Size matters

Not all fruit trees grow to the same mature size. Thanks to the art and science of grafting we now have relative control over how large a fruit tree will grow. The nursery germinates the trees. Once they have reached a predetermined size, usually after one year, they cut the trunk of the baby tree from its roots and carefully graft it onto a predictable root stock.

The characteristics of the root stock ultimately dictate how large the tree can grow. While the top of the tree dictates what kind of fruit it produces. When you read the entries for each fruit tree you will see terms such as: Dwarf, Semi-Dwarf and Standard

A fruit tree grafted onto a dwarf root stock will generally grow 8 to 10 feet high and depending on the type of fruit and how it is pruned it will branch out slightly wider than it is tall. The disadvantage of a dwarf tree is that it will produce a smaller yield. Generally one mature tree will provide enough fruit for 1 to 2 people in a single season. Also a dwarf tree will require additional staking and ties to help hold it in place until it reaches full maturity. This is a preventative measure against the high winds of summer storms that might topple the tree’s small and shallow root ball. This small shallow root ball could be seen as an advantage if during your soil explorations you discovered a layer of clay hiding deep beneath a layer of sand.

The biggest advantages of a dwarf tree are that it will become mature and produce fruit earlier in its life than a larger tree. It also is much easier for the average person to pick. Since they are small they also cast less of a shadow and thus you can plant more total trees in an area without fear of them competing for sunlight.

One of the things I love about growing dwarf trees is that they are perfect for landscaping. I currently have a contemplation area growing out past the garden that is bordered by dwarf apple trees and Japanese plums.

Semi-dwarf is the next step up in size. Generally a semi-dwarf tree grows 12 to 15 feet high and depending on how it is pruned and trained it can get as much as 18 to 20 feet wide. Fruit trees that are trained to a central leader like apples might only be as wide as they are tall. However trees that are trained to an open center, like plums and sweet cherries might even exceed 20 feet wide.

The disadvantage of semi-dwarf trees is that they often require a ladder or a pole picker to harvest all of the fruit. When they are at full maturity they can also be a hassle when they need routine pruning. While these things do double the amount of work that goes into the tree, they often triple the production of dwarf trees of the same type.

Standard trees are the iconic looming beasts from pictures of old time orchards. The type of fruit tree will determine the trees mature size. A standard size peach tree may only be a little larger than its semi-dwarf counterpart. A cherry tree may sprawl twice as wide while barely gaining anything more in height. While at the same time a standard size apple tree will loom large over the landscape casting shadows on many other trees in the area.

If you have enough space in your orchard it is an easy jump of logic to think that the advantage of a standard sized tree is the massive amount of fruit it is capable of producing. However this is a case of its biggest strength is also its biggest weakness! While it is true that a standard size tree is capable of producing a superior volume of fruit compared to similar trees grafted onto dwarf root stocks, it is also much more labor to tend that fruit.

Fruit trees draw a host of pests and can develop problems through the course of a season. Many of these can be handled using simple applications of insecticidal soaps and organic powders. In most of these cases the entire tree needs to be treated. If you simply apply an insecticidal soap to the fruit on lower branches, the pests will simply migrate to the upper branches, thus leaving the tree infested.

Also a standard size fruit tree takes much longer to come to maturity.  Once it does come to maturity it tends to have smaller than average fruit for much longer. Now if you are growing fruit on a homestead that is sure to be handed down for generations, this might not be that big of a deal to you. If however you are hoping for a large yield of fist sized apples, you might have to bite your lip for the better part of a decade.

In my humble opinion, unless you know the type of fruit tree will stay a manageable size, I would leave a standard size fruit tree for commercial growers and stick to a mixture of dwarf and semi-dwarf trees.