In-season, a mature orchard is a thing of magic and beauty. You can have trees that explode with colorful flowers in the spring and provide succulent fruit with nectar-like juice that dribbles off your chin and runs down your arm through the summer and fall. Once your orchard is established, it will produce fruit for years to come with minimal maintenance. In fact, if you are an experienced gardener who is considering starting an orchard you will be happy to learn that an orchard is much easier to maintain than the average garden. If you plan your new orchard properly using the information in this book your trees will provide you with an abundance of fruit while making your property look beautiful. This book includes everything you need to know to start your own orchard from scratch. It will take you step by step through the process from site selection to harvest. Whether you want two trees or twenty, you'll be surprised how easy it is to start your own orchard once you have the right knowledge. Here is what you will learn:

• How to choose fast growing trees and small trees that are easier to manage, such as dwarf fruit trees
• Planting and pruning apple trees, cherry trees, pawpaw trees, peaches and nectarines, pears and plums
• How to grow strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, grapes and more
• Site selection; including water, soil, fertilizer and sunlight needs for each type of tree
• Plant selection; including specific requirements for each type of fruit such as potential growing zone, length of time to maturity, pollination needs, pruning and thinning and harvesting and long term storage options for each one
• Dealing with diseases and common pests
• Personal recommendations for which types of trees to choose and what sizes are right for your space
• Specific examples of what to do and what not to do when starting your own orchard from the voice of experience When you look out on your own private orchard, whether you have two trees or twenty, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start sooner.