If you’re planning a fruit garden, one of the most important concepts to understand is plant hardiness zones. These zones, developed by the United States Department of Agriculture, divide the country into regions based on average annual minimum Winter temperatures. In simple terms, they help gardeners determine which plants are most likely to survive—and thrive—in…  READ MORE 

Fresh fruit picked straight from the tree feels a little like summer magic. There’s just something about reaching up, twisting a perfectly ripe peach off the branch, and biting into that warm, juicy sweetness while the sun beats down around you. It tastes better somehow when it comes from your own backyard. For a long…  READ MORE 

Fruit trees are the high-school overachiever of the garden. They’re the “4.0 GPA, flawless skin, all AP classes, volunteers at a nursing home” type. Flowering fruit trees are the darling of any garden because they do so much! They produce delicious fruit to be snacked on, baked, frozen, or canned. They also provide shade for…  READ MORE 

One of the things I love most about gardening is that just about anyone can grow something, no matter how much space they have. A few pots on a sunny windowsill or a collection of containers on a balcony can be every bit as rewarding as a raised bed in the backyard. If you've been…  READ MORE 

I love berries. They're fantastic snacks on their own. Many of them are great in a pie for dessert or with some yogurt and granola for breakfast. You can add them to drinks (strawberry lemonade, anyone?), and they bring a touch of sweetness to savory recipes. But with so many to choose from, which are…  READ MORE 

Whether you plant in spring or fall, both seasons offer excellent opportunities to start a backyard orchard. If you've been following my gardening adventures for a while, you may remember that when we bought our house, the property was filled with beautiful flower gardens. They were thoughtfully designed and obviously cherished by the previous owners.…  READ MORE 

We know basil and tomatoes taste great together, and they grow well together in the garden. We know corn, beans, and squash are great garden companions. But vegetables and herbs aren't the only ones that make good companions in the garden. Fruit trees enjoy good neighbors, too. And if…  READ MORE 

Before I get into all the reasons grafted fruit trees are a good option for your garden, I'd like to talk about comic books. In the late 1970s, DC Comics introduced a high school student, Ronnie Raymond, and a decorated physicist, Dr. Martin Stein. During a nuclear accident, the two became fused, creating the powerful…  READ MORE 

Growing your own fruit is one of the most rewarding experiences in gardening. Whether you’re tending a backyard orchard, a row of berry bushes, or a few containers on a patio, fruit plants offer beauty, seasonal rhythm, and delicious harvests. While each type of fruit has its own preferences, most share a core set of…  READ MORE 

As much as I love vegetable gardening, there’s something truly magical about having a few fruit trees in your yard. A fresh apple or peach or cherry straight from the tree is simply unbeatable. Like all plants, though, fruit trees need certain nutrients to thrive, and over time, they can deplete the soil of these…  READ MORE 

When P.T. Barnum said there's a sucker born every minute, I don't think he was referring to fruit tree suckers. But darned if it doesn't seem that way sometimes. Between those and water sprouts, there are days when I feel like I'm dealing with them every minute. Okay, that might be an exaggeration. Still, fruit…  READ MORE 

So you want to start growing your own fruit trees. You have picked out one or two you want to try, but you still have some questions. Do you have the time for watering fruit trees? How fast will your fruits grow? And will you finally get to taste a freshly-plucked apple / pear /…  READ MORE 

Unleashing the magic of fruit tree cloning—a time-honored horticulture practice In the realm of cloning, many of us might conjure images of Dolly the sheep or science fiction scenarios like the TV series "Battlestar Gallactica." However, cloning doesn't necessarily mean a journey into the realms of biotech complexity or sci-fi thrillers. In the field of…  READ MORE 

1. Springtime is the best time Though cloning fruit trees is possible year-round, you’ll find better success if you stick with the spring season. New growth on fruit trees will have softwood which tends to work best when cloning fruit trees. Look for vibrant green branches and new leaves. While you can attempt to…  READ MORE 

I’ve always loved the idea of stepping into my backyard and picking a crisp apple or a handful of cherries straight from the tree. In my imagination, it’s a whole scene: golden sunlight filtering through the branches, birds chirping happily in the background, maybe a gentle breeze carrying the scent of summer. The fruit is…  READ MORE 

If you have a fruit tree or two in your garden, chances are you've experienced something called premature fruit drop. Depending on what you're growing, you may notice it once—or even several times—throughout the growing season. It can be a little alarming. One day your tree is covered in tiny developing fruit, and the next,…  READ MORE 

There are few things more satisfying than harvesting a basket of fresh produce from your own garden—or bringing home a colorful haul from the farmers’ market. Crisp apples, juicy peaches, plump strawberries, leafy greens, and vine-ripened tomatoes all deserve a place on your table. But before you take that first bite, there's one important question:…  READ MORE 

In the days before I knew the best way to freeze fruit and berries, I put around five pounds of fresh blueberries in my freezer. We had gone blueberry picking, and they were so perfectly plump and ripe that in seemingly no time, there were more blueberries than I knew what to do with. Look,…  READ MORE 

If you're just learning how to make preserves, you're in for an exciting journey. There's not much better than knowing all your freshly-picked fruits and berries won't go to waste because you can't eat them quickly enough.  For the record, though, it's not just fruits that you can preserve and give as gifts or store…  READ MORE 

There are many reasons to consider growing fruit trees indoors. For me, it all boils down to control. With container fruit trees, like container vegetable gardens, you have total control over watering, pruning, sunlight and location, can make all the difference in a fruit tree's yield. While it’s certainly possible to grow a fruit tree…  READ MORE 

When we were buying our first house, we shopped a lot. Our realtor must have been exhausted by us. On one occasion, we saw a home that opened up to a lower level that had a fully grown lemon tree right in the middle of it, growing from a large pot. I'd never seen anything…  READ MORE 

Compact fruit trees deliver full-size harvests without taking over the yard. Powered by genetics and dwarfing rootstocks, these trees bear fruit early and stay easy to prune, stake and pick. Put the science to work and match the right tree to the right spot for fast, reliable…  READ MORE 

While we usually think of berries as something that belongs out in the garden, you can grow several varieties indoors with the right grow lights. And really, what’s not to love about berries?  I’m a big fan of homemade strawberry jam spread over a warm piece of toast in the morning. Fresh blueberries are hard…  READ MORE 

Your indoor citrus trees have a thing or two to say about the state of your relationship. Please don’t take it personally—they appreciate the water, the sunlight, and your generally good intentions. But unless a few things change soon, this arrangement may not be built to last. I'll admit, putting this resource together for you…  READ MORE