Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
For all following years use the same rules by aiming for a
well-balanced upright tree without excessive shading.
Stone Fruits
Stone fruits include cherries, apricots, peaches, plums, and
nectarines. Because most stone fruits are native to warm
climates and are thus susceptible to problems from winter
injury or frost killing the flowers in the spring, it is important
to carefully select varieties suitable for your area by
consulting with a knowledgeable seller with a good
reputation. No matter what cultivar is selected, it should be
planted in an area protected from wind and with good
sunshine and drainage. It is best to select a one-year-old tree
five or six feet tall with good root growth.
Like apples and pears, stone fruits can be grafted onto
dwarfing rootstocks. Unfortunately, none of the dwarf
varieties grow well north of Pennsylvania.
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The good news
is that a number of hardy stone fruit varieties native to North
America are available. The bush cherry (Prunus besseyi),
American wild plum (Prunus americana), and American
beach plum (Prunus maritima) can be grown throughout the
continental United States, and Indian blood peach (Prunus
persica) can be grown south of Massachusetts. All of these
are available in seed form from Bountiful Gardens
(
www.bountifulgardens.org
) and are also available from a
number of nurseries.
