Professional help with fruit tree care?
April 9, 2008 2:48 PM Subscribe
Who do I turn to for help with my fruit trees? Should I go talk to someone at a garden center or do I need some kind of tree expert? Any recommendations for garden centers knowledgeable about fruit trees in the Los Angeles area?
I live in Los Angeles, CA and I am lucky enough to have several mature fruit trees in the yard. However, I don't really know enough about looking after fruit trees to do a good job of caring for them. The trees I have are: avocado, orange, lemon, apple, fig, olive, nectarine and apricot. Its a real mixture of circumstances, the apple tree is a really bizarre shape from previous owners weird staking habits, and I don't know what to do about that if anything, the avocado is gigantic and presumably very old but barely makes fruit, whereas the nectarine tree is doing just fine and overwhelms me with peachy deliciousness each year. I have come to understand that the olive and avocado trees are probably not fruiting because they get too much water from the lawn sprinkler system that is installed. The avocado tree leaves are turning yellow, and I think I need to fertilise it in some fashion to increase nitrogen.
I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at figuring out how to best take care of all these trees in order to keep them all happy (and get me yummy fruit), how to rearrange the sprinklers, when and how to trim, which trees to fertilize, with what, and how often. Is there a garden center near me with people knowledgeable about fruit trees, where I could go for advice and fertilizer? Is there some kind of fruit tree expert I should hire to come and look at my garden and advise me? A landscape gardener or an arborist? I know arborists are VERY expensive and I don't know that I can afford one... I don't really know where to start, and while I would love to spend time reading up and doing some serious gardening, I work full-time and have a baby, so my free time to go out and start doing stuff is limited. If I can get a plan of what work to do then I can probably manage all the fertilizing myself and have a gardening service re-do the sprinklers.
I live in Los Angeles, CA and I am lucky enough to have several mature fruit trees in the yard. However, I don't really know enough about looking after fruit trees to do a good job of caring for them. The trees I have are: avocado, orange, lemon, apple, fig, olive, nectarine and apricot. Its a real mixture of circumstances, the apple tree is a really bizarre shape from previous owners weird staking habits, and I don't know what to do about that if anything, the avocado is gigantic and presumably very old but barely makes fruit, whereas the nectarine tree is doing just fine and overwhelms me with peachy deliciousness each year. I have come to understand that the olive and avocado trees are probably not fruiting because they get too much water from the lawn sprinkler system that is installed. The avocado tree leaves are turning yellow, and I think I need to fertilise it in some fashion to increase nitrogen.
I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at figuring out how to best take care of all these trees in order to keep them all happy (and get me yummy fruit), how to rearrange the sprinklers, when and how to trim, which trees to fertilize, with what, and how often. Is there a garden center near me with people knowledgeable about fruit trees, where I could go for advice and fertilizer? Is there some kind of fruit tree expert I should hire to come and look at my garden and advise me? A landscape gardener or an arborist? I know arborists are VERY expensive and I don't know that I can afford one... I don't really know where to start, and while I would love to spend time reading up and doing some serious gardening, I work full-time and have a baby, so my free time to go out and start doing stuff is limited. If I can get a plan of what work to do then I can probably manage all the fertilizing myself and have a gardening service re-do the sprinklers.
Best answer: You might try contacting whatever universities are nearby. Maybe there are some people in horticulture/botany extension who can help you out. I don't really know how that works though....
If you're just looking for advice...this forum might be some help. Try posting some specific questions there, maybe take a couple pics.
posted by pilibeen at 3:18 PM on April 9, 2008
If you're just looking for advice...this forum might be some help. Try posting some specific questions there, maybe take a couple pics.
posted by pilibeen at 3:18 PM on April 9, 2008
Best answer: I think what you need is known as an orchardist. My wife and I recently inherited an orchard and were in a similar situation, and an orchardist came out and spent an afternoon teaching and helping to prune. He wasn't very expensive (around $150 for the afternoon I think), and worth every penny. We're in B.C., though, so I can't help you find anyone specific. Do any of your neighbors have an orchard? You might ask them for recommendations; that's how we found our orchardist.
posted by Emanuel at 3:20 PM on April 9, 2008
posted by Emanuel at 3:20 PM on April 9, 2008
My husband and I are researching this at the moment as well. We have an unhappy looking apricot in our back yard that we don't want to lose. We checked out from the library some books on pruning. One was called, I believe, the pruner's bible. It was great! There was another as well. So, get to your local library.
We are also planning to just go to the nearest nursery (we're in Oregon) and ask who they recommend. So, I'd say open up that phonebook and head out to a nursery.
posted by amanda at 5:41 PM on April 9, 2008
We are also planning to just go to the nearest nursery (we're in Oregon) and ask who they recommend. So, I'd say open up that phonebook and head out to a nursery.
posted by amanda at 5:41 PM on April 9, 2008
Best answer: What Enroute said, only with, like, you know, helpful links.
LA County Extension.
Call them. They have all the resources you need, for free.
posted by Floydd at 6:13 PM on April 9, 2008
LA County Extension.
Call them. They have all the resources you need, for free.
posted by Floydd at 6:13 PM on April 9, 2008
Sunset Western Garden Book.
Don't discount this answer. I just finished this last night and the entire last part is how to care for your fruiting trees, from pruning to feeding to watering, laid out in bullets, and very understandable.
Unless you're really very strapped for time outsourcing this problem for a (high) fee isn't necessary.
posted by birdie birdington at 6:44 PM on April 9, 2008
Don't discount this answer. I just finished this last night and the entire last part is how to care for your fruiting trees, from pruning to feeding to watering, laid out in bullets, and very understandable.
Unless you're really very strapped for time outsourcing this problem for a (high) fee isn't necessary.
posted by birdie birdington at 6:44 PM on April 9, 2008
Thirding the Sunset Western Garden Book. It's my mom's bible, and she lives in LA too. My grandma also recommended to her that she seek out a Master Gardener in her area. I guess it's kind of a volunteer position through various clubs and universities? I don't really understand how it works (my mom never found one, but I don't know how hard she actually tried). However, if you inquire at a local nursery they can probably point you in the most fruitful direction in your particular hood.
posted by crinklebat at 6:53 PM on April 9, 2008
posted by crinklebat at 6:53 PM on April 9, 2008
Response by poster: I must be missing something with the sunset western garden book. I have a copy, and it is so short on details I find it quite unhelpful. I checked it again last night, and for example the section on avocado tells me they like full sun, frequent but light watering, which USDA zone they grow in, and then lists the variants (of course I don't know which variant I have since it rarely fruits). That's it. The reference section at the back gives general descriptions of things like pruning and fertilizing, but doesn't help me figure out which fertilizer I need to use. I guess I will check out gardenweb next. Thanks all!
posted by Joh at 11:21 AM on April 10, 2008
posted by Joh at 11:21 AM on April 10, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 3:11 PM on April 9, 2008