The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California

15 Basic Ways To Landscape Your Homepage

After the second year a regular fertilizing schedule should be followed. Work about five ounces of sulphate of ammonia, nitrate of soda, or a pint of complete food into the soil. Spread the food out in a circle about two feet from the trunk. Repeat this application annually.

Prune fruit trees late in winter or early spring. Dwarf trees, however, should have new growth pinched back to within seven or eight leaves in mid summer. All trees should be pruned to develop a solid framework of well spaced branches. Keep centers open to admit light and air, which at the same time will permit easier pest control.

Apples and pears should be pruned only to cut our crowded shoots and excessive pruning should be avoided. Peaches and apricots, on the other hand, need considerable pruning to force production of new strong growth each year.

With peaches and apricots remove all weak blanches and twigs and cut back to one third or one half of the previous year's growth which is more than a foot in length.

Cherries need little pruning other than shaping and establishing a strong framework. Tops should be kept from becoming dense masses of wood.

All fruit trees require some kind of spraying program to control diseases and pests. However, controls vary with locality, the particular pests to be considered and the fruit being grown. Local agricultural experts, fungicide or insecticide manufacturers, and your local nurseryman can provide the best recommendations for any particular need.

Some varieties of fruit trees, especially peaches, plums, cherries, apricots and apples require cross-pollination unless planted with another similar variety. Artificial pollination can be accomplished by tieing blossoms from a known pollinator near the blossoms on a tree to be pollinated. Fasten a small glass jar of fresh water to the tree to hold and keep the pollinator blossoms fresh.

Artificial pollination should be attempted only when your tree is ready to receive pol len, which is the exact time that it is coming into bloom.