Article contributed by Eddie Ayers, Fannin County Extension Coordinator, 205 Church Street, Suite 1, Blue Ridge.Now is the time of year we all dream about. We envision the fruit blossoms of spring and can picture fresh fruit during the summer. Proper preplanning in developing a fruit planting plan is critical for success. It goes a long way towards avoiding many common problems. If you follow these suggestions, you can have a great crop year after year.

Fruit plants are perennial – they have a life cycle that repeats year after year. This is in contrast to an annual plant which completes its entire life cycle in one year and then dies. A perennial fruit plant requires long-term preplanning. These include decisions about the site, soil nutrient and pH levels. Making these decisions can only be effective if made before planting.

Consider proper site selection carefully. Your plants need sunlight, and plenty of it, for good plant growth. Pick a site that is in the sun more than half or all of the day. Early morning sun is particularly important because dew dries quickly from the trees. A site with good air drainage minimizes spring frost damage. A southwest facing slope higher than surrounding areas is best. Fruit will grow on a wide range of soil types, but they prefer a sandy loam to sandy clay loam which is well-drained but not prone to drought. Poor soil drainage results in root death and eventual tree decline.

Most fruit plants grow best when soil pH is near 6.5. An exception is blueberry, which prefers a soil pH between 4.5 and 5.2. Soil testing can be done through any UGA Extension office for $9 a bag. Come by the Gilmer County office for a soil sample bag or bring your sample to the office in a pint zip lock storage bag. About 2 cups is needed for a good sample, but I recommend you call or come by the office first to understand what’s involved in this testing procedure.

Proper cultivar selection is a key for success. Cultivars should, in general, be adapted to the southeast and more specifically to the zone in Georgia. Rainfall and humidity are often determining factors on cultivar adaptability, particularly for disease. So when you look at cultivar adaptability in fruit sales catalogs, check about cultivars adapted to your area.

Rootstock selection is an important decision with tree fruit. With few exceptions, a fruit tree consists of two cultivar parts: the scion cultivar (the top part of the tree that produces the desired fruit) is grafted onto the rootstock cultivars (the underground portion of the tree). Various rootstocks offer benefits such as plant size control, disease resistance, soil adaptability and cold hardiness. Once site and cultivar have been selected and healthy trees purchased, it’s time to prepare the site and plant the trees. Before planting, prepare the soil thoroughly by plowing or spading. For adjusting the soil pH, incorporate lime before you prepare the soil. When added to the surface and not plowed in, lime takes years to move down into the soil.

Phosphorous is similar to lime. It moves down through the soil slowly so it should be incorporated before planting along with lime, based on soil test recommendations.

Set plants so that upper roots or the top of the root ball are the same depth they were growing in the nursery. The uppermost roots should be no more than 2 inches below the soil line. After planting, don’t leave a depression around the plant because this will allow water to stand. Most fruit plants require a tremendous amount of timely care for success. However, with proper variety selection, a good growing site, correct site preparation and planting, you can produce and enjoy a wide selection of fresh fruit during the summer and early fall.

For more information, contact me at the Gilmer UGA Extension office 706 635-4426.