack root hairs (the tiny filaments that help other plants absorb water), they are very sensitive to soil temperature swings and drying out. A thick layer of organic mulch (3-4 inches/8-10 cm) acts as a protective blanket, suppressing weeds that might steal nutrients, and keeping the delicate root system cool during blistering summers and warm in winter.

When choosing a mulch, focus on acidic materials. Pine bark nuggets, pine needles (often called pine straw in the South), and aged sawdust are the gold standards for mulching. These materials break down slowly and help maintain that vital low pH. Avoid using "hot" manures, mushroom compost, or wood chips from cedar or treated lumber, as these can either burn the shallow roots with too much nitrogen or raise the soil pH to dangerous levels. Always leave a small gap around the base of the stems to prevent rot; the mulch should look like a donut, not a volcano.

Use an organic mulch such as Back to the Roots Organic Mulch with Natural Wood, available from Amazon. Pine needles (pine straw) or aged sawdust are also excellent choices as they naturally help maintain acidity.

Transplanting

If you need to move a blueberry bush, the best time is during the dormant season (late winter or very early spring) before any new growth appears. Ensure you take as large a root ball as possible. Blueberries are actually quite resilient to transplanting if you maintain their acidic soil requirements in their new home.

Hydrate well when transplanting, ideally by puddling the plant. Maintain good levels of hydration for the first few weeks after transplanting. Optionally, you might wish to remove flower buds for the first year after moving, in order to give the roots a chance to develop and get strong in the plant’s new location – but that is up to you.

Pruning & Deadheading

Pruning is essential to prevent your blueberry bushes from becoming a tangled mess of unproductive wood. For the first two years, you should be quite ruthless and remove any flower buds that appear. This sacrifice forces the plant to put its energy into building a strong skeletal structure rather than producing a handful of berries too early. By the third year, you can let it fruit, but you must start an annual pruning regimen in late winter, while the plant is still dormant, to keep it productive.

The core goal of pruning blueberries is renewal. You want to maintain a balance of young, vigorous canes and older, established ones. Start by removing the 3 Ds: dead, damaged, or diseased wood. Next, look for low-growing branches that will touch the ground when heavy with fruit. Finally, identify the oldest canes. These are usually gray and have peeling bark. Remove one-third of these oldest canes at the ground level. This stimulates the plant to send up new, vibrant red shoots from the base, which will provide your best fruit in two years' time.

Proper tools make a world of difference. A sharp cut heals faster and reduces the risk of fungal infections like Botryosphaeria (canker). If you have older, thicker bushes, you may need a pair of loppers for the base, but for most work, a high-quality hand pruner is best. We love Fiskars Bypass Pruning Shears, available from Amazon, for clean, precise cuts.

Blueberry Care Calendar

Great Blueberry Varieties

You won’t be struggling for choice when it comes to yummy blues. There is a massive selection of blueberry varieties available. Choosing the right one depends on your climate zone, as well as personal taste, but here are the main types:

• Northern Highbush: Best for the North and the Midwest (USDA zones 3–7). These highbush blues need significant winter chill. Varieties include 'Bluecrop' (reliable classic), 'Duke' (early season cropper), and 'Chandler' (huge fruit). You can buy ‘Chandler’ Blueberry Plants from Nature Hills.
• Southern Highbush: Perfect for the South and California (USDA zones 7–10). They tolerate heat and need fewer chill hours. Varieties include 'Sunshine Blue' (compact and evergreen) and 'Misty'. You can get ‘Misty’ Blueberry Plants from Nature Hills.
• Rabbiteye: Native to the Southeastern US. Very productive, heat tolerant and pest-resistant. However, they need a second variety for pollination. Varieties include 'PowderBlue' and 'Tifblue'. You can buy ‘PowderBlue’ Plants from Amazon.
• Lowbush: These are the wild blueberries, growing only 1–2 feet (30-60 cm) tall, but they are very hardy. Lowbush varieties include 'Top Hat' (which is perfect for pots). You can buy ‘Top Hat’ Blueberry Plants from Nature Hills.
• Pink Varieties: Try 'Pink Lemonade' for bright pink, super-sweet berries for something different that adds a beautiful contrast to your garden. You can buy ‘Pink Lemonade’ Blueberry Plants from Amazon.

Special Considerations

One major deal-breaker for blueberry success is water quality. In many parts of the US, tap water is hard (which means that it is high in calcium). Over time, watering with hard water will raise the soil pH, thereby neutralizing your acidic environment. If possible, it’s a good idea to collect rainwater in a water butt or similar. If you must use tap water, you may need to periodically add sulfur to compensate.

Another consideration is pollination. While many varieties are self-fertile, they will always produce larger berries and a heavier crop if they are cross-pollinated with a different variety that blooms at the same time.

Growing Blueberries in Containers

If your garden soil is naturally alkaline or you simply don't have space for a full fruit patch, container gardening is the way to go. Blueberries are well-suited to life in pots, because you can curate their environment perfectly and have total control over the soil pH, amongst other things.

When growing blueberries in containers, the key is starting with the right home. Choose a container at least 12–15 inches (30-40 cm) in diameter for a young plant, and be prepared to pot up to a 20-inch (50 cm) container like a classic whiskey barrel as the shrub matures. Ensure the pot has excellent drainage. Blueberries love water, but hate sitting in a swamp.

The most common mistake in container growing is using standard garden soil, which is often too heavy and not acidic enough. Instead, use a dedicated ericaceous or acid-loving potting mix. These are often marketed as azalea, camellia and gardenia mixes. For an extra boost, mix in about 20% perlite or pine bark to ensure the roots stay aerated. Because nutrients leach out of pots quickly with frequent watering, you’ll need to feed container blueberries more regularly than those in the ground. Use a liquid acidic fertilizer every 2-3 weeks during the growing season.

Keep a close eye on moisture. Pot-based soil dries out faster than the ground, especially in porous ceramic or terracotta. In the height of summer, a containerized blueberry might need watering every day. Using a mulch of pine bark on top of the pot can help retain that moisture. It will also stop the sun from baking the shallow roots through the sides of the container.

Overwintering Blueberries

Blueberries are naturally cold-hardy, but container-grown plants are more vulnerable, because their roots aren't insulated by the earth. In colder USDA zones (5 and below), it’s important to wrap your pots in burlap or bubble wrap to protect the root ball from the freeze-thaw cycles. Alternatively, you can care for blueberries in winter by moving pot-based blueberry plants to an unheated garage or shed once they go dormant. In-ground plants only need a fresh layer of mulch to survive the winter.

Propagating Blueberries

Propagation is a wonderful way to expand your berry patch for free. Generally, the best way to do this is by softwood and hardwood cuttings. Take softwood cuttings in late spring or early summer from the current year’s growth. Cut a 5-inch (12 cm) tip, remove the lower leaves, dip the end in rooting hormone like Garden Safe TakeRoot Rooting Hormone from Amazon, and stick it into a 50/50 mix of peat moss and perlite. These need high humidity, so covering them with a plastic dome or clear bag is essential until roots form (usually in 6–8 weeks).

Take hardwood cuttings in late winter while the plant is dormant. These are sturdier, woody stems about the thickness of a pencil. Cut 6-inch (15 cm) lengths, ensuring you have several buds on each. Unlike softwood, these don't need a humidity dome, but they do take longer to root (possibly the following spring). Keep them in a sheltered spot outdoors, in a pot of sandy, acidic soil.

While blueberry seed propagation is possible, blueberries do not grow true to seed (the same as their parent plant). This means that a seed from a 'Duke' blueberry (for instance) might grow into a plant that produces small, sour fruit. Cuttings, however, are clones of the parent plant, so you get the same delicious fruit quality every time.

Common Blueberry Problems

While blueberries are tough, they aren't invincible. The biggest blueberry problems and pests are usually the winged kind, but fortunately there are a few ways to protect burgeoning blues.

• Birds: Robins, pigeons, and starlings love blueberries and can strip a bush in hours. To protect blues from birds, use 1/4-inch bird netting draped over a simple PVC frame to keep the mesh from touching the berries, or the birds will just peck through it. Alternatively, try bird scarers. You can get Reflective Helix Wind Spinner Bird Scarers from Amazon.
• Aphids: These small, pear-shaped insects cluster on new growth. They suck sap from young shoots and cause leaves to curl, and they also leave a sticky residue called honeydew. Spray with a strong stream of water to dislodge them, followed by an application of neem oil spray, such as Bonide Captain Jack’s Ready-To-Use Neem Oil Spray from Amazon and repeat every few days until things clear up.
• Japanese Beetles: This is a major pest that can skeletonize leaves in mid-summer by eating the tissue between leaf veins. Hand-pick the beetles into a bucket of soapy water in the morning when they are sluggish, or use organic pyrethrin-based sprays for heavy infestations.
• Mummy Berry: This fungal disease causes berries to shrivel into hard mummies. Sanitation is key. Rake up and destroy all fallen berries in the fall, and apply fresh mulch to bury remaining spores.
• Chlorosis: Yellow leaves with green veins indicate iron deficiency, and are a telltale sign your soil pH is too high, so test the soil. If the soil pH is above 5.5, apply a soil acidifier like elemental sulfur or chelated iron for a quick green-up.

Harvesting Blueberries

The most important rule of harvesting is to ignore the calendar and trust the color. Blueberries usually turn blue several days before they are actually sweet. If there is even a hint of red or pink around the stem, the berry isn't ready and will be tart. Patience is key. Wait until the berry is deep indigo and pulls away from the stem with the slightest touch. If you have to tug, it’s not ready.

The berry harvest window varies by region, but generally, early-season varieties ripen in June, while late-season ones can go into August. Because berries on the same cluster ripen at different times, you'll need to harvest every few days. A mature highbush plant in the right conditions can yield 10 pounds of fruit per season.

Once picked, don't wash your berries until right before you eat them. Washing them early removes the bloom (the natural waxy coating) and causes them to spoil faster. They will keep in the refrigerator for a week, or you can spread them on a baking sheet to freeze them individually before bagging them for long-term winter storage.

Companion Plants for Blueberries

The number one best thing to grow with your blueberry plant is another blueberry plant. Though one blueberry plant will crop by itself, more berries will set if bushes are cross-pollinated by a different variety of the same species. Growing 2 or more varieties together also means you can enjoy more weeks of berries, particularly if you get early and later-maturing breeds (as long as they share a period of flowering).

In the main, blueberries appreciate neighbors which enjoy the same acidic conditions and don't compete for surface nutrients. These include:

• Thyme & Basil: These low-growing herbs act as a living mulch, keeping the soil cool without competing with the blueberry's shallow roots. Basil and thyme don't mind acidic soil and help provide ground cover to suppress weeds.
• Cranberries: These are cousins of the blueberry and thrive in the exact same boggy, acidic conditions, making them a perfect groundcover. Cranberries share the exact same soil and water requirements.
• Azaleas & Rhododendrons: These share the same acid-only diet. If you have a spot where azaleas thrive, your blueberries will be very happy there.
• Pine Trees: While they can offer too much shade if too close, the falling needles provide a constant, natural supply of acidic mulch. Trees also offer wind protection.

Blueberries are a rewarding investment that offers three seasons of interest: delicate spring flowers, delicious summer fruit, and fiery fall foliage. With just a little attention to soil acidity and consistent watering, you'll be harvesting your own blue gold for decades to come.

Frequently Asked Questions

Blueberry Quiz

Blueberry Care Essentials

• Test your soil is the right pH with the Raintrip 4-In-1 Soil Meter from Amazon, which can also help determine moisture and light levels, and nutrient loads before planting.
• Use a specially formuated organic mulch with acid-bearing pine needles or pine bark, such as Pine Bark Mulch Nuggets from Amazon, to manage moisture levels, suppress weeds, keep those shallow roots cool, and regulate soil temperatures.
• Keep blues in better shape with Fiskars Bypass Pruning Shears from Amazon, renowned for their clean and precise action, great for canes an inch or less thick.
• Tackle aphids with a swift, repeat application of Bonide Captain Jack’s Ready-To-Use Neem Oil Spray from Amazon.
• Nourish your blues during active growth and fruiting seasons with targeted feed, such as the 4-3-6 blend of Down to Earth Organic Acid Mix from Amazon, specially designed to keep that soil pH balanced and suitable for acid-loving shrubs.

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Ever plucked your blueberry plant in eager expectation and felt underwhelmed? Perhaps your crop seemed tiny, hard, bitter, or full of seeds crunching between your teeth? Tiny blueberries can be disappointing, particularly when you’ve been patiently waiting for that juicy harvest. That bush might look productive with plenty of clusters, but the harvest barely fills a bowl and most berries don’t feel worth picking.

The problem usually isn't the variety or soil – it's too much old wood hogging the plant’s resources. Unpruned bushes split their energy across hundreds of weak fruiting sites, instead of focusing on quality clusters. That’s where this clever pruning trick can help – and now’s the best time to do it. Pruning blueberries in January cuts away the deadweight before buds swell. Proper blueberry care needs this annual reset, ensuring the plant puts its heart and soul into fewer, fatter, sweeter berries.

Doing it now is the real sweet spot, as the plant is fully dormant so there is less chance of exposing cuts to stress or disease. Yet most people skip it out of fear they'll cut off the harvest, when really they're guaranteeing a better one. Don’t panic – this is one of the best things you can do for your precious blues.

Why Less is More for Blueberries

Blueberry bushes are ambitious in their way, but they don't self-regulate very well. They'll attempt to set fruit on every available branch whether that wood can actually support quality berries or not. Old canes (branches) that might be past their prime will still produce flower buds, but those buds will then yield small, seedy fruits on exhausted wood. This is because the wood’s internal plumbing has slowed down, so it lacks the vigor to pump sugars into the fruit.

An unpruned blueberry bush finds itself spread thin across too many fruiting sites. Each berry gets a tiny fraction of resources, resulting in clusters of small, hard, unpleasant-tasting disappointments. By blueberry pruning, you are intentionally creating scarcity. Cutting back forces the bush to concentrate energy into fewer, stronger branches. It pushes more carbohydrates and water into the remaining emerging fruit clusters, and each berry gets adequate sugars and water to size up properly. So fewer branches equals bigger blueberries and better flavor.

Know Your Wood: Old versus Young

Knowing how to prune blueberries the right way starts with an assessment of the canes. Before you make your first cut, you need to identify what you’re looking at. Blueberry owners can be a little timid about getting stuck in. If you’re not sure which parts to hone in on, this quick guide will help:

• Old Wood: Look for rough, gray, shaggy-looking bark. These canes are usually thick and produce lots of twiggy side growth that looks dense but fruits poorly. Bark feels brittle when you bend it.
• Young Wood: This is your fruiting gold. It has smooth, reddish-brown bark that looks tight and glossy. These canes are thinner and grow upright with less branching. Young wood bends easily without snapping.
• Check Buds: Look closely at the tips. Fruit buds are fat, round, and plump (like a tiny teardrop), while leaf buds are flat, thin, and pressed tight against the stem. Your goal is to keep the wood with those fat, healthy fruit buds.

Prioritize keeping canes that are 1-3 years old, since these produce the best fruit, while canes over 6 years old need to be retired completely. However, if your bush is very young (1–2 years old), avoid heavy pruning. Instead, simply pinch off any flower buds you see. This feels heart-breaking, but it forces the plant to build a massive root system now so you get huge future harvests.

What You Need for January Pruning

Because blueberry wood can be tough, sharpness is essential to avoid crushing the stems. Invest in a pair of good bypass pruners like industry-leading Fiskars Bypass Pruners from Amazon, which will slice through canes efficiently and cleanly. For older blueberry canes over an inch in diameter, use a pair of loppers such as Fiskars PowerGear Bypass Loppers from Amazon, to reduce the risk of damaging wood.

If you see canes thicker than a thumb, use a small hand saw like the Garden Guru Pruning Saw from Amazon for better control and a cleaner finish. Remember, twiggier blueberry canes can jab, so grab some sturdy gloves, like the WZQH Leather Work Gardening Gloves from Amazon. And keep a bottle of rubbing alcohol nearby. Wiping blades before and after use cuts down the risk of spreading pathogens.

How to Prune Blueberry Bushes

This late winter pruning trick shouldn't be a guessing game. By following these steps in order, you’ll ensure the plant stays healthy, while maximizing its full fat fruit-bearing potential.

1. Balancing the Canes – the Rule of 6

First, clear the clutter by removing any obviously dead, damaged or diseased wood (the 3 Ds). Then check the main canes. A mature highbush or rabbiteye blueberry bush will do best with 6-8 productive canes. Count the main stems coming up from the base. If you've got 12-15, that's way too many fighting for resources. Remove the oldest, thickest canes entirely by cutting them flush at ground level.

Aim for a generational mix, with a couple of 1-year-old canes for next year, a couple of 2-year-old canes for peak fruiting, and two 3-4-year-olds if they still look strong. Doing this ensures you have fruit today and "replacement" wood for tomorrow. This rotation keeps harvests consistent year after year.

2. Cleaning the Base and Improving Airflow

Blueberries often get choked at the base by thin growth. Anything thinner than a pencil. These shoots (which tend to be thinner than a pencil) will never produce quality fruit. They just block airflow, steal energy from strong canes, and invite fungal diseases. Cut them all out at ground level using your bypass pruners.

You want the base of the plant to look clean, allowing air to circulate freely through the center of the bush. This also helps sunlight reach the middle, which is essential for ripening the berries. The goal is an open, vase-shaped bush with good air circulation through the center.

3. Precision Cuts for Strength

This final step forces the plant to send all its energy into the remaining buds on that branch, making the berries much larger. Once you've thinned down to 6-8 main canes, shorten any tall or spindly canes you are keeping by roughly a third. Cut just above a fat flower bud that's facing outward from the bush's center. This pushes new growth away from the middle and forces energy into the buds you left behind.

Focus on leaving sturdy, thumb-thick wood with plump flower buds spaced along the upper half. Each flower bud should turn into a cluster of 5-8 berries. Leaving 20-30 good buds gets you around 200 fat berries, instead of 500 tiny disappointing ones. That's the purpose of this brave “less is more” January prune – fewer clusters of fatter, sweeter fruit.

Post-Prune Pampering

After pruning, give your blueberry a little TLC to help it recover for spring. Mulch blueberries with a layer of acidic mulch, about 2-3 inches (5-8 cm), around the base. Pine needles, bark, or oak leaf compost all do the job, or you can buy Natural Pine Bark Mulch Nuggets from Amazon. It keeps roots cozy, retains water, and lowers the soil pH into the 4.5-5.5 range. Keep the mulch a few inches away from the stems.

If you have a dry winter, ensure the roots don't completely dry out. Wait to feed until the leaf buds start swelling in late March or early April before giving your plant a feed. Use a product specifically meant for blueberries or azaleas, like Down to Earth Acid Mix from Amazon.

Checklist for Better Blues

Hopefully this trick shows that you don’t have to fear this chop. Blueberries are resilient. It is better to prune a little too much than to leave a congested, unproductive bush. Just remember the following:

• Don't get too aggressive and remove every fat flower bud. You still need fruiting wood for this season, just less of it than the bush wants to carry naturally. Leave at least 15 flower buds spread across your canes.
• Avoid cutting into green, living wood during hard freezes, which can cause dieback. Also, don't prune in fall, since cuts stimulate new growth that winter cold will kill. Wait for a day above freezing if possible. Late January usually sits in that sweet spot.
• Check your variety. This trick is great for highbush blueberries, and also works for rabbiteye types. Rabbiteye blues are more vigorous, so it’s OK to leave 8-10 canes. However, lowbush berries require a different approach and are usually pruned by cutting the whole plant back to the ground every other year.

Essential Blueberry Care Kit

This clever late winter pruning trick is a crucial part of your ongoing plant care, but this is just the beginning of your year! Keep these essentials close for better blues:

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Indoor lemon trees that don’t fruit can be so frustrating. Those glossy leaves can look perfect, the citrus scents can fill the room when you brush past, but months drag on and the flowers never seem to appear, let alone those zingy golden harvests. When months pass without a single bud, it’s easy to feel like you’ve failed. The truth? Your tree isn’t broken, it’s simply too comfortable. It has settled into a vegetative phase, happily pushing out foliage while putting reproduction on hold.

What your lemon tree needs is a strategic January prune. Pruning lemon trees the right way is a key part of proper lemon tree care, but timing is so important. Pruning when the tree is dormant or slowed redirects the plant’s internal clock – cuts heal fast, and new growth responds quickly. Using the “open center” technique, by opening the canopy and removing excess branches, floods the inner wood with light, redistributes growth hormones to outer lateral branches.

Pruning a lemon tree like this ensures energy is directed to the strongest, most productive branches. The result of this distinctive vase shape pruning? Your leaf-heavy lemon tree will shift into a productive powerhouse, ready to erupt in fragrant flowers and real fruit within months. Here’s how some timely lemon tree pruning can help you kickstart those zesty fruit delights.

Why Your Lemon Tree Isn't Fruiting

Potted indoor lemon trees often skip fruiting because they lack the natural stress cues of the wild, so they grow comfortable churning out stems and leaves. Without enough light reaching the interior canopy, the tree defaults to a foliage-based existence. January pruning breaks this cycle of a lemon tree not fruiting. By cutting away excess foliage, you signal to the tree that it’s time to stop growing up and start growing out – so it redirects resources towards buds, flowers and fruit.

Timing is everything. While indoor trees don't face a true frost, they are still deeply tuned to light cycles. After winterizing your citrus, a January prune aligns with the lengthening days following the winter solstice. This slow but sure increase in natural light triggers a hormonal shift. So by pruning now, you ensure the tree's spring surge is directed exactly where you want it – into fruit buds rather than leggy stems. Consistent annual pruning maintains this rhythm, ensuring your tree doesn't become a houseplant and acts like an orchard.

What You Need for January Pruning

This pruning trick doesn’t require a lot of fancy tools, nor does it require extensive printing skill. One or two reliable pruning tools are all you really need. Sharpness is key, as dull blades can crush stems and invite disease. Sharp bypass pruners should cover off the bulk of your lemon tree pruning. Choose industry-favorite Fiskars Bypass Pruners from Amazon for clean, precise cuts.

For older trees with thicker scaffold branches, a small hand saw like the Garden Guru Pruning Saw from Amazon will offer ample control. Before pruning, check your tools are clean and cut properly. Sharpen dull blades with a sharpening tool such as the AccuSharp Garden Tool Blade Sharpener from Amazon. Grab some sturdy gloves like the WZQH Leather Work Gardening Gloves from Amazon to protect your hands, plus some rubbing alcohol to wipe blades between cuts. Sterilizing prevents spreading pathogens from branch to branch.

Creating the Right Shape

Pruning a lemon tree into an open center (often called a vase or goblet silhouette) is the gold standard for citrus. Imagine a broad crown that tapers toward the base, with three to five main branches spreading outward like umbrella ribs. This structure isn't just for aesthetics. It promotes steady airflow, reducing the humid pockets where indoor pests like spider mites love to hide.

Most importantly, these citrus trees bear fruit on new wood, but only if that wood is bathed in light. A dense center shades potential sites, so the tree defaults to leafy expansion. Opening the canopy allows window sunlight (or grow lights) to penetrate deep into the heart of the tree. The light reaches every nook, flipping the hormonal switch from foliage to fruit. Maintaining this shape prevents weak branches and supports long-term fruiting.

Mastering the Three Ds

Before you shape the tree, you must clear the clutter. Start with the “Three Ds” – dead, damaged and diseased branches and stems. Dead sections feel brittle, appear gray, and snap with minimal pull. Damaged limbs show old scars, cracks, or breaks from stress. Diseased areas will carry canker or dark spots that can easily spread if ignored. Clearing these first halts decay and frees energy for healthy parts. With clutter gone, the tree's true framework emerges clearly for smarter decisions.

You can then target the energy thieves, such as any vertical suckers or water sprouts. These straight-up shoots steal resources and crowd the middle without ever yielding a single lemon. By removing them, you channel the tree’s life force into shorter, horizontal wood – in other words, branches primed for flowers (and fruit). Pruning your citrus tree annually keeps the canopy balanced and productive wood dominant.

How to Prune Your Lemon

Don't be afraid of this process, as citrus trees are incredibly resilient and they will thank you for the extra space, and light. Simply follow these steps to transform your tree’s silhouette from a leafy bush into a fruiting masterpiece. Here’s how to remove the central leader, thin crowded and crossing branches, and master the pinch and snip technique to whip your lemon into that lovely open vase shape.

1. Open Out the Canopy

Start at the very top. Remove the tallest central leader that shoots straight up. Cut back to an outward-facing bud at a 45-degree angle just above a node. This cut encourages lateral growth outwards so the tree grows wide, building the vase shape, rather than hitting the ceiling. This angle is vital. It allows moisture to slide off the wound rather than pooling, preventing rot. Take a breath and step back. The tree should already look lighter.

2. Thin Out Crowded Branches

Move to the crowded areas of the lemon tree. Your next task is to thin out crossing or inward-growing branches that rub or shade the center. Look for branches that rub against each other or grow inward toward the trunk.

Choose 3-5 strong scaffold branches that fan out evenly. Remove any suckers at the base, as well as any water sprouts. These vigorous, vertical shoots may look strong but they are useless for fruit production. Cutting these frees light and air for the branches that matter.

3. Pinch Tips for Bushier Growth

On young, soft new growth, use your fingers or pruners to gently pinch the growing tips. This simple act stops leggy expansion and forces the plant to activate side buds that turn into fruiting wood. It also helps you to create a dense, bushy look. Pinching feels like a small thing, but it will effectively multiply the number of potential flower sites on your lemon tree.

4. Check for Light Penetration

Step back frequently to check balance. Your tree should look open, like a goblet, with light reaching the center from all sides. Hold a flashlight or phone light underneath. If you see heavy shadows in the center, prune more. Once the light floods through to the main trunk, you’ve succeeded.

Fine tweaks along the way secure symmetry and avoid inner shading that wastes energy. Checking from several angles ensures balanced light and circulation on all sides. So keep inspecting for light penetration and symmetry until you are happy.

Pro-Tip: If your growing site is dark in January, don't rely on the sun alone. Position a full-spectrum grow light, like the Glowrium Height Adjustable Grow Light from Amazon, 12–18 inches (30-45 cm) above the canopy after pruning. The combination of the vase shape and supplemental light is the fastest way to trigger blossoms.

Aftercare from Pruning to Harvest

Pruning is a surgical event, so aftercare is essential for recovery. After pruning, water deeply to settle the roots. Follow up with a balanced citrus fertilizer, like Grow More Citrus Grower Blend from Amazon, at half-strength to support new growth without shocking the system. Position the tree in bright, indirect light, and supplement with a grow light if windows fall short. Indoor air can turn dry post-prune, so occasional leaf misting or a pebble tray will help to maintain humidity. Be sure to monitor closely.

New growth appears in 4–6 weeks, with initial buds possible in 8–12 weeks. Keep the soil evenly moist, not waterlogged, and watch for spider mites on stressed plants. It can take 6–9 months for a lemon to fully ripen to harvest, so be patient. Those first blossoms are the ultimate reward for this January prune. If your tree produces small or misshapen fruit, it may be a sign of irregular watering or a need for nutrients during the swelling phase. Yearly vase-shape maintenance curbs overcrowding and sustains the harvest.

At a Glance: The January Reset

Make sure you have a full grasp of the key pruning requirements and objectives. Here is everything you need to know to get your indoor citrus tree fruiting:

• Goal: Shift the tree from vegetative (leaves) to reproductive (fruiting) by opening the plant’s canopy to more light.
• Timing: Prune in January. As the days lengthen after the winter solstice, your citrus tree is primed for a new growth surge.
• Shape: Aim for an open center or vase shape. Removing the central vertical leader allows light to reach the inner fruiting wood.
• Rule of Three Ds: Always start by removing dead, damaged, or diseased fruit tree branches to free up the plant's energy.
• Technique: Use 45-degree cuts above outward-facing buds to shed water and encourage wide, bushy growth.
• Aftercare: Feed with a balanced citrus fertilizer and ensure high humidity to help the tree recover from its surgery.
• Reward: You can expect to see new growth in 4–6 weeks and fragrant blossoms shortly after. Roll on those zingy harvests!

Essential Citrus Tool Kit

Before you make the first snip, you need the right snipping gear. Sharpness and efficiency is key, as dull blades crush stems and invite disease. Make sure you pocket these citrus-snipping essentials:

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Heirloom apples deliver flavors from old orchards, each variety a piece of history with tastes that modern types often skip. These trees grow fruit in quirky shapes and complex notes—tart, sweet, or spicy—for pies, cider, or fresh eating. Starting with heirloom apple trees means gardens fill with unique harvests come fall.

These varieties hang on from old orchards, passed down through cuttings or seeds before big agriculture took over. They adapt to local spots better sometimes, shrugging off pests that trip up uniform types. Pollination needs vary. Some are partially self-fertile, others want partners close.

Planting apple trees like heirloom varieties demand the same basic care as any apple tree: proper spacing, deep planting holes, and good soil drainage all make a difference.

What Are Heirloom Apples?

Heirloom apples trace back 100 years or more, A few are open-pollinated types that breed true without hybrid tweaks, but most are preserved through grafting. They skip uniform size and long storage for deeper flavors that shine in cooking or cider. Shapes run odd, skins russet or spotted, but trees tough out local weather better sometimes. The term "heirloom" nods to family legacies and varieties saved from old farms.

Modern apples focus on looks and shelf life, but heirlooms bring diversity—resistance to scab or fire blight in some. Common apple varieties offer comparisons for flavor and use. Heirloom vigor varies—some sprawl wide, others stay dwarf on rootstock. Pollination partners boost yields, since most aren't self-fertile. Many ripen unevenly, extending the harvest season.

Heirloom Apple Varieties To Try

Heirloom apple trees grow fruit in quirky shapes and complex flavor notes. These old-time varieties skip the shiny supermarket look for deeper tastes. Gardens fill with history each fall with these unique these selections.

Cox's Orange Pippin

Cox's Orange Pippin dates to 1830 England. A crisp eater with tangy-sweet notes like pineapple makes it best for fresh snacking or salads. It also stores well for a few months. USDA hardiness zones 5-8 suit it, and it needs good drainage to avoid rot. The skin russets to a golden color, and the fruit is nice and firm.

Trees grow medium size, reaching about 12-16 feet (3.7-4.9 m) tall and wide on semi-dwarf rootstock, and bearing heavily in alternate years. Aromatic flesh makes excellent juice, too. It’s often called the finest dessert apple in Britain. Find Cox's Orange Pippin bare roots from Stark Bro's Nurseries & Orchards Co.

Gravenstein

The Gravenstein apple tree hails from 17th-century Denmark and is a tart green-red apple that cooks down silky for pies or sauce. It grows best in hardiness zones 5-8 and is a great pair with Golden Delicious apple trees.

Trees spread wide, reaching about 12-18 feet (3.7-5.5 m) tall and wide, branches laden come August. High acidity shines in cider blends. Early ripening makes it one of the first summer apples. Find the perfect Gravenstein apple tree from Nature Hills Nursery.

Newtown Pippin

Newtown Pippin originated 18th-century New York. Also called 'Albemarle Pipping', it is a green keeper apple with spicy tang for cider or long storage. Newtown Pippin also holds its shape well during baking. Best for hardiness zones 5-8, as the required chill hours are high.

Trees reach medium to vigorous size, about 12-18 feet (3.7-5.5 m) tall and wide. Trees resist scab somewhat and fruit is harvested in late fall. George Washington grew this beauty at Mount Vernon and it was one of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson's favorite apples. You can purchase a bare root Albemarle Pippin apple tree from Thomas Jefferson's Monticello.

Ashmead's Kernel

Ashmead's Kernel apples are from 1700s England and offer russet skin and nutty, sharp flavor for eating, or cider. Preserving in jams captures the intensity well. Hardy in zones 4-9, the fruit is knobby, and skin rough to touch.

Trees stay compact to medium, about 10-15 feet (3-4.6 m) tall and wide, bearing is consistent. Pear-like undertones develop in storage.

Esopus Spitzenburg

Esopus Spitzenburg, Thomas Jefferson's other favorite apples is from 1790s New York. This heirloom variety produces red apples with a sweet-tart bite for eating or pies. Esopus Spitzenburg does well in hardiness zones 4-7, and needs full sun. The skin is striped, and fruit is juicy.

Trees grow upright, reaching medium size about 12-16 feet (3.7-4.9 m) tall and wide, fruiting mid-season. Aromatic profile suits fresh pressing for tasty cider, too! Find bare root Esopus Spitzenburg apple trees from Thomas Jefferson's Monticello.

Roxbury Russet

Roxbury Russet, America's oldest heirloom apple variety, is from 1600s Massachusetts. Roxbury is a green-russet keeper with sweet cider notes for storage or baking. This is for zones 4-8, and are scab resistant. The skin is corky, and fruit dense.

Trees are vigorous and with good spread, about 15-20 feet (4.6-6.1 m) tall and wide. The nutty sweetness intensifies over months.

Winesap

Winesap apple trees originate in 1800s New Jersey and deliver dark red apples with wine-like tang for fresh or cider. Zones 5-8, stores months. The skin is thick, and the fruit has a crisp crunch.

Trees stay medium sized, reaching about 12-16 feet (3.7-4.9 m) tall and wide, and bear reliably. Spicy notes enhance sauces and baking. Late ripening extends the season. Find a winesap apple tree bare root from Stark Bro's Nursery & Orchard Co.

Tips for Selecting Heirloom Apple Trees

Pick heirloom apple trees based on local chill hours—most need 500-1000 for fruit set. Rootstock controls size: dwarf for small yards, standard for orchards. Check disease resistance, too. Diseases like fire blight hit some varieties hard.

Apple trees are cross pollinated so partnering 2 or more trees is important. Plant two compatible varieties within 50 feet (15.2 m) of each other so that bees and bugs can do their work and help your trees produce fruit. Fertilize lightly in spring with balanced feed. Be sure to mulch your apple trees to help retain soil moisture.

Prune apple trees in winter for shape, using sharp pruners like these Fiskars bypass pruning shears from Amazon. Water deeply in the first year as your apple trees get used to their new home. Heirloom varieties are often less susceptible to pests like aphids, so that is one less thing to worry about!

Heirloom apples revive flavors long absent from supermarket shelves, offering complex tastes that reward patient growers. Trees endure for decades with consistent pruning and feeding, becoming family landmarks. Each fall harvest connects gardens to centuries of horticultural history.

Have you given up on figs because your winters are too tough? Do you pine for Mediterranean fruit but live in a polar-esque climate? Then you need one of these trees, named for a city not exactly known for its mild temperatures.

Chicago Hardy fig trees are tough. How tough? They can survive temperatures as low as -10F (-23C). That means gardeners in zone 5 or 6 get home-grown figs without a greenhouse.

Why Chicago Hard Stands Out

Growing figs in cold areas used to mean heavy wrapping or pot culture, but Chicago Hardy simplifies it. That's due largely to its ability to fruit on new growth, so winter dieback doesn’t cost the harvest. The figs ripen sweet and plentiful by late summer.

Cold hardy fig trees like this one die back completely in harsh winters, but with heavy mulching the roots can survive –10 F (–23 C) or colder. In the spring, the tree regrows fast from roots, with the new canes reach 6 feet (1.8 m) in one season.

The fruit hangs heavy on fresh wood, ripening purple-brown and sweet. The plant feels tough, handling temperature swings that kill tender varieties. Older bushes spread wide, roots sending up suckers that fill space. The figs drop when ripe, so check daily in late summer. The taste feels jammy and rich, better than store-bought. The leaves feel large and lobed, giving tropical look even in cool climates. The bark turns gray and rough over time, adding winter interest.

The plant tolerates clay or sandy soil once established, pulling nutrients from surprising depths. The leaves drop clean in fall, leaving a skeleton of stems that sprout again.

Planting and Site Selection

Plant Chicago Hardy in full sun with well-drained soil – heavy clay needs amending. The spot should warm and sheltered, ideally against a south-facing wall. Dig a wide hole and mix in compost – this will encourage the roots to spread and establish fast. The plant tolerates neutral to slightly alkaline soil but adapts well to most garden soils. Space 10 feet (3 m) apart for air flow – crowding invites disease.

Mulch heavy around the base 4–6 inches (10–15 cm) deep – straw or bark keeps roots insulated. Water deeply in the first year to establish. The shrub grows quickly once settled, filling space with lush leaves. Raised beds work in wet areas – the soil warms faster. The plant handles wind if staked young. The site feels exposed at first, then fills out densely.

Winter Protection Tips

Wrap young plants in burlap or frost covers like this from Amazon – the insulation feels simple but saves stems. The wrap breathes, preventing rot.

In pots, move the tree to an unheated garage or bury another pot in the ground, then insert the potted tree into it, as a pot-in-pot. You can also use insulated pot protectors like this from Amazon– the cold protection feels easy. Roots have survived temperatures approaching –20F (–29C) with heavy mulch and snow cover in protected sites. The stems die back anyway, but roots live. The protection feels worth it for an early start. Straw bales around pots block wind. The plant pushes new growth sooner with cover.

Pruning and Training

Prune your fig tree hard in late winter – cut dead wood to ground. The plant regrows vigorous canes. Shape as a bush or small tree – the form feels flexible.

Thin crowded canes for air flow. Since the plant fruits on new wood, heavy pruning can boost the crop. The figs feel larger on open plants. Pinch tips in summer for branching – the bush fills out dense. Tie young stems to stakes – the plant leans without support. The structure feels loose at first, then sturdy by fall.

Harvest and Fruiting Habits

Chicago Hardy fruits on new growth, ripening August to October. The figs feel sweet and jammy, skin purple-brown. Pick figs when they're soft – the fruit drops easy. The crop feels heavy on mature plants.

A second crop sometimes follows on late wood. Eat fresh or dry – the flavor is better than the store. The plant produces reliably even after dieback, and the figs hang heavy, splitting sweet when ripe. Jams and preserves stretch the harvest, and the taste feels better than imported – no wax, no travel.

Common Problems and Fixes

Aphids cluster on new growth – hose them off or spray them with soap. The pests feel sticky but wash away. Rust shows on leaves in humid summers – remove affected leaves to improve air flow and slow the spread of disease. These trees are tough, bouncing back fast.

Birds steal ripe figs – net or bag clusters of fruit to make sure the harvest stays yours. The fruit bruises easily, so harvest daily. The plant overwinters better with fall cleanup – remove dropped fruit. Scale insects hide on stems. When that happens, just wipe them with alcohol. The plant shrugs off most trouble once established.

Mulch for blueberries is a magic recipe for success. If you are looking for a reliable, efficient and easy way to make sure your blues are well serviced as they enter their growing season, mulching blueberries will prove to be the best few minutes of plant care you can carry out. And as it turns out, winter is the perfect time to carry out this essential task. Those of us who love our backyard blueberries will spare no expense in winter to keep those sweet, antioxidant-packed berries coming in summer. Supplying mulch for blueberry plants right now guarantees more fruit come June.

Organic mulches are oh-so-good for the soil, since they break down over time to enrich it. Mulches such as acidic bark and even pine needles are really good for blueberries when added over winter (surely great news, once you have finished using your Christmas tree). When it comes to mulch for blueberry bushes, the small time spent now during the dormant period will reap dividends next year when you see the fruits of your labors. Read on to find out how to mulch blueberries in winter.

Benefits of Mulch in Winter

Mulching provides so many services for many blueberry varieties that it should get the prize for multitasking. A thick layer of mulch prevents weeds from growing around ground-based blueberries, both highbush and lowbush varieties. That’s because it blocks sunlight from hitting the soil, preventing weed seeds from germinating. Fewer weeds means less work in spring. But that’s just the beginning.

The best mulch for blueberries will also regulate soil temperature, keeping it warm during cold winters and cool during hot summers. Another benefit of applying mulch is that it helps to keep soil moist for longer periods of time. If you opt for organic mulch (like compost, pine needles, wood chips or chopped fallen leaves), it will ultimately disintegrate into the soil, adding nutrients. A good mulch for blueberries will accomplish all this, and more.

Winter is the best time to mulch blues because it protects their shallow roots from the freeze-thaw cycle of the chiller months. Applying mulch between November and February is ideal as a way of safeguarding blueberry plants, helping plants through dormancy, and making sure the soil is optimized for spring growth. However, it’s important to avoid one of the common mulching mistakes and check the soil before you add your mulch of choice.

Checking Soil Acidity

Blueberries are not a difficult crop, but they are picky about soil. The soil around your blues must drain well – and it must be acidic. Soil acidity may well be the single most important factor in keeping a blueberry bush healthy and productive. So before you start mulching, make sure you test your soil.and get a solid sense of soil pH levels. A dependable moisture meter can assist with scheduling. The Yamron 4-in-1 Soil Meter from Amazon provides accurate readings, and also helps determine moisture levels and nutrient loads.

When I first put in my blueberries, they were struggling for a while. So I checked the pH of the soil around these acid-loving plants. It was 6.5, slightly acidic and perfect for veggies, but not acidic enough for blues. The ideal pH range is between 3.8 and 5.5. Blueberries simply will not thrive in soil with a pH of 6.5. So I had to make adjustments.

Mulching Blueberry Plants

So how did I lower the soil pH for my blueberry patch, while keeping the garden pH at 6.5? Simple: I used acidic mulch for the blueberries. I applied a 4-inch (10cm) layer of pine-needle mulch over the soil in the berry patch. The soil pH dropped, the blueberries recovered, and they have now been going strong for a decade. Since these berrying bush types have shallow roots, mulching is especially important, whether you cultivate blueberries in the ground or grow blues in containers.

Acidic mulch doesn’t have to be pine needles, but it worked for me, since I had pine trees in the landscape. And if you are mulching your blueberries in winter in the period immediately after Christmas, you may well have a lovely extra stash of pine in the form of a tree you might not be looking to keep. A single pine tree will drop sufficient pine needles to mulch many blueberry plants. Pine needles work well as mulch, keeping down the weeds, retaining soil moisture, and lowering soil pH.

But this is not the only acidic mulch out there. Any part of a pine tree will prove acidic. A top choice for blueberry mulch is pine bark nuggets, such as Rio Hamza Natural Pine Bark Mulch Nuggets from Amazon. As pine bark decomposes, it will make the soil more acidic. Sawdust or wood chips from untreated pine can also lower the pH and make blueberries happy. If you plan to use fresh sawdust, compost it first or mix it with grass clippings to prevent the tying up of nitrogen during breakdown.

Action Plan for Mulching

Now you know the right materials and timing for your blueberry mulching, you’re all set. Just follow these simple tips to mulch blueberry bushes like a pro, and prime them for a fine season of fruiting:

1. Clean the soil around your blueberry plants before you apply your mulch. Remove weeds and detritus, along with any prior applications of mulch that have not deteriorated. Apply the mulch generously. It should be 4-6 inches (10-15cm) deep.
2. Do not allow the mulch you use to touch the stem of the blueberry plant directly. This can cause the stem to rot. You need to leave a small gap, while layering generously at a safe distance to the stem.
3. Mulch like pine needles can get packed down over time and block water from entering. Make sure you fluff it with a garden rake occasionally. Use a rake like the Nohovu 14 Tine Heavy Duty Rake from Amazon to keep mulch in good condition.
4. Mulch is not a ‘one and done’ activity. When you mulch blueberries, it will deteriorate over time and this is a good thing, since deteriorating mulch supplements soil with organic material. It just means you need to replenish it. Otherwise, roots become exposed as mulch deteriorates.

Blueberry Essentials

Keeping your blueberries in tiptop shape starts with a solid assessment of the ground and a dedication to keeping it well conditioned. Here are the key items you’ll need to maintain the best foundation for your future blues.

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Here’s a great way to celebrate your birthday! Plant a fruit tree that flowers or fruits during your birth month. Whether you’re a January baby or blow out the candles in November, we’ve got a perfect birthday fruit tree for you.

Fruit trees are among the most ornamental garden trees, offering showy blossoms in one season, and a delicious harvest in another. You don’t need a 40-acre landscape to get started. Many fruit trees are small enough to grow in a large container on a patio or fit into a garden corner.

Here are our top options for every month of the year. Those with large yards might consider adding all 12 of these fruit trees to the landscape for natural beauty and delicious fruit all year long.

January: Meyer Lemon

I love my Meyer lemon tree (Citrus × meyeri). These little citrus evergreens are hybrids, a cross between a lemon tree and a mandarin orange. They are compact and attractive, with shiny dark leaves and extremely fragrant white flowers. The fruit is deep yellow like a lemon but rounder and sweeter.

Meyer lemon is a great tree in January, since it is at its peak harvest season. You’ll have both blossoms and fruit on the tree as the new year begins. While the tree is only hardy in USDA zones 9-11, you can grow it in a pot in cooler zones and bring it indoors in the winter.

Find the perfect Meyer lemon tree from Fast Growing Trees.

February: Japanese Flowering Apricot

Most apricot varieties neither flower nor fruit in February, but the Japanese flowering apricot (Prunus mume) is the exception. Its showy flowers and dark, shiny leaves will light up the late winter landscape.

While it only offers small, sour apricots – used for jams and teas, not snacking, you can delight in its fragrant blooms in February. The gorgeous flowers – red, white or pink – fill the branches before the tree leafs out.

Find this 'Peggy Clarke' Japanese flowering apricot tree on Etsy from Santiam Nursery.

March: Nectarine Tree

Early blooming nectarine trees (Prunus persica var. nucipersica)– like ‘Desert Delight’ - provide a spectacular show in March. The beautiful pink flowers appear on the tree’s bare branches in USDA zones 7-10. This clingstone cultivar is an excellent choice for a home orchard and requires very little maintenance.

Vigorous and upright, this variety is also a star when it comes to summer nectarines. The fruit is sweet and beautiful, with glowing red skin and golden flesh. It is one of the first nectarines of the season.

Find 'Desert Delight' nectarine trees at Stark Bro's Nursery & Orchards.

April: Cherry Tree

Cherry trees (Prunus spp.) are your best bet for April. While early-bloomers flower in March, mid-season and late-season cherry trees light up your garden in April. These are truly spectacular flowering trees, with showy masses of pink or white blooms.

Top cherry trees varieties that bloom in April include cultivars ‘Yoshino’ and ‘Akebono’. If you want deep pink blossoms, opt for ‘Okame’. Another early-blooming cultivar, 'Accolade', also provides a show in autumn with its fiery foliage.

Find the perfect 'Okame' flowering cherry tree from the Arbor Day Foundation.

May: Apple Tree

Spring is in full swing in May, and that’s the blooming season for many apple trees (Malus domestica). The apple blossom season is short but lovely, with frothy blossoms covering the branches. Exact bloom time will vary among species, climates, and weather.

Tiny young apples appear on the branches as the flowers die back. The fruits grow larger during summer and are ready for harvest in late fall or winter.

If you want to ensure healthy fruit from your apple tree, you need to plant a different variety alongside it. They require cross pollination to fruit successfully. Find an awesome selection of apple trees from Stark Bro's Nursery & Orchard and choose your two favorite varieties for a delicious harvest!

June: Peach Tree

While many peach trees are just setting fruit in June, some early growing peach varieties are already rocking and rolling.

The ‘June Gold’ peach tree (Prunus persica ‘June Gold’) only needs 450 chill hours to produce fruit, so by June, home-grown peaches are on the table. With this freestone peach tree, you can celebrate your birthday with a generous harvest of full-sized, scrumptious peaches.

Get a hardy potted 'June Gold' peach tree from the Arbor Day Foundation.

July: Asian Pear Tree

An Asian pear is a crisp, sweet fruit native to China, Korea, and Japan. Despite the name, the fruit’s texture is crisp like an apple, not soft like a European pear. In the United States, Asian pears are ready for eating in July.

The Asian pear tree (Pyrus pyrifolia) is small enough to fit into a backyard, topping out at 20 feet (6m) tall. In early spring, it produces fragrant white flowers, followed by the delicious fruit. Note that most varieties are not self-fertile, so you may need two to get fruit.

Find the 'Hosui' Asian pear tree and 'Shinseiki' Asian pear tree at Fast Growing Trees and you will have delicious fruit in no time!

August: Fig Tree

Fig trees are as easy to grow as a fruit tree can be and come in a range of sizes, from dwarf to tall. All offer the sweet fruit that is delicious to eat and also packed with fiber and vitamins.

The fig tree harvest begins in August, so that makes it a perfect birthday tree. These trees thrive in zones 5-11. (Did you know that many fig trees rely on the teeny tiny fig wasp to pollinate them? Too cool!)

Find the self-fertile 'Chicago Hardy' fig tree from Fast Growing Trees for a cold-hardy super producer.

September: Pawpaw Tree

Pawpaw trees (Asimina triloba) are native to North America, and the pawpaw is America’s largest native fruit. It has a curious, custardy flavor that seems to combine the tastes of bananas, mangoes, and pineapples. You can even make a delicious pawpaw pie!

The fruit is rarely offered in stores since it is extremely perishable, so the best way to enjoy it is to plant pawpaw trees in your yard. And what a great birthday tree! The pawpaw tree is small but has a lush, tropical look thanks to its huge green leaves.

Pawpaws ripen and begin dropping from the tree in September. The trees' large leaves shade the developing fruit. You will need at least two trees to get fruit.

Find an American pawpaw tree at Fast Growing Trees to up your native gardening game.

October: Pomegranate Tree

A pomegranate tree (Punica granatum) is very appealing. It bears shiny leaves and scarlet red, trumpet-shaped spring flowers that attract hummingbirds. The round red pomegranate fruits appear after flowering and ripen in the fall. Consider them your October birthday gift!

The leathery skin peels back to reveal sweet, edible seeds. And they are not just delicious, but also good for you, with antioxidants, Vitamin C, and fiber. In its native range in the Middle East, pomegranate trees signify abundance.

Find a cold hardy 'Russian' pomegranate tree from Perfect Plants Nursery.

November: American Persimmon Tree

American persimmon trees (Diospyros virginiana) are impressive in any landscape. The trunks are rugged and interesting with textured “alligator” bark. The lush green leaves blaze yellow in autumn. Best of all, the bright and delicious fruit that appear in fall and ripen after the first frost. Persimmon fruits are orange, big as baseballs and sweeter than honey when fully ripe.

This tree is an easy-care native that is perfect for an edible food forest garden. It accepts any well-drained soil, full sun or partial shade, and tolerates hot, dry conditions, poor soils, urban conditions, and wind in USDA zones 4-9. Only female trees bear fruit, and you’ll need a male tree in the neighborhood.

Find the 'Yates' American persimmon tree from Stark Bro's Nursery & Orchard. It is self-pollinating and a fast grower.

December: Orange Tree

Most orange trees (Citrus × sinensis) will be hanging heavy with fruit in December. They are subtropical citrus trees grown for their Vitamin-C-rich fruit in warm climates, like USDA zones 9-11. You can opt for dwarf or semi-dwarf if the regular trees are too tall.

Orange trees are evergreen, so their attractive foliage lasts all year round. The fruit tree needs lots of sun to fruit. It also requires well-draining soil, as well as ample irrigation.

Find delicious 'Cara cara' orange trees at Fast Growing Trees which you can grow in cooler zones as a part of a container orchard!

Growing "birth month trees" is a fun way to expand your garden and I hope this list has inspired you to grow a lovely fruit tree of your own!

Taking fall cuttings from fruit trees and shrubs can be an incredibly satisfying and very easy way to get more of a fruit you love growing at no extra cost. Fruit trees that grow from cuttings are clones of the parent plant. By contrast, propagating by seed leaves the final product up to the whims of genetic combination – and it also tends to take longer.

While you can take cuttings at other times of year, fruit propagation in fall ensures your new cutting will put energy into root growth, not just foliage. It will also stress the parent plant less at this time of year when temperatures are cooler. The best plants to propagate from cuttings include gooseberry, mulberry and fig. Here are some of the key fruits that work best grown from cuttings in fall.

Best Fall Cuttings from Fruit Trees and Shrubs

Some fruits will root and propagate more easily than others, but most will work. Fall is the ideal time to take hardwood cuttings. These are cuttings of mature, woody branches or vines. Softwood or greenwood cuttings are fresh, new growth taken during the growing season.

If you are looking to root plant cuttings successfully, hardwood cuttings can take longer to grow and develop, but success rates are typically higher than with softwood cuttings. If you have time and patience, it’s very rewarding to make some fall hardwood cuttings for your favorite fruits.

You may already have taken some evergreen cuttings in fall, and the principle for fruit cuttings in fall is similar. Hardwood cuttings are taken in fall during dormancy. Look for woody growth that was new in summer but which has hardened off. Take the cutting from part of the plant that was growing vigorously for the best rooting results.

Use clean, sharp shears to facilitate the process. Bypass shears like the Felco F2 Bypass Shears from Amazon are especially effective for making precise, clean cuts that can heal faster. To help you remember which end of the cutting is which, make the top flat and the bottom diagonal. Here are some of the best cuttings from fruit trees and shrubs in fall.

1. Fig

Figs are delicious and grow on large, attractive trees, but most types are suitable only in USDA zones 8 and warmer. If you’re able to grow fig trees where you live and garden, you’re in luck. You can take cuttings in summer as softwood cuttings, but in the fall you will find it very easy to take hardwood cuttings, while the plant is dormant. This is one of the easiest fruit trees to propagate by hardwood cuttings.

For fig fruit tree propagation in fall, take cuttings from plants that are a year old, and make sure cuttings are 8-12 inches (20-30cm) long. The cuttings should include a few nodes (the bumps from which you will get new growth). Dip the cut end in root hormone like Garden Safe TakeRoot from Amazon to assist in faster root growth. For the best results, make sure your fig cuttings are rooted in soil that is moist, but not too soggy and warm – at least 70°Fahrenheit (21°Celsius).

2. Gooseberry

The gooseberry is a small shade-loving fruit shrub with types that are native to Europe or North America. The fruits are tasty, but tart, and often used to make jams, jellies and pie fillings. Gooseberries grow well in USDA zones 4-6 and readily root from dormant hardwood cuttings. Conventionally, gooseberry cuttings are taken during the winter prune, but you can also take them in autumn with great success.

Take the cuttings just after the last leaves have dropped in fall, or any time during the dormant season. Make each cutting 8-12 inches (20-30cm) long and plant into moist, well drained soil. If worried about prickles, wear protective gloves like Trifabricy Breathable Leather Gloves from Amazon. If you are doing multiple cuttings, make sure they are 8 inches (20cm) apart in the pot. Insert each cutting halfway into the pot or soil. Once they have rooted, put these cuttings in a spot with a little shade.

3. Mulberry

A mulberry tree is a medium, deciduous tree that grows in USDA zones 4-8. Depending on the type, it is native to Asia or North America. White mulberries (from Asia) are the sweetest varieties, while the darker varieties like red mulberry (from North America) offer a sweet and tart flavor. Certain varieties of mulberry – like ‘World’s Best,’ ‘Valdosta,’ ‘Jan’s Best’ and ‘Maui’ – are very easy to root as cuttings.

For mulberry fruit tree propagation in fall, take several cuttings of around 10-12 inches (25-30cm) that are pencil thickness. Check your cuttings are the right length with a strong and sturdy tape measure like the Stanley FatMax 25ft from Amazon. To grow mulberries from cuttings, keep moist in a warm spot and transplant outside in spring.

4. Blueberry

The blueberry is the classic, native North American fruit that still grows wild in many areas. Hardy in USDA zones 3-9, blueberry bushes are easy to grow. Plenty of blueberry varieties can be propagated by softwood or fall hardwood cuttings. Using neat diagonal cuts, take cuttings that are 6-10 (15-25cm) inches long, which contain two or three nodes.

For the best results with your blueberry cuttings, use a moist soil or medium that is slightly acidic and apply a rooting hormone to the cut end. Fabric containers like Garden4Ever Fabric Pots from Amazon are great for blueberry cuttings as they boost air circulation and prevent rots. Plant your rooted cuttings next spring in a sunny spot with acidic, well-drained soil.

5. Currants

Currants are European and North American natives that produce summer berries which are ideal for making jams, jellies, and baked desserts. Red currants are tart, while black currants are rich and earthy. Currants for home growing are suitable for USDA zones 3-7 and thrive in loamy, well-drained soil in sun or partial shade.

These fruit canes are related to gooseberries and, like gooseberries, they root readily from dormant hardwood cuttings. Take long cuttings that are around 12 inches (30cm), and remove any soft tip growth. Bury the cuttings so that about two-thirds of each cutting is buried in the rooting mix or soil.

6. Raspberry and Blackberry

Raspberries and blackberries are known as brambles or brambleberries. They look like shrubs, but they grow on canes. Some types of raspberries and blackberries are native to Europe, while others are native to North America. All are easy to grow and suitable for USDA zones 5-9. Brambles are also very easy to propagate. You can take and immediately root a softwood cutting in spring, or take more mature cuttings in fall.

Take fall cuttings that are 6-8 inches (15-20cm) long and pencil thick, and plant in moist potting soil or direct in the ground. Bury so a couple of nodes are under the surface of the soil. You can also just remove a sucker from the ground around the parent plant, then replant it somewhere else.

7. Elderberry

If you’re intrigued by the idea of fruit trees that grow from cuttings in autumn, this is one of the most reliable. Elderberry is a small tree or large shrub with edible, nutrient-packed berries. Just be sure to cook them first, as raw elderberries can be toxic. Several elderberry varieties are used to make wine, and the flowers are edible too. Elderberry trees are easily propagated by hardwood cuttings.

Wait until the leaves have dropped and the tree is dormant to take a cutting. Make your cuttings 8-10 inches (20-25cm) long and include a few buds on each cutting. Use an organic potting mix for your cuttings, such as Back to the Roots Organic Potting Premium Mix from Amazon. Your cuttings should root very quickly and be ready to plant out in spring.

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Winterize citrus trees to shield them from frost’s brutal hit. Cold snaps torch leaves and kill fruit fast. Nail your prep, and your grove pulls through tough. Where you grow matters, so your climate calls the shots.

Frost protection for citrus trees means making good decisions before it hits. Citrus trees need blankets, mulch, and dialed-back water to stand tall. Weak prep means scorched leaves or lost crops. Lock in these steps, and your trees breeze through winter’s chill.

How to Winterize Citrus Trees

Winterizing citrus trees increases tolerance against wind and cold. Healthy roots and leaves keep fruit rolling strong. Picking the right gear can help your grove to be set to thrive come spring.

1. Cover with Blankets

Frost can destroy citrus, but covers keep trees cozy. Wrapping trees is essential to block killer cold snaps, shielding both leaves and fruit. Covers trap heat and prevent frost damage – frost burns leaves and fruit, halting growth or even killing branches. Blankets or frost cloth hold soil warmth and protect tender parts. Without them, trees face cracked bark and dropped crops.

The best wrapping practices ensure good air circulation and prevent moisture buildup. Drape blankets loosely so wet air doesn’t trigger mold, and anchor them to the ground – not the branches – to allow proper airflow. DeWitt Frost Blankets from Amazon work well for citrus, offering reliable protection.

You’ll want to cover trees when temps drop below 32 F (0 C), typically from late fall into early winter. Pull blankets off during warm days to avoid overheating. Watch forecasts closely and stay ahead of the frost.

2. Spray with Anti-Desiccants

Dry winter air sucks the life from citrus leaves, leaving them brittle. Anti-desiccant sprays seal in moisture and help keep foliage strong to save your grove.

Cold, dry winter air can dehydrate leaves fast. Harsh winds and low humidity weaken the tree, but anti-desiccant sprays coat foliage to slow water loss. Without this protection, leaves curl or drop, compromising tree strength.

Apply sprays in late fall, before freezing temps hit, and coat both sides of the leaves for maximum defense. Wilt-Pruf Anti-Desiccant from Amazon works well for citrus, locking in hydration during the driest months. Apply in November before the first frost, and reapply monthly if winter stays dry. Skip spraying during rain so the coating can stick properly.

3. Mulch Around the Base

Cold soil hammers citrus roots, but mulch helps keep them steady. Frost protection for citrus trees depends on warm, stable soil.

Mulching holds warmth and moisture in the soil, protecting roots from stress and death caused by freezing conditions. Without mulch, fruit output can crash in spring. Spread wood chips or straw 3 to 4 inches (7.5-10 cm) deep and about 2 feet (0.6 m) wide around the base of the tree. Keep mulch about 6 inches (15 cm) away from the trunk to prevent rot. Back to the Roots Wood Mulch from Amazon is a solid choice for citrus.

Apply mulch after watering, typically around November, and top it up if it thins out. Thick layers lock in warmth and keep roots happy.

4. Use Heat Sources

When severe cold hits, heat sources can save your citrus trees from frost. Gentle warmth keeps fruit alive and helps your grove stay productive.

Options like portable heaters, heat lamps, or string lights provide extra warmth. When temperatures fall below 28 F (-2 C), buds and fruit are at risk. Heaters or lights raise air temperatures just enough to block frost damage. Without added heat, severe cold can torch your harvest.

Set portable heaters or string lights under the canopy, avoiding direct contact with the tree. Frost King Electric Heat cables from Amazon are great for small groves. Keep cords dry and always check for fire risks.

Use heat protection when forecasts show temps below 28 F (-2 C), usually from December to February. Turn off the heat during warmer days to save energy and reduce stress on the trees.

5. Move Potted Trees Indoors

Potted citrus trees are a little trickier in winter. Moving them indoors or to sheltered spots helps them avoid frost’s bite.

Cold temperatures hit potted roots hard, putting them at risk for freeze damage. Relocating pots indoors or to covered areas helps trees stay warm and keeps fruit safe. Without protection, potted trees can decline fast.

Choose indoor spots with plenty of light and adequate humidity. Place pots near sunny windows or under grow lights. My own citrus trees sit under the Spider Farmer SF4000 that I got from Amazon, and I keep humidity around 50-60%. Misting the leaves helps boost moisture.

Transition plants indoors gradually over a week, bringing them in for a few hours a day. This helps prevent stress and keeps leaves from wilting. Sudden moves can shock the tree.

6. Water and Fertilize Less

Winter changes how you water and feed your citrus trees. Cutting back avoids rot while keeping the soil just moist enough to keep your grove healthy.

Too much water in winter can rot roots, and feeding can trigger weak growth that freezes easily. Dialing things back helps trees stay dormant and strong. Water every 2-3 weeks, checking the soil first. Stop fertilizing by late fall – around October. A 4-in-1 meter, like this from Amazon, can help you monitor moisture.

Cut watering and stop fertilizing before the cold really hits. Check the soil weekly to ensure it stays barely moist. That balance keeps trees healthy without encouraging tender growth that won’t survive frost.

Extra Tips

Winterizing citrus trees takes sharp eyes and timely action. Spotting damage early and protecting trees from wind can save your crop.

Inspect your trees regularly for signs of freeze damage or pest problems. Look for wilted or browned leaves, and act quickly to prune or treat as needed. If branches are damaged or dead, wait until spring to prune – after the last frost. Fiskars Pruning Shears from Amazon are a reliable tool for this job. Pruning too early can trigger vulnerable new growth.

Set up windbreaks or temporary barriers to shield trees from harsh winds. Use burlap or wooden screens to block gusts.

Oompa Loompa doopity doo, do we have a dose of gardening magic for you! After the great edible gardening boom of 2020, many of us leaned into self-sufficiency – and, while the trend shows no signs of going anywhere, fruit trees remain a backyard luxury. Enter, then, the fruit cocktail tree.

A multi-grafted wonder that grows several types of fruit on a single trunk, fruit cocktail trees sound a lot like something that’s been plucked straight out of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Think peaches, plums, nectarine, and apricots all ripening in turn on a single tree, for something that feels space-saving, productive, and more than a little bit magical. Golden ticket-worthy stuff, right?

Lifestyle icon Martha Stewart has already spotlighted them as one of her must-watch gardening trends for 2026. She’s backed up by The Garden Media Group’s 2026 Trend Report, which claims that “compact abundance” (aka “bento-box gardening”) will be the next big thing.

Why? Because more and more garden designers are looking for that extra-special curated feel when it comes to their edible plants. Or, if you prefer, they're looking for edimentals that, much like Walmart's Fruit Cocktail Tree, evoke a sense of “organised delight”.

What Is a Fruit Cocktail Tree?

Through the art of grafting and everyday witchcraft, multiple fruiting branches are joined to one rootstock. Each branch retains its unique fruiting habits but shares the same root system, creating a single tree that produces multiple kinds of fruit.

Depending on the type, you might see stone fruit trees or citrus combinations filled to bursting with oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, and pomelos. Some even put out a variety of apples, if you want something more traditional.

Why Gardeners Love Them

Fruit cocktail trees might sound bananas (even if bananas aren’t one of the fruits), but there are so many benefits to picking one up. They’re space-saving wonders, for starters, making them ideal for terraces or smaller suburban yards.

All of the different fruits ripen at different times of year, too, stretching the harvest window. And let’s not undermine their value as a conversation piece; fruit cocktail trees are honestly as stylish and awe-inspiring as they are practical.

Tending to Their Needs

Fruit cocktail trees are a little needy; they thrive in full sun, require well-drained soil, and demand regular pruning to balance the grafted branches. In fact, because each branch may grow at a different rate, attentive shaping is key; invest in something like Amazon’s Fiskars Steel Bypass Pruning Shears to do exactly this.

You’ll also find you need to fertilize them in spring with a balanced fruit tree food, like Jobe’s Fruit & Citrus Fertilizer Spikes on Amazon, not to mention mulch the base to conserve moisture.

Finally, don’t underestimate the importance of a good pot; UOUZ’s Large Self Watering Pots on Amazon are perfect for container-grown trees, especially if you haven’t time to water them yourself each day. And don’t forget to use a Frost Protection Plant Cover to safeguard your fruit cocktail tree in colder snaps, either.

If you're keen to get started, nurseries like Moon Valley and ISONS are already selling grafted “combination trees” that give you an orchard’s worth of variety in one pot, and it's easy to see the appeal.

After all, fruit cocktail trees fit perfectly into the “compact luxury” gardening trend: abundance in a small space, beautifully curated and endlessly Instagrammable. They tick both the practical (more food, less space) and the whimsical (an orchard in one tree) boxes.

So, whether you’re chasing variety, saving space, or just love the novelty, consider these magical trees a stylish way to join the compact-gardening movement. If only for the chance to blow the minds of all your visitors going forward...

Fall is the best season to plant cane fruit and berry bushes to ensure your personal supply of your favorite small fruits. By autumn, the hot summer air has cooled, but the soil remains warm enough to assist the plants in building strong root systems. This is perfect weather for specific berry and currant planting.

Depending on your growing region and depending on the types of berry or currant that you want to grow, this may be a task that is best left until spring – specifically if you live in cooler regions. However, there are plenty of great currants, bush fruits and cane berries that are well suited to fall planting, where the temperatures in the ground are amenable and will support healthy root networks at the time of planting. Here are some of the finest currants, canes and berry bushes to plant in autumn.

Best Berries for Fall Planting

Raspberries and blackberries are considered cane fruits, as are their many hybrids like loganberries and marionberries. Cane fruits grow in on strong, upright woody stems called canes – sometimes over 5 feet (1.5m) tall. These types of canes have a unique growth habit: The roots are perennial, but the canes are biennial. Primocanes grow during year 1, produce fruit in year 2, then die. New primocanes grow in year 3, and the cycle continues.

There is another kind of cane, however. Fruit like blueberries and currants also appear on woody branches called canes. But these canes are part of a perennial bush. Both the plant's roots and their crowns are perennial. Fruit is produced on one-year-old wood, but the entire bush lives on for years, sometimes decades.

Give some thought to soil pH at the time of planting. Most berries and currants can handle a fairly neutral soil pH, but a few fruits – like blueberries and some raspberries – prefer soil on the acidic side. If unsure, test the soil before planting so you can make adjustments to soil pH as needed. Use a good soil meter like the Raintrip 4-in-1 Soil Meter from Amazon, which checks for moisture, light and nutrient load as well as pH.

1. Raspberries

All true cane fruits are aggregate fruits. That means that each berry is composed of many small sections, and each section contains a seed. Raspberries (Rubus idaeus) are perfect examples. These are some of the best berries to plant in fall. Species raspberries are red and sweet, perfect for sprinkling on cereal or ice cream.

Spring is the common season for planting raspberries, but fall is equally possible. If you live in a climate with a hot summer, fall may even be better than spring, since nature assists with irrigation. Autumn rain helps the roots establish before spring growth. Good primocanes to plant in autumn include ‘Polka’, ‘Joan J’ and ‘Autumn Bliss’ berries. You can buy ‘Joan J’ as bare root canes from Amazon. For a yellow raspberry, try planting ‘Fall Gold’ raspberry cane.

Plant fairly early in fall, and never after the ground is frozen. You’ll want the soil malleable, well-draining, and warm. Pick a full-sun site for the best berry crop and use compost to amend the soil. Trim the canes and plant them 18 inches (50cm) apart in rows up to 15 feet (3m) apart.

2. Blackberries

All cane fruits are raspberries or blackberries, or hybrids of one of these fruit plants. Like raspberries, blackberries (Rubus ursinus) are aggregate fruits that grow on upright, woody canes. Like all cane plants, they grow vegetatively for a year, bear fruit the next year, then die. But new young blackberry canes appear every year. Good varieties for warmer climates include ‘Sweetie Pie’ and ‘Chester’, while in colder climates, try ‘Black Satin’ and ‘Triple Crown’. You can buy ‘Chester’ and ‘Triple Crown’ from Burpee, along with many other varieties.

Blackberry canes can be planted in early fall, well before the first frost. You want the roots to develop before the ground freezes. Erect cultivars should be planted 8 feet (2.5m) apart. Semi-erect blackberry plants need only 6 feet (2m) of elbow room. Plant them shallowly in the soil, just a little deeper than they were planted at the nursery. They need at least 6 hours of direct sun and well-draining soil. You can add a light feed to blackberries a few weeks after planting and setting in.

3. Boysenberries

Boysenberries (Rubus ursinus × R. idaeus) are hybrids of blackberries, raspberries, dewberries and loganberries, deliberately developed for their sweet yet tart taste. While they look very much like blackberries, boysenberries are a bit bigger and sweeter. Their distinctive flavor profile is a rich complex blend of all the bramble fruits from which this pretty berry was derived.

The planting procedure is identical to that for blackberries. In the fall, plant these canes two months before the first frost. Give them plenty of space to spread, as well as a trellis for support. You can buy a Thornless Boysenberry as a live rooted starter plant from Amazon.

4. Blueberries

If you are interested in planting berry bushes in the fall, blueberries (Vaccinium spp.) are some of the sweetest and most visually exciting, both for their crops and often for their fiery foliage colors in autumn. These bush fruits are known as superfruits as they have high antioxidant content, offering protection against free radical damage. Blueberries grow on blueberry bushes, not canes. It helps if the soil is warm at the time of planting, and will be warm enough long enough for the roots to establish. Zones 7-9 should be especially good for fall-planting blueberries, and a range of highbush blueberries are well suited to fall conditions.

Plant blueberry bushes in a sunny location, out of the path of strong breezes. Their roots are fairly shallow, so make sure the soil is well-draining but holds moisture. Organic material or aged compost can help with this. The soil must be acidic, with a pH of 4-5. You can find an impressive selection of blueberries at Nature Hills, including ‘Misty’, ‘Chandler’, ‘Bluecrop’, ‘Patriot’ and ‘Pink Lemonade’ blueberry varieties. Remember to use peat moss or pine bark for mulching.

5. Currants

If you love blueberries but aren’t prepared to provide your berry patch with acidic soil, think about growing currants (Ribes spp.). These juicy fruits are also small and round. However, currants are cold-hardy shrubs that grow their fruits in bunches on thornless stems – and unlike blueberries, they don’t require acidic soil.

These bush fruits aren’t as well known in the United States as other berries, but they have been popular in Europe for years. The berries are incredibly healthy, boasting high quantities of vitamin C. You can also make tea from blackcurrant leaves. Fall is considered the best season for planting, although spring is also possible. Great options for fall planting include ‘Titania’, ‘Nicola’, ‘White Imperial’ and ‘Red Lake’ currants. You can also buy robust ‘Consort’ as a live plant from Amazon, ideal for USDA zones 3-8.

You can buy the plants bare-root at the garden store to save money, or spend more for container-grown varieties. There is no need to seek out a full sun location for planting currants, as they thrive in partial shade. They do like soil with a high organic content, and it must be well draining. Plant your currants 3-6 feet (1-2m) apart, with 9 feet (3m) between rows.

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Fruit trees offer so many seasons of delight, from the first frilly blossoms in spring, to the green canopies and emerging fruit in summer, to the harvest in fall. But all this requires work in the garden, such as fertilizing, treating pests, and annual pruning.

Exactly when to take up the pruners is an important question. The answer depends on the purpose of the pruning, and the type of fruit tree. Pruning a fruit tree at the wrong time can have serious consequences, leading to the loss of the next year’s crop, or even the death of the tree. Can fruit trees be pruned right after harvest? This is only appropriate for certain types of trees. But in fact, the answer is yes, in specific cases – so here are the 5 fruit trees to prune after harvest time.

When to Prune Fruit Trees and Why

Pruning fruit trees, whether ground based or potted fruits, is an important part of caring for a home orchard. Cutting back trees serves many purposes, including limiting growth, opening up the tree center to sunshine, and encouraging a heavy fruit load. Cutting back a newly planted tree to create a strong branch framework is called training. Once a tree shape is established, trimming is termed pruning.

A classic gardening rule is to prune fruit trees during the dormant season, between late winter and early spring. Trees pruned during this time heal rapidly and can use their energy to create new growth as spring rolls in. However, some species of fruit tree can be pruned back ahead of the dormant season, just after the harvests.

You might worry about the possibility of fungal diseases when making cuts later in the growing season – specifically if the weather is damp. You can alleviate this if you ensure your pruning tools are sterile and cleaned properly after each use. Applications of isopropyl alcohol in concentrations of 70%, such as Dealmed Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol from Amazon, can reduce the risks of fungal diseases.

Best Fruit Trees to Prune after Harvest

While dormant pruning helps a tree to grow, late summer pruning puts a break on growth. The fruit tree uses up most of its root-stored energy in spring as it buds and leafs out. It won’t have excess energy to use for growth after late summer pruning. That means it will stay shorter for longer. This is actually a good thing! Many fruit trees can grow tall if not pruned, which makes the fruit hard to harvest. I admit to having a cherry tree taller than my house – I just get to eat the cherries that fall!

In terms of the general pruning calendar, fall pruning can also halt growth. Summer pruning means the tree has time to form buds before winter. Tree wounds in late summer heal while the weather is still dry, which prevents diseases from spreading. So only a small selection of fruit trees should be pruned after harvest. These range from evergreen – like avocado and citrus - to specific stone fruit trees. Here are 5 fruit trees to prune after harvesting.

1. Avocadoes

Evergreen fruit trees don't lose their leaves. If you prune these trees right after harvest, you can spur growth of new buds without risking the fruit harvest. Avocado trees are top candidates for post-harvest pruning. These trees grow in warm climates and the fruit harvest period ranges from June to September, depending on region and growing conditions. Pruning avocadoes right after harvest allows the tree to produce new growth before the flowering season. It also serves to keep mature trees at an accessible height – no taller than 15 feet (5m).

When pruning, hand pruners are fine for younger or more slender branches. For thicker branches wider than an inch (2.5cm) in diameter, use a hand saw like the Silky Zubat Arborist Hand Saw from Amazon. If you’re interested in growing an avocado of your own and want something cold tolerant, buy Avocado ‘Choquette’ from Fast Growing Trees for high yielding fruits.

2. Citrus Trees

Citrus trees include lemons, limes, grapefruit, oranges, and tangerines. They are evergreen trees that grow best in warm climates, but citrus blooming and fruiting phases do vary. The season for harvest is usually late fall through early spring, varying by species and locale. If you would like to try growing your own citrus and are looking for something that will be happy in a variety of growing situations and hardiness regions, try a mandarin tree like the Brighter Blooms Owari Satsuma Tree from Amazon.

For a lot of citrus trees, pruning after harvest boils down to pruning in winter or early spring. But there are a few specific examples where citrus trees see harvests in early or late summer. Valencia oranges and limes can be harvested as late as September. It’s best to prune citrus trees after harvest to avoid losing immature fruit.

3. Guavas

Guavas are considered exotic in many parts of the country, but in warm-winter areas, like Florida and Southern California, and Hawaii, they grow well in home orchards. They are another evergreen fruit tree. Guavas produce crops twice a year, one in spring and one in fall.

When should you prune guavas? You can prune them after either the spring harvest or the one in the fall. That’s the time to shape the tree. It’s not hard to achieve a bushy tree with pruning, since for every shoot you cut, a couple of shoots will grow in. Take the time to prune out suckers if you want a single-tree look.

Where the branches are slightly thicker, or a little higher, use loppers like the Corona DualLink Extendable Bypass Loppers from Amazon, which are (as the name suggests) extendable as well as heavy duty, so good for high up cuts. If you’d like to grow a guava tree, you can buy Guava ‘Ruby Supreme’ from Fast Growing Trees.

4. Kumquats

Kumquats are officially citrus, but we list them separately because most people don’t think of them in the same category as oranges. The fruit is tiny and tart, perfect for jams and jellies. As a citrus tree, the kumquat grows best in warm climates with a growing season that can last through winter. Kumquat harvesting dates will vary depending on region, and can be November in Florida, and later in California.

The trees are small, generally shorter than the gardener, so they don’t need much trimming. But you should take off dead, diseased or damaged branches right after harvest to keep the fruit coming. If you are interested in growing a kumquat, you can buy a Nagami Kumquat Fortunella Margarita Tree as a live plant from Amazon.

5. Sweet Cherry

After all the evergreens, cherry trees may seem an unlikely addition to the list of trees to prune after harvest. And they are better suited to cooler states than the others, growing best in regions with winter frosts. Fruits mature in summer, and the tree goes dormant in winter. If you are interested in growing a sweet cherry tree, there are several great cherry trees available from Fast Growing Trees, including ‘Lapins’ and ‘Stella’ varieties.

The best time for pruning is right after cherry harvest. Cherries are susceptible to bacterial canker, a serious disease that spreads best during wet, cool weather. Pruning in the dormant period – late winter through spring – encourages the canker disease to spread. Making cuts in the summer is the best way to protect the tree.

If you need to ensure you have the sharpest cuts, be sure to keep a sharpening tool handy. Use a sharpener such as Sharpal’s 121N Dual-Grit Diamond Sharpening Stone File from Amazon, which is fine on one side and coarse on the other.

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Fig wasps in figs might sound like some oddball nature yarn, but they’re real. These little guys aren’t just hanging around for fun. They’ve got this wild, ancient deal with fig trees that ensures you get sweet, plump fruits. So, do figs really have wasps in them? And should you be worried you’re munching on bugs with every bite?

Here’s the scoop on how figs and wasps work together. Fig wasps are important pollinators that ensure wild fig trees produce bountiful harvests. This is something that they’ve been doing for millions of years. Growing figs doesn’t have to mean you are eating bugs, however. Some figs need these critters to make fruit, others don’t.

Let’s break down the fig-wasp hookup, the fig wasp life cycle, and whether you’re really scarfing down dead wasps in figs. Plus, it’ll bust that fig wasp myth that’s got people freaking out. You’ll see that this whole deal is more fascinating than creepy.

The Fig-Wasp Relationship Explained

Figs and fig wasps are like partners in a dance that’s been going strong for 80 million years. Every fig type, and there are over 750 out there, has its own special wasp pal which is perfectly suited to pollinate the plant. Fig trees have a kind of inverted flower. This little pod is called a syconium and only fig wasps are small enough to wiggle in and handle the pollination gig.

A female wasp squirms through a tiny hole in the syconium to drop her eggs and dust pollen from the fig from which she hatched. She sheds her wings to squeeze in, so this is a one way trip. Once the female wasp has pollinated the fig, fig seeds develop, and the wasp gets a snug spot for her young. It’s a sweet deal, called mutualism, where both sides lean on each other to keep the show running.

Fig Wasp Life Cycle

The fig wasp life cycle is wild and tied to the fig’s growth. Once she pollinates the figs and lays her eggs, she dies, and her job is done. The eggs hatch into larvae. Male wasps, wingless and blind, pop out first, mate with females, and chew tunnels to the outside so the females can leave the fig. Males, however, do not crawl out and die inside the fig.

The female wasps crawl out, grabbing pollen as they go. These females fly to another fig and start the cycle again. The whole process only takes a couple days and the life cycles of the fig wasps and the occurrence of unripe figs matches up perfectly. The process sounds intense, but it’s nature’s way of keeping both species alive.

Types of Figs and Wasps

However, not every fig needs a wasp to produce fruit. Wild figs, like strangler figs or banyans, count on specific fig wasps to get pollinated. For example, Ficus carica, your go-to edible fig, teams up with the Blastophaga psenes wasp in places like the Mediterranean.

But types like ‘Brown Turkey’ fig trees, which can be found on Fast Growing Trees, or ‘Celeste,’ popular across the U.S., are parthenocarpic. This means they produce fruit without wasps or pollination. Growers in spots like California often pick these self-pollinating varieties or use hormones to bypass the bug business. Around 850-900 wasp species work in tandem with wild figs, each one fitting like a key to its tree, but cultivated figs skip this for easier harvests.

Do We Eat Wasps in Figs?

So, are you eating wasps when you bite into a juicy fig? Well, it is partially true. In wild figs, like Smyrna or Calimyrna, a female wasp dies inside the fig after dropping her eggs. But the fig pumps out an enzyme, ficain, that melts the wasp’s body into plant food. So, dead wasps in figs? Sure, in some wild ones, but you’re not munching bug chunks. That crunch is just seeds, not critters.

Additionally, store-bought figs are almost always wasp-free. Most come from self-pollinating types or are grown without any bugs. Even in figs that need wasps, the insect is long gone by ripeness, broken down by the fig’s enzyme. No need to stress about chowing on bugs. Vegan or not, you can dig into figs without a worry.

Figs are a classic Mediterranean fruit, but don't fret if you are in a cooler part of the world. There are many types of fig trees that have been specially cultivated to grow in cooler climates like the ‘Chicago Hardy’ fig tree that is hardy to USDA zone 5 and can be found at Fast Growing Trees. You can also pair a dwarf fig tree like ‘Little Miss Figgy’ from Fast Growing Trees with an attractive plant dolly, like this one from Amazon, to easily move your container-grown fig tree from your patio into your home as the weather cools.

Fig wasps and figs have a wild, ancient partnership that’s more cool than creepy. The fig wasp life cycle keeps wild figs growing, but not every fig needs a wasp to make fruit. Busting the fig wasp myth, you’re not eating dead wasps in figs, thanks to the fig’s digestive enzyme. So go ahead and plant that fig tree!

Have you ever tried fruit from a pawpaw tree? If so, you are in a lucky minority. This is one of America’s lesser-known, but most delicious fruits. Though pawpaws look and taste like an exotic tropical fruit, they are native to North America and, in fact, they are the largest fruit native to the continent. If you’re looking to try a pawpaw for the first time or just want to feast on lots of different tasty dishes featuring the fruit.

If you don't grow pawpaws or know someone who does, then attending a festival is a great way to try them. These rare fruits can be hard to find. Don’t expect to see them at the grocery store. They have an extremely short shelf life, so you’ve got to get them while the getting’s good right after harvest. The best time to pick pawpaws is late summer to early fall, depending on where you live.

You might be wondering: Are there pawpaw festivals near me? If you live in the eastern half of the U.S. there’s a chance you can find a pawpaw festival close to you. Here’s a list of some of the best pawpaw festivals 2025 has to offer. Add them to your travel list for August and September, pack the car, and get ready to feast on delicious pawpaws!

Best Pawpaw Festivals 2025

Whether you're interested in learning how to grow this native fruit tree or just want to sample all the different edible uses for pawpaws, there's a festival on this list for every pawpaw enthusiast.

1. The Ohio Pawpaw Festival

The Ohio Pawpaw Festival, which takes place September 12-14, 2025, is a community event held at Lake Snowden Campground in Albany, Ohio. It spans a whole weekend and is all about honoring the pawpaw. It's the biggest and longest running festival for this fruit.

Attending this festival will not only allow you to taste pawpaws, but it will also teach you everything you need to know about the history of the fruit. Plus, you can taste a range of different pawpaw-infused foods, like delicious pawpaw pie.

You will find a complete lineup of pawpaw activities, including “best of show” contests that award the biggest fruit and the tastiest pawpaw. There is also a pawpaw cooking contest, pawpaw art, and a fabulous pawpaw eating contest. The activities include demonstrations of how to grow pawpaws and how to cook them.

2. Indiana Pawpaw Festival

This is the third year of the Indiana Pawpaw festival in Merom, Indiana. The even takes place September 6-7, 2025 at Merom Bluff in a gorgeous park that overlooks the Wabash River towards Illinois.

There are 40 vendors, including food vendors selling pawpaws and food made with pawpaws, but you’ll also find lots of family fun. There's a bounce house for the kids, a mechanical bull for urban cowboys, and a best pawpaw contest.

3. SC Pawpaw Festival

The SC Pawpaw Festival at Blue Oak Horticulture on August 30, 2025 is one of the earliest pawpaw festivals in the country. Held in Taylors, South Carolina, the event introduces attendees to this delicious native fruit during peak harvest season.

There are educational plant walks with expert horticulturists and tours of the nursery, greenhouse, and gardens of this hobby farm.

This fun one-day event also offers tasting booths and live music. This is a nonprofit festival, intended to educate the public about the pawpaw fruit and how to grow it.

4. West Virginia Pawpaw Festival

Head to the West Virginia Pawpaw Festival at WVU Core Arboretum in Morgantown, West Virginia on September 28, 2025 for an annual event celebrating the Appalachian autumn fruit.

Family-friendly and free, this festival is open to the public and you don’t need to reserve a spot beforehand. The festival is held in the lawn area at the arboretum, with parking in the WVU Coliseum lot.

What’s on the program? You will find Peterson Pawpaws select varieties to sample and buy. There will also be chef-prepared pawpaw dishes. Don’t miss the booth of the North American Pawpaw Growers Association. If you want to buy a pawpaw tree or other native plants, this is the place to go.

5. Pawpaw Festival in Paw Paw, IL

You know the Pawpaw Festival in Paw Paw, Illinois on September 20, 2025 is going to be good since the whole town is named after this amazing fruit. According to the local public radio station, the event is "pawtastic!"

Enjoy pawpaw tastings, educational talks, tram tours around the town named for the famous fruit, live music, and a beer garden. And if you want to work off the calories from all the tasty foods at the festival, register for the scenic Paw Paw fun run.

Don't miss the weigh in event to see who has the biggest pawpaw fruit. It will inspire you to grow your own fruit at home and see if you can break the record.

If you can't make it to any of these events, purchase a pawpaw tree from Fast Growing Trees to grow your own fruit and start a pawpaw festival in your town!

Strawberries are the ultimate summer fruit to grow in the home garden. Just seeing those pretty, juicy berries nestling in raised beds and garden borders seems to signal one of the genuine pleasures of the season. It can be hard seeing the plant once you have picked the first strawberry fruits, especially if you’ve waited a while for that juicy payload. But that doesn’t mean the harvest has to end once August draws to a close.

Many strawberry plants are capable of producing fruit well into the fall, and if you are willing to think creatively, it is possible to eke a little more fruiting potential out of your homegrown strawberry plants so you can harvest fruits for longer. Here’s how to extend the strawberry harvest season so you can enjoy them well into fall – and possibly even winter.

5 Ways to Extend the Strawberry Harvest Season

There are a few approaches to enjoying sweet berries longer, although there are a few aspects to this that will vary in accordance with your growing region, hardiness zone, growing method and strawberry varieties. The good news is that if you are willing to keep a close eye on both the means and the quality of your strawberry growing, you can make the strawberry harvest season last longer.

You can also store your harvest in a way that allows you to enjoy garden berries even after the growing season is winding down. Here’s how to get more strawberries to grow for an extended harvest.

1. Choose a Mix of Berry Varieties

First, consider the variety of strawberries you’re growing and how long they will take to grow. You’ll get the most out of varieties suited to your growing area. You can also choose types developed to produce a larger or more extended harvest. However, the one thing guaranteed to extend yield over a longer period is to grow a mix of different strawberry varieties – this will generate overlapping harvest times for more continuous berries. Grow a mix of these types to make a strawberry harvest last longer.

• June-bearing strawberries: These produce a June-early July harvest, but the yields are higher than those of the other two types. Options include ‘Earliglow’, ‘Honeoye’ and ‘Surecrop’ strawberries.
• Day-neutral strawberries: These are a must if you want to harvest more berries. These varieties can potentially produce throughout the entire season, although they don’t have the biggest harvest. Excellent options for fall potential include ‘Evie 2’, ‘Toscana’ and ‘Portola’ strawberry varieties.
• Everbearing varieties: These give you two harvests, one in early summer and another in early fall. Reliable everbearing options for fall fruiting include ‘Malling Opal’,’Albion’, ‘Ozark Beauty’, ‘Eversweet’ and ‘Seascape’ varieties.

2. Optimize the Growing Space

Proper planting and care for strawberries ensures healthy growth and a good harvest, so take the time to do it right. The best site for strawberries is one in full sun and with soil that is neutral or slightly acidic, and which drains well. Prepare the soil in advance, adjusting the soil pH or adding compost if needed. If you’re ever in doubt, it’s wise to test the soil using a soil meter like the Raintrip 4-in-1 Meter from Amazon, which also tests for nutrient and moisture levels.

Another good way to optimise the growing space and ensure the longest possible growing period (and therefore the most chance to extend the strawberry harvest) is to grow your strawbs in a polytunnel, greenhouse, or cold frame. Low tunnels keep strawberries warm for longer, protect from rain and, as an added bonus, they help you protect plants from disease. This keeps plants healthier and encourages a good long harvest.

Try the Tierra Garden Haxnicks Easy Poly Tunnel Garden Cloche from the Haxnicks Store, available from Amazon, in standard and giant sizes. This is good for regulating warmth, while allowing you to tweak ventilation.

3. Pinch Off Early Flowers

Although it seems counterintuitive, you’ll be increasing your future strawberry yield if you are willing to pinch off the first flowers that appear on your strawberry plants. This is admittedly a tough thing to do – especially if you’ve been patiently waiting for signs of activity and got excited by the appearance of the blooms.

However, a little fortitude now is really important to the overall health of your strawberry plants. Pinching off is a clever practice, irrespective of variety. Doing this encourages the plant to put energy into developing its roots and leaves. Although it may not feel like it straight away, it will boost the resultant berry yield later.

The advice for June-bearing varieties is particularly tough – if you’re serious about wanting to grow more strawberries later, the advice now is to remove all flowers in the first flowering season. For everbearing and day-neutral varieties, you just need to remove the first flush of flowers, then you can let the rest develop into fruit.

4. Water & Weed Constantly

Because they have shallow roots, your strawberries will need to be watered regularly. Keep in mind that containers and hanging strawberry baskets will dry out more quickly. Container-grown strawberries should be watered daily. For bed-based growing, you can use mulch to keep more moisture in the soil. The Gardening Know How Team loves Back to the Roots’ Organic Mulch, available from Amazon, which gives excellent moisture control and also helps keep weeds to a minimum.

Speaking of weeds, these can be an issue over summer, and if you are not careful they will compete with plants for nutrients and water. Strawberries are particularly poor competitors and can let several common garden weeds run rampant if left unchecked. Get a handle on weeds early in the season and keep pulling them out as necessary. As another option, lay down a weed suppressing fabric like ExtraEasy’s Weed Barrier, also available at Amazon. Don’t forget to keep strawberries producing with a careful application of nitrogen-rich fertilizer every few weeks.

5. Harvest & Store Properly

Critters in the garden will want to eat your strawberries, reducing your harvest. If you want to keep harvesting strawberry plants for longer, keep an eye on them as the berries begin to ripen and harvest them in a timely manner. Strawberries are ripe when they are uniformly red, shiny and firm (but not hard). Harvest times vary by type of strawberry, but also by region. Check plants regularly for ripe berries as soon as they begin to appear.

Finally, you can make a strawberry harvest last longer by storing them for fall and winter. Fresh berries should be stored in the refrigerator and not washed until just before you eat them. Store your harvests wisely. Freezing is an easy option for long-term storage. Wash and dry your berries, remove stems and leaves, and spread the berries out on a parchment-lined baking tray, then place them in the freezer. Once they’re solidly frozen, store the berries in zip-top freezer bags. They should be good for up to a year. The Hefty Store’s Hefty Slider Freezer Bags, available from Amazon, are great for bulk-freezing fruits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Growing strawberries in the home garden is widely acknowledged as the best way to enjoy this sweet, luscious fruit. Store-bought strawbs just can’t compare to the juicy nibbles produced at home. But there will come a time when you need to replace some of your old plants, or maybe you just want to increase your home production. Knowing how to propagate strawberries gives you a chance to multiply your harvests and create even more exciting fruiting opportunities without having to break the bank.

The best bit is that propagating strawberries is easy to do. If your strawberry plants produce runners, that may be the easiest way to get more plants. However, if you pick the right varieties, you can also grow from seed. And if your plants have multiple crowns, you can separate those to increase the number of strawberry plants you cultivate. Read on to find out how to boost your berry harvests the easy way.

Best Ways To Propagate Strawberries

Whether you’ve had a tasty harvest and you are looking for ways to repeat your success, or you are looking for a way to start fruity crops from scratch, this is your chance to explore the different ways of propagating strawberries so you have something yummy to look forward to!

Strawberry propagation can be carried out in three ways, depending on your particular variety, planting preference, region, and time of year. Here we consider the different methods in turn, so you can look forward to a sweet supply of big and beautiful berry harvests.

1. Propagating Strawberries by Seed

Growing strawberries by seed is possible, but not from the strawberries you buy at the store, and it isn’t really that easy from the berries you might produce at home, either. Those strawberries are hybrid cultivars and will not come true from seed. However, wild strawberries or heirloom varieties can be grown from seed.

If you want to know how to propagate strawberry plants from seed, you can purchase the seeds from reputable online seed companies. You’ll tend to find names describing wild strawberries, woodland breeds, or alpine strawberry plant types. Look for heirloom seeds, too. Avoid buying from individuals selling from online auction websites.

For mouthwatering berries you can grow from scratch, try ‘Alexandria Seeds’ from Hirt’s Gardens or ‘Fresca’ from Cemeha, both available at Walmart. For something different, try ‘Yellow Wonder Alpine’ from Hirt’s Seeds or ‘White Soul’ seeds from Seedville USA, both from Walmart.

Once you have your seed, follow the package instructions. It may say they need a cold treatment or stratification. If so, wrap the seeds in an airtight container, then store them in the freezer for two to four weeks to simulate winter. Then remove them from the freezer and set the container on the countertop to warm to room temperature. Then you are ready to plant!

Prepare a seed tray with a mix of three parts peat with one part organic soil. Fill to about 0.5 inches (1.3cm) deep. Moisten the growing media and sprinkle the seeds across the top. Lightly dust with peat, allowing the seeds to show through. Set in a warm place such as on a heat mat in direct sunlight, if possible. Keep well watered and add supplemental light if needed. The seeds should germinate in a couple of weeks.

Keep the light 2-3 inches (5-8cm) above the seedlings and raise it as they grow. When the seedlings have three sets of true leaves, move them to individual containers. If the temperature outside is above 50 degrees F (10°C), you can move them outside to plant after hardening them off.

2. Propagating Strawberries by Runners

If the variety of strawberry you are growing is producing runners, such as June bearing or summer-bearing strawberries, then propagating by runners is the best method for you. Generally, most types of strawberries, including day-neutral and everbearing, will produce a few runners, whether you grow them in a raised bed or a container like a hanging basket.

When learning how to propagate strawberry runners, identify the runners (stolons) first. They are the long, wiry stems that are growing from the main plant, and they have one or more daughter plants growing out of them.

Choose daughter plants that have at least two trifoliate leaves and visible root bumps. Use clean scissors to cut plants that are 2.5-4 inches (6-10cm) long from base to end. Include about 0.5 inch (1.3cm) of the runner stem. If you aren’t planting the runner tips right away, preserve them in water or set them in a cooler. Plant within 24 hours.

Plant the tips in cell trays or individual pots filled with moist, soil-free potting mix. Plant the root bumps and bit of runner into the cell, keeping the crown above the media. Cover the cells with a plastic dome and mist often. The runners should root within 5-10 days. After rooting, you can fertilize with a 10-10-10 fertilizer every other week. Try a slow-release all-purpose fertilizer like Garden Wise 10-10-10, available at Walmart.

An alternate way to propagate strawberry runners is to place a daughter plant on top of a small pot filled with sandy loam soil, without severing the runner. Secure the daughter plant with U clips or bent wire to the soil, so it won’t slip out of the container. Trim off any stem portions. Then keep the soil moist. When roots are sufficient, snip off the runner.

3. Propagating Strawberries by Division

So how do you propagate strawberries from existing plants if you don’t see any runners? There is another option if you want to cultivate sweet strawberries from propagation: division. Choosing to divide a strawberry plant depends on whether the main crown of the plant bears additional lateral crowns. You can usually tell if you see new growth emerging from the base of the plant, with distinct clusters of leaves. If so, those crowns can be divided to become new plants.

The only time to divide strawberry crowns is in early spring. The night before dividing, water the plant well to hydrate its roots. Draw a circle 2-3 inches (5-8cm) away from the crown to use as a digging guide.

Dig down 6 inches (15cm) deep with a trowel and lift the crown and rootball from the soil. Cut through the rootball to create two equal sections. Brush off the excess soil and if there are sufficient roots, you can subdivide those two divisions. Each plant should have its own small crown and 6-12 roots.

Replant the divisions into holes where the plants’ crowns are 0.5 inch (1.3cm) below the soil level. Fill in with soil and cover the crowns loosely with soil. The leaves and stems should be above the soil. Cover the crowns with 2-inches (5cm) of mulch to shield them from temperature changes.

Keep the plants watered well while they grow new roots. Add a good slow-release strawberry fertilizer at the start of the new flowering season. They should flower and fruit during the next year.

Frequently Asked Questions

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When home gardeners don't have the space to grow fruit trees, they often turn to backyard berries. Growing different kinds of berries is not only an easy endeavor, but many berry varieties are also a rich source of beneficial antioxidants.

Some berries can be eaten fresh upon harvest, and all berries are great in jellies, jams, and desserts. There is nothing quite like a fresh berry pie with a scoop of ice cream. Even Orville Wright, of first flight fame, was obsessed with fresh blueberry pies in the summer.

Berries are a great addition to food forest gardens or container gardens. So what are the best berries to grow? Let's find out.

1. Strawberries

Growing strawberries is certainly one of the quickest ways to get juicy backyard berries. These perennial plants are categorized as June-bearing, Everbearing or Day-neutral. Strawberries are easily propagated by runners and require annual maintenance to control their spread. Netting may also be necessary to prevent birds and small animals from reaching ripe strawberries. Try one of these popular berry varieties:

• 'Chandler' strawberries are large, firm fruits with glossy skin.
• 'Honeoye' strawberries are mid-season berries which have been developed for cold hardiness. You can purchase Honeoye bare roots from Hirt's Gardens through Walmart.
• 'Jewel' strawberries are huge and have a long season with a high yield.

2. Elderberries

Elderberries grow on large shrubs, which can be pruned to maintain both size and shape. Unlike other backyard berries, most parts of elderberry bushes are poisonous. The raw fruit can also cause severe nausea and stomach upset.

Cooking your harvested elderberry fruit neutralizes their toxicity and enhances their flavor. Grow a native species or choose one of these cultivars for fruit production:

• 'Nova' is an American self-fruiting variety but will be even more successful when planted with another elderberry shrub.
• 'Black Lace' is a European cultivar that has dark purple foliage with pink flowers.
• 'Adams No. 1' and 'Adams No. 2' cultivars were selected from wild elderberry plants in the 1920s and have the largest fruit of all varieties. You can purchase Adams elderberry shrubs from Fast Growing Trees.

3. Blueberries

Blueberries are not only a versatile fruit in the kitchen, the bushes also lend beauty to the landscaping. This makes growing berries in the front of the house a “curb appealing” possibility. Blueberries require an acidic soil and most gardeners find it necessary to net the bushes during harvest season. Plant two varieties for the benefits of cross-pollination:

• 'Sweetheart' produces bountiful harvests in USDA zones 4-8 and is self-fertile. 'Sweetheart' blueberry bushes can be found at Fast Growing Trees.
• 'Bushel and Berry Jelly Bean' is a compact hybrid that is the perfect blueberry bush for containers and has sweet berries. You can find it at Fast Growing Trees.
• 'Pink Lemonade' has a unique pink fruit that you can harvest through fall and has a hint of kiwi flavor. You can find Pink Lemonade blueberry bushes at Fast Growing Trees.

4. Raspberries

Raspberries are available in a variety of fruiting colors including red, yellow and black. This type of bramble fruit grows on biennial canes from perennial roots. Raspberry canes tend to sprawl, but annual pruning to remove spent canes and trellising keeps the garden looking tidy.

When growing berries in the home garden, choose Summer-bearing or Everbearing varieties which are winter hardy in your area:

• 'Boyne' is a hardy, productive early-season variety.
• 'Dorman Red' is an ever-bearing, trailing raspberry bush that was bred to withstand summer heat and southern climates.
• 'Heritage' is a fantastic raspberry for home gardeners and is available from Fast Growing Trees.

5. Blackberries

Blackberries are one of the easiest backyard berries to grow. They differ from raspberries in their flavor profile. Blackberries also retain a small core when picked, while raspberries do not. Because blackberry canes can grow quite large, both erect and trailing types require regular pruning.

• 'Baby Cakes' is a dwarf, thornless blackberry that is great for containers. You can find Baby Cakes at the Home Depot.
• 'Cherokee' is an erect-growing blackberry bush that produces large, firm fruit.
• 'Obsidian' is a trailing blackberry developed by the USDA for early ripening and large fruit.

6. Currants and Goosberries

Currants and gooseberries are both members of the Ribes genus. Although not as popular as other kinds of berries, currants and gooseberries have a tart, sour-tasting fruit which lends itself well to pies and other desserts.

Both are susceptible to White Pine blister rust and cultivation may be restricted in your area. If not, choosing a less susceptible variety is recommended if you also have pine trees in the yard.

• 'Pixwell' Gooseberry has thornless stems and tangy berries that are great in jams and jellies (especially if you are going for the "Jam Girl Summer" trend).
• 'Poorman' Gooseberry is a compact American variety that produces large, sweet-tart berries which are great for fresh eating in addition to jams and preserves. It can be purchased from Raintree Nursery.
• 'Red Lake' Currant is a cold-hardy variety that boasts large clusters of fruit. 'Red Lake' can be purchased from Hirt's Gardens through Walmart.
• 'Pink Champagne' Currant is a cross between red and white currants that results in a delicate pink berry.

No matter what type of berries you choose, you are sure to enjoy growing them. Many varieties are easy-growing and incredibly productive. This means you can get the benefit of fresh berries and will still have plenty to turn into jam or pie!

Trendy social media mavens dubbed last year “Tomato Girl Summer,” but it’s 2025 and there’s a new microtrend that’s making the rounds online. “Jam Girl Summer” is the sweet, slow-paced aesthetic that everyone wants to live out this year—and gardeners are the perfect people to try on this trend.

Gardeners are the original jam girls. We’ve been growing jam and jelly gardens to make our own homegrown preserves since long before the internet even existed. So it’s only right that we take ownership over this fun, garden-inspired fad.

When it comes to jam girl summer, being a girl isn’t required. Anyone can try this trend. It’s all about slowing down and preserving the best moments of summer, like a sweet and fruity jam made from produce you grew in your garden. Here’s how to try it out this summer.

What Is Jam Girl Summer?

Jam girl summer is a nostalgia-filled gardening, home, and lifestyle trend that embraces all those warm and fuzzy feelings you get from making and eating homemade jam. It’s about preserving the goodness you feel when you’re outside in your garden picking fresh fruits and turning them into delicious jams, jellies, and preserves in your cozy, cottage kitchen.

I have to admit, I love this trend! There’s nothing better than a piece of toast or croissant slathered with homemade jam. And if you already grow fruit at home, this is the perfect garden to table trend to try this summer. Even if you don’t have a garden, you can get fresh fruit from your local farmer’s market and get the same delicious results.

How to Try the Jam Girl Summer Trend

The obvious way to try out this trend is to make a batch of jam from the fruit you grow in your garden or that you bought at the farmer’s market. Don’t worry, making jam is so much easier than you think. If you can boil an egg, you can make jam.

I’m not only a lazy gardener, but a lazy cook as well. So the thought of making jam always scared me. I didn’t want to deal with the fuss of preserving produce from the garden and the threat of botulism from a bad batch. I learned this summer, though, that you don’t need to can your jam as long as you eat it within a week or so of making it.

To make jam from your fruit harvest, all you have to do is combine your fruit of choice with a little sugar, a splash of lemon juice, and cook it on the stove for about 20 minutes, stirring often. I made the most delicious batch of strawberry rhubarb jam with the leftover rhubarb from my garden.

The best time to harvest rhubarb is in late spring, which I did, but then forgot about it in the fridge. Even though it wasn’t quite at its freshest, it was still perfectly fine to use for jam. The strawberries I used were also past their peak freshness, but that’s the beauty of jam. It doesn't matter if your fruit isn’t perfectly fresh. It will still turn out better than anything you can buy in stores.

If you’re new to making jam like me, it’s best to use a fruit that’s high in pectin. That’s the thickening agent that turns fruit into jam rather than soup. Rhubarb and blueberries are both high in pectin, so give those a try if this is your first time making fruit preserves. You can buy pectin from Amazon to add to any fruit jam you want.

My Strawberry Rhubarb Jam Recipe

• 1 cup (237 mL) strawberries, quartered
• 1 cup (237 mL) rhubarb, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
• ¼ cup (59 mL) sugar
• Juice of half a lemon

Combine all the ingredients in a cold saucepan, then cook over medium heat for 20-25 minutes, stirring frequently.

The fruit mixture will bubble and reduce as it cooks. Stir often to keep it from sticking or burning. Taste and add a little more sugar, if needed.

Cook until the jam is thick enough that it starts to pull away from the sides of the pan when you stir.

Carefully pour jam into a clean glass jar. Let the jam cool, then put on the lid and refrigerate for up to a week. Makes 1 cup (237 mL) of jam.

Jam Girl Summer Starter Kit

Take inspiration from this nostalgic garden trend by planting old-fashioned flowers alongside your fruit plants. Mixing ornamentals and edibles is part of the classic cottage garden style that goes so well with the jam girl summer trend.

This twee trend goes beyond the garden, though. Here are some more fun ideas to help you get into this sweet summer aesthetic.

Strawberries are one of the most popular fruits grown in the home garden but how long do strawberries take to grow? Don’t worry, strawberries are fairly rapid producers.

Strawberries take longer to come to fruition when planted from seed, but most people plant bare roots, plugs or established plants which hasten the time from planting to berry production.

Growing strawberries can be a fun and productive endeavor no matter the size of your garden. Depending on the type of strawberries you plant, you could be snacking on juicy berries within a month or two!

Strawberry Growth

It takes an entire year of growth to produce berries with strawberries grown from seed. Strawberry seeds contain all the genetic material it takes to produce a strawberry plant. They must go through a cold stratification in the late winter or early spring to jump start the process of germination.

The seeds of a strawberry are readily evident when you eat the fruit. They come from the flowers of the plant. Seeds of strawberries take 1-6 weeks to germinate and then another year before they produce fruit which is why more people don’t propagate this berry from seed but rather from runners.

Another way that strawberry plants are propagated is by growing strawberry runners. Runners or stolons are formed off of existing mother plants. They grow from between 8-18 inches (20-46 cm) in length depending upon the variety of strawberry. They are essentially offshoots, carbon copies, of the mother plants. They can be allowed to root, then be cut from the mother and planted as separate strawberry plants.

Both runners and seed propagated strawberry seedlings are generally established by early fall.

How Long Do Strawberries Take To Grow?

How long does it take strawberries to grow? It takes 60-90 days for the plant to grow from seed to a berry, the good news is that most people plant strawberry crowns which take a scant month or two to produce delectable berries.

Factors That Affect Growth Time

There is some variation in the length of time it takes to grow strawberries. Obviously the length of time it takes the plant to grow depends on the propagation method. If using seed to propagate, the plant takes longer than if taking runners.

Other factors that affect growth time are the variety of strawberry, weather conditions and planting time. Early spring is the best time to plant strawberries for the earliest harvest.

As for varieties, June-bearing strawberries take an entire year before they produce berries, while day-neutral strawberry cultivars produce within the first year.

Tips For Faster Growth

If you're impatient for your first harvest of strawberries, plant day-neutral or everbearing strawberry cultivars. Plant early in the spring using established plants or crowns and keep an eye on the weather. If the weather is unseasonably cold, delay planting until temperatures warm and all threat of frost has passed in the early spring.

You can also hasten the plants growth by fertilizing strawberry plants and incorporating a good compost into the soil at planting to act as a slow release fertilizer. Use a high potash liquid feed every 2 weeks during the growing season to accelerate growth.

Keep the soil damp, not sodden.

If you have young plants, remove the runners. If the runners are connected to the mother plant, energy is diverted to maintain them, rather than to produce fruit.

Frequently Asked Questions

A signature of the summer garden, nothing beats the taste of fresh, juicy strawberries. While growing the plant is relatively simple, care is needed to keep beds and containers looking their best. When growing your own strawberries, routine monitoring can help you pick up on sudden changes in appearance – which can often be a sign of strawberry diseases.

Here, we round up the most common strawberry plant diseases, enabling you to correctly identify a potential problem quickly and effectively. If you’re worried about strange leaf colors, changes in fruit, or no strawberry fruit at all, be sure you read this. The sooner you can step in, the more chance you have of ensuring your precious harvests don’t take a hit. If you suspect strawberry disease, take action fast – this guide can help you do it right.

Identifying Key Strawberry Diseases

Learning to properly identify disease on strawberry plants can be difficult. Unlike strawberry pests, there is a little bit of overlap in the way certain diseases present – so an assessment of multiple symptoms is important.

With careful inspection, most issues can be identified quickly. Keen observation skills are of the utmost importance. This includes monitoring both fruit and foliage, looking for sudden or unusual changes in color, texture and overall health.

It also helps to get familiar with the strawberry plant cultivar being grown, taking tolerance and resistance of each type into account. Follow this guide, and you’ll be well on your way to growing healthier, bigger strawberries – and more of them!

1. Anthracnose

Anthracnose, caused by various Colletotrichum fungi, affects almost every part of the strawberry plant. Though anthracnose disease is most common throughout warmer regions, it may also occur where conditions are both cool and wet. Symptoms which result in rot are most conspicuous, occurring on the plant's fruit as well as the crown.

Infection can be severe, nearly always leading to a reduction in crops and loss of plants. As the disease is known to overwinter within beds, control of infections can be difficult. Still, with very early detection, you could salvage some plants with the use of fungicide and the routine removal of infected matter.

2. Black Root Rot

Some strawberry diseases, like black root rot, have a variety of causes. These often include the presence of pathogens or nematodes within the soil, or other environmental factors that make the plant ill-suited to growth.

Strawberries affected by root rot are most easily identified by an obvious lack of vigor, accompanied by black or shriveled roots. Though little can be done in terms of treatment, prevention is possible if you maintain healthy, well-draining soil. Ensuring adequate spacing between plants can also safeguard against this disease.

3. Leaf Spot

Yet another common problem, strawberry leaf spot disease is most readily identified by the presence of gray-white lesions across the surface of plant foliage. Over time, these margins continue to grow and deepen in color, causing leaves to dry and drop from plants prematurely.

Fungal spores further spread the infection, moving from plant to plant with the aid of wind or water. Little can be done to treat afflicted plants. Fungicide may help to slow the spread of leaf spot disease. Sadly, their complete removal from the garden is the most effective measure.

4. Leaf Scorch

A strawberry leaf disease like scorch can drastically reduce plant productivity. Symptoms closely mimic those of leaf spot, but the appearance will vary in terms of pattern. Growers can expect infected leaves to go brown and die quickly, resulting in the rapid decline of plants.

Prevention of leaf scorch disease is the best course of action. Implement good watering and garden sanitation practices, whether growing in beds, containers or hanging baskets. This includes direct irrigation, avoiding contact with foliage, and the prompt removal of infected plant matter.

5. Mold

Gray mold of strawberry plants is the result of a fungus called Botrytis cinerea. Infection is most likely to occur in spring, when conditions are cool and wet. Plants affected by the disease will take-on a gray, hairy appearance, usually covering fruit and developing flowers. Rot occurs rapidly, resulting in complete hardening of the infected matter.

As the botrytis fungus is known to overwinter within beds, good sanitation is key in the prevention of the disease. Improved air circulation and the routine use of fungicide can also be helpful in the treatment of affected sites.

6. Powdery Mildew

Powdery mildew can be especially problematic in strawberry beds (where multiple plants are bunched together). The disease may first become apparent with the appearance of a white, powder-like substance across the surface of the plant's leaves. Foliage then begins to curl and brown, eventually dropping to the ground.

Flowers may also be affected, preventing fruit set and reducing yield. If treating this disease on strawberry plants, the prompt removal of infected matter is vital, followed by preventative fungicide sprays.

7. Verticillium Wilt

Verticillium wilt remains amongst the most common pathogens to affect edible plants. Strawberries often contract the disease when planted where the pathogen has already built up within the soil. Sudden wilt or drooping foliage are the first signs of infection. Leaves may change from green to varying shades of red or brown.

Eventually, each leaf will dry completely. Those hoping to prevent the disease should arrange new beds carefully. If growing strawberries in raised beds, be sure to select varieties which demonstrate good resistance to the pathogen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Strawberries are a favorite fruit of many. They’re small and portable, relatively easy to grow and, of course, juicy and delicious. If you enjoy strawberries, you might have wondered, can you grow strawberries from a strawberry?

Well, yes and no. You certainly use part of the strawberry – but not just any part. Here, we break down what is possible, and also what is most efficient, to help you grow strawberry plants that are healthy and productive. Once you know how to grow a strawberry from a strawberry, you can enjoy this tasty fruit year after year.

Which Parts of a Strawberry are Best

There are quite straightforward ways to grow strawberries from a strawberry plant. If a friend has a strawberry plant and it has done well, simply ask them to give you a strawberry runner. Press it into the soil and keep it well watered to enjoy your own strawberry plant.

But if the question is, can you grow a strawberry plant from a strawberry itself, you’ll need to know which part to use. It’s not just as simple as sticking the whole fruit (or a certain part of the fruit) in some compost. Can you grow strawberries from a strawberry top? The answer is no, and it would be a mistake to try growing strawberries this way. What you need is the seed, which grows on the outside of the fruit.

Unlike some fruits, strawberries will grow true from their seeds. This means that if you do it right, you can grow a plant from the seeds of your favorite berry and get the exact same plant (and hence fruits) from it.

When to Propagate from a Strawberry

The best time to propagate a strawberry from its seeds is in early spring. You can start seeds indoors before the last frost. If you want to start seeds directly outdoors, make sure you wait until the danger of frost has passed. The timing will, of course, depend on your growing zone. The variety of strawberry matters less for timing.

How to Propagate from a Strawberry

When growing strawberries from a strawberry, your ideal fruit for propagation should be fresh and healthy with no bruises or rotting. You’ll probably need a few berries to get enough seeds. Slice the berries in half and leave them out to dry. Once dry, it’s easier to remove the small seeds. Collect the dried seeds and store them in the refrigerator for about three weeks. A ‘winter period’ is needed so you can germinate the seeds effectively.

Sow the cold stratified seeds in pots or directly outdoors in a bed. The soil should be loose, high-quality and mixed with compost. Because strawberry seeds are so small, you just need to barely cover them with a light dusting of soil. Keep the soil and seeds moist and warm as they germinate.

Because they can be a little picky and require constant warmth and moisture, you will get the best results by starting strawberry seeds indoors. This gives you more control over conditions. Once you have healthy seedlings, you can thin them and, if growing outdoors, transplant to beds.

Best Strawberry Plant Care

Once you have small plants, make sure you provide perfect strawberry care to get healthy, thriving and productive plants:

• Grow your plants in full sun and water strawberries regularly. Strawberries need about an inch (2.5cm) of water per week. Keep in mind that soil in pots dries out more quickly.
• Use compost in the soil or use a balanced fertilizer to feed your strawberry plants and keep them growing at their best.
• Pinch off the first flowers that grow early in the year. This will help the plants grow more leaves and roots, and will improve the harvest later.
• Remove and train strawberry runners as they grow to keep your plants contained. Otherwise, they will spread readily.

You can grow potted strawberries indoors, but you will grow stronger plants (and ultimately grow bigger strawberry fruits) if you put them outside in a warm, sunny spot for summer.

Harvesting the Best Strawberries

You can pick your strawberry fruits as soon as they change color and look ripe. Depending on the variety, conventional ripe strawberries are completely red or mostly red with a little white on the shoulders (obviously, white strawberries are a different matter, so judge accordingly).

Keep an eye on your strawberry plants to time the harvest correctly. The biggest risk in not timing it right is that birds or other wildlife will eat the fruit first. After picking the first ripe berries, check the plants every day for more to avoid losing them to wildlife. You may prefer to cover the plants with safe netting to prevent intervention.

Frequently Asked Questions

Fill Your Garden With Berry Goodness

• You may know how to grow strawberries in containers, but if you fancy expanding your harvests, we show you how to grow strawberries in raised beds for the most rewarding results.
• Want to grow strawberries without the mess? Find out how to grow hydroponic strawberries for a cleaner way to cultivate berry harvests that are just as tasty.
• Running out of places to grow all your ground-based and container strawbs? Find out how to grow a strawberry hanging basket to take your fruit to the next level.

When it comes to fresh-picked fruit, few plants rival the taste of strawberries. Ripening through summer, gardeners can expect harvests in abundance – unless you suddenly find your plants have fallen foul of strawberry pests. Though most established beds remain relatively carefree, certain pests may take a keen interest in your fruiting plants and burgeoning harvests.

Pests on strawberry plants can result in damage to individual crops and reduced yields overall – so if you’re growing strawberry plants and keen to cultivate the best fruits, it’s vital to take action fast. Here are a few of the more common strawberry plant pests, with tips on how to detect nuisance insects and curb their spread.

Identifying Key Strawberry Pests

Early detection of pests on strawberries will be essential to both plant and fruit health. Quick intervention allows you to maintain plant health and ultimately grow bigger strawberries. Like many garden insects, small numbers of unwanted species are likely to go unnoticed. It is for this reason that regular observation proves so vital as a means to protect strawberries from pests.

This includes keeping a keen eye for sudden changes in color or appearance of plants, as well as their overall growth and vigor. Careful note of such symptoms can further help gardeners to quickly and accurately identify the potential cause and therefore treat in the best way, fast. Find out about key culprits and how to protect strawberries from pests.

1. Aphids

Though difficult to see, aphids can be a source of major damage to strawberry plants. Small insects feed on sap in large numbers, leaving behind a sticky residue. Foliage often begins to yellow, as a result of nutrients drawn from the plant. The insects are also responsible for the spread of disease, transmitting viruses throughout the garden.

Though problematic, aphid infestation will only seldom lead to the loss of plants. Still, relatively swift treatment is needed to keep plants growing at their best. Combat this pest with homemade aphid controls like diluted soaps, water sprays, neem oil solutions and other food-safe applications.

2. Cutworms

The term ‘cutworm’ is most commonly used to refer to a variety of larvae that feed on plants. In the case of strawberries, noctuid moth caterpillars are of special interest. Though damage can be found throughout the plant, ripening fruit is most sensitive. Fortunately, control of cutworms is relatively simple. Manual controls such as frequent hand-picking have proven especially effective in removing cutworms and preventing significant damage.

3. Slugs

Where conditions are moist, the presence of slugs in the garden can be a major point of frustration. Damage done to emerging plants in spring can stunt or delay growth. Injury to fruit before harvest can result in further losses related to the pest. Rough, jagged holes eaten through plant matter, as well as slime trails, are amongst the best indicators that slugs may be active.

You can help to deter these pests through a routine cleanup across the growing space. It’s also possible to deploy simple slug traps and other organic management techniques to keep numbers down.

4. Spittlebugs

Spittlebugs are considered most troublesome throughout newly established beds and those positioned near lawns. The bugs, which feed on the sap of strawberry plants, are likely to appear when conditions are dry.

Their presence will be evident with a spittle-like foam that surrounds the nymphs. Though disconcerting, small numbers of the pests are unlikely to cause any notable damage to plants. Only infrequently will you require spittlebug controls to keep numbers from getting out of hand.

5. Strawberry Root Weevils

Strawberry root weevils (Otiorhynchus ovatus) are of great concern to home and commercial growers alike. Insect larvae can be found feeding on the roots of both wild and cultivated species. Adults will also feed on the plant, chewing its leaves.

As most will overwinter in garden soil, control of established populations can be tricky. The removal of grubs at planting time, and continued hand-picking through summer, will help to control root weevil damage and reduce numbers.

6. Thrips

Damage to strawberry plants caused by thrips can be immense. Large numbers of the pest, feeding on plant sap, can reduce plant health quickly. Signs of thrip infestation include sudden changes in foliage, with leaves taking on a rusted, speckled appearance. Plants may also demonstrate stunted growth, producing blooms that are malformed or fail to open completely.

Immediate treatment is needed to prevent further injury. Common methods of thrip control include the use of diatomaceous earth, insecticidal soap and horticultural oils.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who doesn’t love strawberries fresh from the garden, warm from the summer sun? All home-grown strawberries are delicious, but growing strawberries in raised beds can make the gardening work easier. Planting strawberries in raised beds does involve a little more work upfront in preparing the raised beds. However, the happy tradeoff is that you’ll have to put in lots less effort later on.

So if you want to grow strawberry plants in a healthy and productive way, here are the most effective planting and cultivation practices for the ultimate June bearing, everbearing and day-neutral fruits.

Benefits of Growing Strawberries in Raised Beds

The boogie man for home-grown strawberries is poor drainage. Strawberries require excellent drainage and will not tolerate wet soil. Poor drainage leads to waterlogged soil, which can mean roots face a swift and ugly death. Growing strawberry containers or strawberry hanging baskets is one way round the problem – but there is another way. Growing strawberries in a raised bed filled with well-draining soil guarantees improved drainage. By raising the height of the soil, you increase the distance between the soil surface and the soil water table.

In addition, when growing strawberries in a raised bed garden, the height of the soil makes it easier to work the soil and take care of the plants. A gardener doesn’t have to bend all the way down to pull weeds when the soil is mounded in a raised bed. If you do a good job constructing the raised beds, you will be able to sit on a short garden stool to weed, rather than squatting down.

Best Raised Beds for Strawberries

The best raised beds for strawberries are built with wooden frames and filled with organically rich, well-draining soil with any needed amendments added. Adding organic matter improves drainage, allows air into the soil and assists the soil to retain nutrients. You can fill a raised bed using a mix of wood chips, chopped tree bark, sawdust, composted manures or plant-based composts. The mixing should be done before planting.

If constructing frames for the raised strawberry beds seems out of reach in terms of effort, it is also possible to make raised beds without frames. You can do this by building mounds of soil and organic compost material. While the soil works just as well as soil in frames, rain and wind can cause the hill of soil to deteriorate. This makes frames the best raised bed option for strawberries.

Planting Strawberries in Raised Beds

When you are growing strawberries in a raised bed garden, start as early as possible in springtime. If you can work the soil, it’s time to plant. One of the keys to growing bigger strawberries is to make sure you allow as much time as possible for the plant networks to develop and the fruits to ripen.

How deep to plant starts depends on which kind you buy. If you get bare-root plants, the hole should be sufficiently large that the roots can fit in without bending. Plant so the crown midpoint is at the level of the soil surface. Make sure the uppermost root is covered with soil so that even a hard rain will not expose it to the open air.

If you purchase container plants, they must be planted at the same depth in the raised bed soil that they were in the container medium. When the strawberry plants are inserted too deep, the tip from which the plant grows may rot. Tuck the soil around the medium of the container plant to avoid pockets of air in the soil.

In either case, water well after initial planting. Check the plant to see if the depth is still correct when the soil is settled.

Best Systems of Planting Strawberries

The two commonly used systems of planting strawberries are called the matted row system and the annual system. The former is a perennial system in which plants are allowed to send out strawberry runners and create a dense, wide row of plants. After the spring harvest period, narrow the row and allow new runners to continue the cycle. This requires year round watering, weeding and keeping out pests.

The annual system is best for warmer climates. Set plants about a foot (30cm) apart in the fall, staggering the plants in two or three rows. Take the harvest in February through May, then shovel under the entire crop and plant something else in summer.

Caring for Strawberries in Raised Beds

The maintenance raised bed strawberries require depends on the type of strawberries you select. There are three primary types of strawberries: June-bearers, everbearing, day neutral.

• June-Bearing Strawberries: With June-bearing strawberries, you get one crop annually in or near June, with a month of fruiting. Plants produce runners, traveling stems that root and create new plants. Because of this, they need more room to roam, so space them well apart. Alternatively, snip off runners as they appear.
• Everbearing Strawberries: Everbearing berries (also known as remontant or perpetual strawberries) also give a decent crop in June, but tend to produce smaller fruits in flushes from late spring to early fall.
• Day-Neutral Strawberries: Day-neutrals produce fruit throughout the season. Both everbearers and day-neutrals fruit the planting year. But when they first produce a flower stem, remove it to encourage the plants to establish a root system and grow a crown and leaves before blossoming.

You’ll need to water the new transplants frequently, twice a day initially, then tapering off to twice a week. The idea is to keep the soil moist but never wet. Every few weeks, offer small doses of a liquid fertilizer.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Tasty Berry Projects to Try

• Want to grow strawberries in a mess-free zone? Find out how to grow hydroponic strawberries for a cleaner way to cultivate juicy berry harvests.
• Would you like to grow sustainable fruiting shrubs? These native berry bushes are lovely, low maintenance and full of tasty fruit potential.

Growing hydroponic strawberries is increasing in popularity for many gardeners. It uses less space and 90 percent less water than strawberries grown in soil. Plus, soil-borne diseases are eliminated, as well as many pests. If all that wasn’t enticing enough, there are no weeds to pull!

So if you fancy growing strawberry plants in a cleaner and potentially faster way, try something new and learn this simple deep-water-culture system. Hydroponically grown strawberries are easy to grow, especially in the summer. They do, however, require detailed maintenance. Follow this guide on effective and rewarding hydroponic strawberry cultivation to enjoy some fascinating fruits of the future.

What are Hydroponic Strawberries?

Hydroponic strawberries are simply strawberry plants that have been grown in water without using soil. A porous substrate like perlite, LECA pebbles, gravel or Rockwool is often used to support the roots. For successful strawberry hydroponics, nutrients are also added to the water to sustain the plants as they grow.

You can buy container structures such as a vertical strawberry tower or a stack system. However, it is also possible to make a design yourself. Instructions are available from your local Cooperative Extension office, and online. For home gardeners, an effective indoor hydroponic gardening system in the form of a simple deep-water-culture setup involves a plastic container and lid or a five-gallon (19L) bucket with a lid.

Getting Started with Hydroponics

The key thing to consider when sourcing basic hydroponic equipment is light. You will need full sun outside or, if you are growing strawberry plants indoors, you will need lighting such as LED or fluorescent bulbs. A pH test tape or test strips can come in handy to test the water. Then check off the following items:

• Strawberry plants (seedlings or plugs)
• Plastic, food-grade container to hold water
• Lid to secure plants, like styrofoam with holes cut out for the plants
• Fertilizer for feeding your hydroponic strawberries
• Net pots: these come in a range of sizes, and have slits or holes on the sides which allow the roots to absorb the nutrients and water
• Substrate to support the roots.

Make sure everything is kept clean to prevent bacteria contamination, and clean again between crops or when reusing materials. Before using the container, wash and sanitize it thoroughly. For example, use a bleach solution such as one tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water.

Growing Strawbs with Net Pots

For your plants, you can purchase plugs or grow your own the conventional way in soil trays, but rinse off all the soil when the seedlings are ready to go into the net pot. Soak your net pot materials for 24 hours before using them, and rinse before transplanting your seedlings into the medium. Your net pots can be secured in the lid by drilling a hole large enough to hold the net pot just above the opening. You can use the lid that came with the container, or styrofoam or XPS insulation.

Air is accessible to the growing plants in the gap between the water line and the lid. To avoid a key mistake growing strawberries hydroponically, make sure the net pots are never completely submerged in the water and check the roots are only one-third to one-half submerged after they grow beyond the net pot. This enables the tops of the roots to absorb the air, and the lower parts of the roots to absorb nutrients from the water.

Perfecting the Water System

When preparing the water, check the pH. A high or low pH can affect the plants’ ability to use nutrients. The optimal pH for strawberries is between 6-7. To increase the pH, you can add baking soda to the water in small increments till the correct pH is reached. To decrease the number, add sulfuric acid, citric acid or phosphoric acid. Check the water pH before and after adding fertilizer, because it may change.

Water quality is also affected by the alkalinity of the water, which is the presence of bicarbonate. If it is high, the pH of your water system will rise. If you suspect your water has high alkalinity, check the pH value more often and adjust as needed. Using an acid-plant fertilizer will help.

To fertilize plants in water, use a commercially available fertilizer for hydroponic strawberries. The nutrients needed in a water system are vastly different from those needed when feeding strawberries in soil. Follow the instructions on the label, which will indicate how much fertilizer to use per gallon of water.

Caring for Your Strawberries

As your plants grow, the water in the container decreases and needs to be refilled. For strawberries that will grow all season, you can do a couple of complete water changes to assure plant health. Clean the container with soap and water before refilling. Be sure to add the right amount of nutrients for the amount of water you are adding. When you’ve finished, check the pH and make any necessary adjustments.

Hydroponic gardening results in faster-growing plants, so prune your plants as needed to keep them a manageable size. Use sanitized pruners and clip off old leaves, runners and excess growth. A lot of small flowers will produce a lot of small fruits so thin some strawberry flowers to increase the size of the fruits. Happy hydroponic strawberry growing!

Frequently Asked Questions

More Delectable Berry Projects to Try

• Want to boost your chances of growing a bumper crop of the juiciest strawbs? We round up five tips on how to grow bigger strawberries to help max out your harvests.
• If we have whetted your appetite for cultivating strawberries in unusual and inventive ways, read our guide on how to grow hanging strawberry plants that are both gorgeous to look at and exquisite to harvest.
• Looking for sustainable fruiting shrubs you can grow easily on your patch? These native berry bushes are lovely, low maintenance and full of tasty fruit potential.

Planting a bare-root fruit tree is a bit like laying a hopeful foundation for the seasons to come – giving roots the chance to establish and awaken. Bare-root trees, unlike potted varieties, arrive dormant with their roots exposed, ready to settle into prepared soil and grow strong. They are often more affordable and come in diverse varieties, and they are established quickly when planted correctly.

Traditionally, bare roots are planted in winter or spring, but fall planting offers unique benefits in warmer USDA hardiness zones 8 and up. As well as being able to grow some of the best fruit trees in your own backyard, the benefits of fall planting bare-root trees in fall include:

• A jump start on growth. Planting in fall essentially gives you an extra season of growth for a fruit tree, which can take a few years to reach maturity. A priority if you want to grow fast-growing fruit trees.
• Less maintenance. Spring-planted trees need a lot of care as the weather warms up, especially irrigation. In the fall, fruit trees do not need as much water.
• Get fruit sooner. Fruit trees need a certain number of chill hours to produce flowers and fruit. Planting in the fall provides one season of chill hours, so you might even get fruit in the first growing season.

If you live in zone 7 or colder, it's best to wait until late winter or spring to plant bare-root fruit trees.

The main issue with planting bare-root trees in the fall is availability. Many nurseries do not ship them in time for fall planting, but some do. Seek these out to get the advantages of putting your new fruit trees in the ground sooner.

How to Plant Bare-Root Fruit Trees

If you’re ready to plant, start by preparing the site carefully. Dig a hole big enough to accommodate the roots and amend the soil as needed. Add compost, for instance, to lighten heavy soil.

Soak the roots in a bucket of water for a couple of hours before planting. Plant the tree to a depth similar to how it was previously planted. You may be able to see this as a soil line on the trunk. If not, make the soil line just above the roots and well below the graft point.

Water the tree thoroughly once planted and use a stake to support it if necessary. Mulch new trees generously with compost to retain moisture, and consider adding a guard against winter-hungry critters.

Best Bare-Root Fruit Trees

Whether you want to grow a backyard orchard or front yard fruit trees that will boost curb appeal, here are some of the best fruit trees to consider planting as bare-roots this season.

1. Apples

Apples are the ultimate fall fruit – so what if you could get a harvest your very first year? If you plant a bare-root apple tree in the fall, you might just get fruit the following year.

There is a nearly endless amount of apple tree varieties to choose from, which can be overwhelming. Select a variety appropriate for your growing zone that is good for beginners, like ‘Enterprise’, ‘Liberty', or ‘Jonafree', all of which have good resistance to common apple tree diseases.

Apples thrive in a variety of USDA hardiness zones, with many options suited for cold climates. After planting, stake if needed and keep roots insulated with a good layer of mulch.

2. Pears

Pears are another fall favorite but are generally easier to grow than apples. This is mostly because they are less susceptible to diseases.

Some good varieties for colder climates include ‘Golden Spice’, ‘Gourmet’, and ‘Luscious’. For warmer climates, try ‘Moonglow', ‘Seckel’, or ‘Olympic', an Asian pear. Avoid ‘Bartlett’, which has low resistance to the one disease that troubles pears: fire blight.

Prune and mulch in the fall to promote strong growth through winter.

3. Peaches

Peaches are delicious stone fruits that can be planted in the fall with great success if you do it right.

One great benefit of growing peaches is that they are appropriate for a wide range of climates. There are varieties for northern climates but also those that grow well as far south as Florida. Good hardy cultivars include ‘Redhaven', ‘Sunhaven’, and ‘Garnet Beauty'.

Varieties with low chill hour requirements and appropriate for warmer areas include ‘Tropic Snow’, ‘Florida King’, and ‘Red Baron'.

Plant in well-drained soil with sun exposure, and remember to water deeply and mulch thoroughly for frost protection.

4. Apricots

Apricots, like peaches, can be planted in the fall and come in a range of cultivars. Again, choose a variety appropriate for your climate and hardiness zone.

‘Harcot’ grows well in zones 4 through 9 and has good disease resistance. Grow ‘Moonpark’ in zones 4 through 8 and for its juicy, sweet flavor. ‘Puget Gold’ is appropriate for zones 5 through 9. It has an intense flavor.

Apricots are relatively low-maintenance and benefit from early staking. Cover roots with compost or mulch to retain moisture.

5. Plums

Plums are yet another type of stone fruit you can plant as bare roots in the fall. They are among the easiest fruit trees to grow and are great for beginners.

European varieties are generally hardy and are self-fertile, so you only need one tree. Choose Japanese plum varieties for warmer climates. American-produced hybrids are very hardy. Both Japanese and hybrids require a second tree for cross-pollination.

Plant plum trees in well-drained soil, add a winter guard if needed, and mulch generously to support root growth.

6. Cherries

For a smaller fruit, consider growing a cherry tree. Sweet cherries are generally hardy in zones 5 through 7. Tart cherries are slightly hardier and grow in zones 4 through 6.

'Sunburst' is a self-fertile, delightfully sweet variety with very dark fruit. 'Sylvia' is also sweet but is compact and good for small spaces. For a tart cherry, try 'Morello'.

Protect roots from frost with mulch and ensure trees get winter chill hours for flowering.

7. Persimmon

Although less common to the American palate than other fruits, a ripe persimmon is a true delight. American persimmon trees can be grown in hardiness zones as cold as 4. Japanese persimmons are better for milder climates.

These trees benefit from early fall planting to establish in the ground.

8. Pawpaw

Even rarer in the home garden is the pawpaw. This is a North American native with a unique fruit that some say tastes like banana mango custard. Grow it in zones 5 through 8. Its native status makes pawpaw particularly easy to grow.

Add plenty of mulch to promote winter root development.

Foraging on native berry bushes while hiking is an unforgettable experience, but you can grow berries native to North America in your own backyard. North America has diverse climates, many of them home to a variety of berries. Understanding about native plants gives you the inside track on cultivating some of the most naturally prolific, healthiest and rewarding varieties for both yourself and for wildlife. Your local plant center can help you find some of these native berries to North America, but this guide covers 10 of the best to enjoy right outside your door.…

Try These 10 Tasty Native Berry Bushes

It’s vitally important to know your berries. In the wild, there are around 300 species of berries in North America. But not every berry is safe to eat. As berry foragers will tell you, only 10 percent of white and yellow berries are edible, while around 50 percent of red berries are fine, and 90 percent of blue and black berries are safe to eat.

So it makes sense to know the best native berries you can grow yourself for tasty, healthy and totally safe fruiting rewards. Native berry plants grow in a wide range of soils, but prefer well-draining, acidic sites. For anyone looking to increase their range of native shrubs, here are some favorite fruiting types to try growing yourself:

1. Blueberry

Blueberry plants are small bushes with glossy green, ovate, pointed leaves. The little bushes produce white flowers that in turn become chubby, round blue fruits. There are highbush and lowbush varieties of blueberry, each native to different parts of the country. Highbush berries are strewn across eastern North America, while lowbush varieties are more common in north-central parts of the United States and into the Pacific Northwest. Blueberries need acidic, moist soil. Try Vaccinium corymbosum or Bluecrop, a mid-season producer.

2. Elderberry

These are very elegant plants with lacy leaves and umbels of tiny flowers. Once the flowers have gone, small deeply purple berries form. These are often used in jams and even wine. Elderberry plants may form a multi-stemmed bush or single-stemmed tree up to 6 feet (1.8m) in height. Native elderberry varieties prefer consistently rich, moist soil.

3. Gooseberry

There are several types of gooseberries you can grow with Whitestem and Rocky Mountain 2 of the more common. Whitestem has almost black berries, while Rocky Mountain has red fruits. Both of these plants have spines and palmate leaves. They grow wild in mountain regions and require moist soil in spring. They are tolerant of the cold and are delightful in cool climate regions.

4. Salmonberry

If you’ve ever spotted a berry that looks like a raspberry but is not red, it might be a salmonberry. These fruits have yellowish-orange coloring. They are aggregate berries, much like raspberries or blackberries. They are late spring fruits and are found in dappled light, near water, and under trees.

5. Huckleberry

Found in the Pacific Northwest, these have a long history as an indigenous food, both fresh and dried. When ripe, these berries appear to be almost black in color. Huckleberry plants are evergreen and produce fruits in the summer. The fruit is sweet with a bit of tartness. These berry plants grow in shaded locations and prefer moist soil.

6. Juneberry

The berries on this tree-like bush (which is also known as the serviceberry) look similar to a blueberry. These plants prefer sandy soil and are most often found at the edges of deciduous forests. These fruits have cherry and almond notes. The leaves are oval and slightly serrated, and the bark is silvery.

7. Salal Berry

The evergreen leaves are glossy and pointed, with blushed stems. They grow in a wide variety of climates and are quite winter hardy. The fruit was an important food source for indigenous communities. The berries are dark blue, oval to round, and sweet. Plant the bushes in partial sun to full shade and keep the soil moist.

8. Thimbleberry

Thimbleberries are a wild bramble with slightly chalky berries. The leaves are maple-shaped and the berries are sweetly tart and bright red. Spring flowers are starry white. They prefer moist soil, but can tolerate dry sites. Plant in full sun and provide consistent moisture.

9. Honeyberry

One of the sweetest berries available, honeyberries are a species of honeysuckle. They prefer colder climates and moist soil. Small, funnel shaped, creamy white flowers become elongated purple-blue fruits. These bushes (also known as haskaps) are relatively pest free and come in numerous cultivars.

10. Oregon Grape

The fruits of Mahonia nervosa taste nothing like standard dessert grapes, although they do look similar. The leaves are serrated and have a sharp edge like holly. The berries used to be used as dye and in medicine. They are tart but, when mixed with sweeter berries, delicious. They also make excellent wine. You can grow Oregon grape bushes in both moist and dry areas, sunny or partially shaded.

As the fall fruit harvest nears its end and the leaves begin to turn and fade, fruit tree owners may think it's time to let nature take its course and prepare their trees for winter dormancy. However, this season is crucial for ensuring healthy trees and bountiful harvests in the coming year.

It may seem like a time to wind down, but fall is actually one of the most important periods when growing fruit trees. While winterizing fruit trees should form an essential part of your fall garden to-do list, common mistakes during these months can lead to serious setbacks.

We asked fruit tree expert, author, and founder of Orchard People, Susan Poizner to share her insights on the top mistakes people make when caring for fruit trees in the fall – and how to avoid them.

Whether you have a single apple tree in your backyard or a mini orchard, taking the time to understand and address these seasonal missteps can prevent common fruit tree diseases, pest infestations, and even fruit loss.

From improper fruit tree pruning to neglecting essential soil care, Susan’s tips provide a practical approach to fall tree care that will keep your fruit trees healthy, resilient, and ready to thrive when spring returns. Avoid these common fall care pitfalls and give your fruit trees the best possible chance to flourish.

1. Not Watering

In the fall, fruit tree growth slows, so many people stop watering, unaware of how important hydration is for winter fruit tree survival.

“Trees that are well-watered before winter have cells full of water, which helps insulate those cells and reduces the risk of freezing," explains Susan. “Dehydrated cells are more vulnerable to frost, and when they freeze, they can burst, causing irreversible damage to the trunk and branches."

Continue watering fruit trees until a few weeks before the ground freezes, but stop before freezing temperatures to avoid ice forming around the roots. Consider buying a tree watering system from Amazon for ease.

2. Leaving Roots Unprotected

“Mulching trees is essential for protecting delicate roots from freezing and dying during the winter, and two inches of wood chips or arborist mulch is ideal,” says Susan.

“Lay the mulch in a donut shape a few inches away from the trunk to prevent rot and expand the mulch circle to the edge of the canopy if possible because that is where the essential ‘feeder roots’ are located.”

When mulching trees in the fall, avoid using compost, as it can break down too quickly and stimulate growth when the tree should be going dormant.

“Also, be cautious with thick layers of straw, which can attract rodents that may nest in it and damage your tree by chewing on the bark,” adds Susan.

This organic dye-free wood mulch from Amazon is a great option.

3. Pruning in the Fall

Although it may be tempting to prune fruit trees in the fall, Susan believes this is the worst time to do it. “Pruning in the fall is a bad idea because your tree is getting ready for dormancy, so the wounds won’t heal properly,” she explains. Plus, autumn pruning can trigger tender new growth that’s easily damaged by cold winter weather.

"Spring and summer are much better options. Early spring pruning promotes strong growth in young trees, while early to mid-summer pruning when the tree is focused on fruit development rather than growing new shoots, helps keep trees smaller.

“Skipping fall pruning helps avoid frost damage and reduces the risk of pests and diseases."

Consider these Fiskars pruning shears for your early spring pruning.

4. Applying Commercial Fertilizers

Susan believes that fertilizing fruit trees with strong commercial products can cause long-term damage and that gardeners should take a natural approach instead.

“Commercial fertilizers bypass the natural soil organisms that break down organic matter and feed your trees,” she says. “Using these fertilizers can cause these beneficial microbes to die off, leaving your trees dependent on artificial nutrients. It’s expensive, disrupts the soil balance, and isn’t sustainable.

“Everyone’s soil is different. If you grab a commercial fertilizer like a 10-10-10 mix, it might not be what your soil needs. Adding unnecessary nutrients can actually harm your soil and seriously damage your fruit trees. That’s why I suggest avoiding commercial fertilizers unless a soil test shows a specific nutrient deficiency. In that case, choose the right fertilizer to address just that deficiency.”

Amazon offers several types of soil test kits.

Instead of using commercial products to fertilize fruit trees, try boosting nutrients with a simple annual feeding in early spring with a layer of compost or well-rotted manure. Even better, learn how to compost at home.

“Spread it about two inches thick around the roots of your fruit tree, but keep it away from the trunk to prevent rot,” says Susan. “You can also mulch in the fall, but only after the tree has gone dormant.”

5. Not Collecting Fallen Leaves or Fruit

Leaving fall leaves on the ground has become a popular low-maintenance solution in recent years, with the idea that they will decompose and serve as a natural mulch and fertilizer. However, Susan believes gardeners should think twice when it comes to their fruit trees.

“Fallen leaves can be a good source of nutrients – but only if they’re healthy. If they are diseased or infested with pests, you’re basically giving those pests and disease spores a cosy place to overwinter. In the spring, these pathogens and pests will multiply and return with a vengeance,” she explains. “Many fruit tree diseases overwinter and spread. Learning to recognize these signs allows you to nip them in the bud.

“If you’re not great at spotting and identifying disease symptoms, it’s better to play it safe and pick up any organic matter around your fruit trees.”

Common diseases to look out for include apple scab, rust on apples and pears, fire blight on apples, and black knot on cherries and plums.

Another issue is leaving fallen fruit on the ground. “Fallen fruit attracts pests like wasps and rodents, so cleaning up helps keep these unwanted visitors away,” explains Susan.

6. Leaving the Trunk Exposed

To overwinter fruit trees, Susan believes it’s important to protect their trunks from winter sun damage and from pests.

“Winter sun can damage fruit tree trunks by causing them to expand during the day and contract at night, leading to cracks that allow pests and diseases to enter,” she explains. “You can protect your tree by preparing in advance. One option is to paint the trunk with a 50/50 mix of white latex paint and water which will reflect the sunshine. Alternatively, you can use white spiral tree guards available online, or you can wrap the trunk in kitchen foil for the winter.

“These methods reflect the sun and protect the bark. Remember to remove the plastic guards or foil in early spring, or you might find insects breeding underneath.”

The next time you’re about to toss the pit or seeds from your favorite fruit, think twice. Why not plant it to grow a new fruit tree? Growing fruit trees from seed requires time and patience, but the reward is well worth it.

Many of the fruits you buy from the grocery store or farmer’s market can be propagated from their seeds or pits. However, it’s important to understand that they generally don’t grow true. For example, if you plant a Honeycrisp apple seed, you will get an apple tree, but not a Honeycrisp apple.

Most fruit trees are cross-pollinated and produce seeds with a mix of genetics from two trees. Professional growers propagate fruit trees by grafting to rootstock, which will produce the desired variety. Planting by seed won’t give you the same type, but it can still produce a tasty fruit. This is how we get new varieties. It can be fun to try and see what you get.

How to Grow Fruit Trees from Seed or Pit

Planting fruit tree seeds or pits isn’t drastically different from starting any plant from seed, but it can require a few additional steps, depending on the fruit.

If you’re planting a fruit that is cold hardy, like an apple or peach, it needs to be cold stratified. They only germinate after a period of cold temperatures. Plant them in the ground in the fall or keep them in the refrigerator over winter and plant them in spring.

For tropical fruits that are not cold hardy, plant the seeds any time of year. If you live in a colder climate, grow these types of fruit trees in containers. You can move them outside in summer and bring them back indoors for the colder months.

Pits from stone fruits will germinate more readily if you crack the hard outer coating. Just take care not to damage the embryo inside. A light cracking is sufficient.

Smaller seeds benefit from soaking in water for 24 to 48 hours before planting. If planting seeds and pits directly outdoors, use wire mesh over the top and pushed into the ground to prevent squirrels and other animals from digging them up.

1. Apples

There are so many different types of apples available at stores and farmers' markets. By growing your own tree from seed, you might just discover a new type with desirable characteristics. Regardless of how the fruit turns out, you’ll have a new tree.

Plant apple seeds outside in the fall to stratify over winter or keep them in a bag with moist paper towel in the refrigerator and plant in spring. They need at least 80 days in the refrigerator. Use several seeds to ensure you get at least one that germinates and sprouts.

You can comfortably grow apple trees in USDA zones 3-8 but you will need to be patient, as they can take five to ten years to bear fruit.

2. Citrus

Harvesting citrus fruit seeds, such as lemons, oranges, and grapefruits, and growing them into trees is surprisingly easy. In USDA zones 8-11, citrus trees can be grown outside, while in cooler zones, they will need to overwinter indoors.

As warm weather plants, you don’t need to cold stratify citrus seeds. Just make sure they’re clean and dry before planting.

Plant in a container using several seeds at once and thinning out seedlings as necessary. Keep the medium moist, using a plastic bag over the container if needed to increase moisture. Position it in a warm, sunny spot as the seeds sprout and grow.

It could take up to ten years to get fruit from your new citrus tree.

3. Peaches and Plums

Peaches and plums are two stone fruits you can grow from their pits, although, as with other fruits, will not grow true. Both types of trees can be successfully grown in USDA Zones 4 to 9.

Start by cleaning the pits. Get as much of the fruit pulp off as possible. Use several pits, as they may not all germinate. Use a nutcracker to gently and lightly crack the pits.

Cold stratify your pits in the refrigerator with moist paper towels or plant outside in the fall. Plums need 60 to 90 cold days, while peaches need 98 to 105 days. If stratifying indoors, keep the paper towel moist throughout winter and plant the sprouted pits outside in spring. Protect seedlings from critters using mesh.

Expect your peach or plum tree to take three to six years to produce fruit.

4. Avocado

Planting an avocado pit is a fun activity, but takes a little extra care compared to other fruits. They can be grown outdoors in USDA zones 8-11. In cooler zones, they can be grown indoors as an attractive leafy houseplant, but are unlikely to fruit.

Start with a clean, dry pit. Use your fingernail or the edge of a spoon to peel off the brown skin, which can get moldy. Stick a few toothpicks into the pit. Rest these on the top of a glass of water so that the bottom half of the pit is submerged.

Keep the pit in a warm spot with indirect light and refresh the water whenever levels drop significantly. It can take a few months – as long as eight months – but eventually, you’ll see a root emerge. You can then plant the pit in soil in a container.

Look for sprouts in a month or two and fruit after seven to ten years.

5. Pears

Growing pears from seed is not difficult, and the trees thrive in USDA zones 4-8. Like apples, pears need cold stratification for at least 80 days.

Plant outdoors in the fall or keep the seeds in a moist bag in the refrigerator. Soak seeds overnight before planting in a container or in the ground to help trigger germination.

You can grow seeds from any variety of pear, including Asian pears. It takes three to ten years to get fruit from a seed-planted pear tree.

6. Guava

This tasty tropical fruit can easily be grown from seed and enjoyed outdoors in USDA zones 9-11, or as a container plant in colder zones.

To grow guava from seeds, remove and clean the seeds and soak them for 24 hours before planting in the ground or in containers. They do not need cold stratification.

Ensure your sprouted seeds have plenty of full sunlight and stay warm. They grow best in rich, moist soil. With good care and patience, you should see fruits on the tree in about eight years.