Starting a Fruit Orchard on Your Farm
Growing fruit trees or nut trees on your farm is a great way to be more self-sufficient and a great way to add items to your CSA. Adding an orchard to your farm can be rewarding and profitable but there are some things to consider before you go out and buy trees.
This guide will help you navigate the process of starting an orchard on your farm: from choosing good varieties of trees to planting them in the right spot, caring for them as they grow, and marketing considerations.
Orchard Basics and Planning
Before you go out and source trees and plant them, it's time to research, plan, and organize. This is the time to design a plan to put your dream into action. It's important to understand how the financial aspect of this venture, as well as the logistical side, will impact your farm.
Some just a few questions you might want to ask are:
What type of trees will you buy?
What capital will you need?
What irrigation setup do you need?
How will you keep track of planting dates, fertilizing, harvest dates, etc.?
How will I get customers and market the fruit I'm growing?
How long will this take to make a profit?
All of this can be answered in your marketing plan. It can also be tracked and kept up to date by using planning tools.
Here are a few ways to do this planning.
Pen and Paper:
The OG of farm planning. Grab a notebook or just a pen and paper to draw, measure, and plan out the space.
Spreadsheet:
Also a popular method of farm management tool. A spreadsheet can help you with the calculations, spacing, and tracking.
Farm Management Software or App
You can also utilize farm management software like Farmbrite, which can help you from the planning stage, to implementation, to years down the road when you get your first harvest and then when it might be time to fertilize and manage the orchard.
Really, though use what works for you and your budget. Using any of these planning resources is an important step so that you understand how this orchard is impacting your business - for good or bad.
Choose a Good Location For Your Fruit Trees
Now that you have a plan, you'll want to find the Goldilocks spot to make sure you plant in a spot where your trees can live for a very long time, where they don't get too much water or too much shade, and where the soil and PH are right for growing them.
Preparing the soil usually involves adding organic matter like compost or manure so it will be healthy enough to support plant life. You might also want to consider getting some advice from experts at your local cooperative extension service if you're not sure how best to proceed with this step; they are often able to help farmers learn about new techniques for preparing their land for planting purposes.
Also, will you grow anything else along with the trees? This is the time to ask yourself; will you just grow trees in your orchard, or will you also offer berries, flowers, or other perennials? Berries often grow very well next to trees, but make sure you have a plan for harvesting both trees and berry bushes easily.
Sunlight:
Choose a location for your fruit orchard in an area that gets plenty of sunlight. Fruit trees need at least six hours of direct sunlight each day, so you don't want to plant them too close to buildings or other trees that might block out some of that valuable light.
Soil:
The soil always matters. You will want to find a place where the soil is a stable, sandy loam that is granular and porous, enabling good water and air movement. You'll want the soil pH around 6.0 to 7.5. A slightly acidic PH is optimal for fruit trees to absorb nutrients.
It can't be understated that the soil you plant your trees in will be beneficial or make them suffer. Healthy soil is built on a community of plants and organisms that live in it to make an ecosystem. Each organizism plays a part in supporting the others to thrive. This healthy ecosystem consists of four major components: minerals, organic matter, air, and water.
Organic matter plays the leading role here as it impacts soil texture, structure, water movement, and nutrient availability, and provides nutritional support for the organisms that make up the living part of the soil food web, the basis of healthy soil.
Water:
Make sure the land you choose isn't too wet or swampy. If there's too much moisture in the soil around your fruit trees, they are more likely to struggle with diseases and pests. You'll want your trees to be far enough apart that they can grow properly and avoid disease and overcrowding. They also need room for the root systems to spread out and not compete with each other for nutrients in the soil.
Spacing:
You will also want to make sure that your tree spacing makes room for each tree to grow and that machinery can pass by for mowing, harvesting, or other movement around the farm.
Choose Fruit Trees Suitable To Your Climate and Zone
The type of tree you plant is also important. Make sure that the fruit trees you source are healthy and grown in a way that does not bring disease to your orchard.
Choose varieties that grow well and thrive in your zone. You might opt for a disease-resistant variety or if you have less space, pick a dwarf variety.
You can find out what kinds of crops grow best where you live by looking at resources like this USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. It shows which varieties of fruit trees do best in your specific geographic area.
Choose varieties that will do well in your soil type
You should also choose fruit tree varieties that will do well in your soil type, as well as the environment in which they're going to be grown.
For example, if you have sandy or rocky soil and live in a dry climate like California or Arizona, then you'll want to avoid planting trees that need lots of water like peaches and apples. Instead, try growing plums or pears which are less thirsty. Likewise, if you live in an area where there is plenty of rain throughout most of the year, then choose fruit trees that thrive on moisture such as cherries or mulberries instead of citrus fruits like oranges (which require very little water).
Another important factor when choosing which fruits to grow is whether or not pests are common in your area — this includes insects such as aphids or birds like crows who might eat all of your crops before they can fully ripen! There are many pesticides available, as well as natural methods of pest and wildlife prevention, that can help you to keep your crop safe from insects and animals.
Get Advice From Experts
If you're new to orchard management, it can be helpful to consult with experts. A nursery that specializes in fruit trees will have the knowledge and equipment necessary for planting and caring for them. They'll also be able to recommend specific varieties that work well in your climate and soil conditions.
If you aren't able to find a local expert who can help guide you through the process, look online for advice from other farmers who have established orchards on their farms. You may also want to talk with friends who have experience growing fruit trees; they may be able to give some valuable tips on how they've been successful at growing their own orchards.
Plant your trees!
Finally! Once you've chosen the type of fruit tree that best fits your farm, found the perfect spot, prepared the soil, and have a plan for care and marketing their fruit to your customers, it's time to plant them.
Planting trees is a long-term investment — you won't see any fruit for several years. Be sure to keep an eye on them as they grow and make sure they're getting enough water and fertilizer. You also want to prune them regularly so they stay healthy and productive throughout their life span.
Orchard Management
Fruit trees also require regular watering, pruning, and fertilizing throughout their lifespans so they don't die prematurely. Make sure that you are taking care of your investment as it grows.
Plan to Use Sustainable Orchard Management:
Protect your tree investment at the same time, saving you money by finding ways to grow them well with sustainable methods. One way of doing this is to use different types of farming practices to use minimal inputs for your trees.
Although these perennial trees are still prone to disease and damage from pests, they are generally stronger and require a bit less care than annual crops. However, the trade-off is that you’ll need to care for them all year round, as they don’t die off at the end of the season like annuals do.
While You Wait for Your Orchard to Grow, Make the Best of It
It takes trees many years to get to the size where they will produce the quantity of fruit needed to see on a large scale. That doesn't mean that you can't sell some of the first fruit that comes from your trees. Find creative ways to market this to your customers. Make things with the fruit like; applesauce, wreaths, pies, donuts, and if you have enough, cider.
There are many ways to use the windfalls and small amounts of fruit as supplement feed for your animals, sell at your local farmers market, or of course personal use.
Final Thoughts on Starting an Orchard
Starting an orchard on your farm can be fun and exciting, but it's important to plan carefully so that you don't run into any problems. Be prepared for the long haul. An orchard takes years to grow, so don't rush into planting trees without thinking through all the details first.
Don't plant too many trees. It's best if you only plant one type of fruit tree at a time so that you can focus all your energy on caring for one kind of crop instead of having multiple types competing for water and nutrients in their infancy stages. As discussed, choose varieties that are suited for your climate and environment — for example, if winters are cold where you live then choose apple trees whose fruit ripens later than other varieties (like Golden Delicious).
For more tips on orchard and crop management, check out our other articles. And, if you’re looking for a simple way to manage your orchard from your phone, laptop, or tablet, Farmbrite’s farm management software is a great option for orchard growers.