The Home Orchard Handbook: A Complete Guide to Growing Your Own Fruit Trees Anywhere

525 Pages·2011·36.75 MB·English

by  Cem Akin

THE
HOME ORCHARD
HANDBOOK
A Complete Guide to Growing
Your Own Fruit Trees Anywhere
Cem Akin • Leah Rottke
Cem
For those who sail the seas of life riding the winds of compassion for all
living beings; in particular, Ömer and Meral Akin: parents, teachers,
friends.
Leah
For my students; let your care of plants and trees be your privilege, and
your joy.
The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation
This handbook was made possible through the collective experience of
our award-winning nonprofit charity: The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation
(FTPF). With a strong belief that planting fruit trees is the most
comprehensive strategy to creating healthy environments, FTPF
programs alleviate world hunger, combat global warming, strengthen
communities, and improve the surrounding air, soil, and water. Our
orchards are strategically donated where the harvest best serves the
public for generations, at places such as schools, low-income
neighborhoods, city parks, community gardens, Native American
reservations, international hunger relief sites, and animal sanctuaries.
FTPF collaborates with diverse communities and households across the
globe, from the United States to Brazil to India to Kenya. Our programs
mobilize local environmental efforts and inspire activists of all ages to
get involved by putting trees in the ground. In our hunger relief
programs, families are gifted with saplings and trained on how to care for
the trees over time, providing a harvest year after year, rather than a food
handout that can be depleted in a short time.
This book draws on FTPF’s experience in the field, working under a
wide range of conditions, to provide detailed instructions on how to
create your own home orchard.
A portion of the proceeds from this handbook go to the Fruit Tree
Planting Foundation in support of its groundbreaking mission to benefit
the environment, human health, and animal welfare—all at once by
planting fruit trees for communities across the world. To learn more
about this important work, please visit www.ftpf.org.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1: Fruit Tree 101
Ancient Orchard Poetry
Environmental Benefits
Well-being
Two Tigers, One Rat, and a Fig
CHAPTER 2: Site Selection
Room Enough for Fruit Trees
Sunlight
Air Circulation
Soil
Know Your Substrate!
Soil Drainage
Water
Managing Microclimates
Planting Solutions for Small or Urban Spaces
Raised Beds
Container-grown Trees
CHAPTER 3: Plant Selection
Fruit Tree Basics: Roots and Shoots
Rootstocks
Fruitwood
Days to Harvest
Graft Unions
Pollination
Fruit Tree Intelligence
Chill Hours and Climate
Selecting Fruit Trees
Get Exotic!
Tree Size
Tree Transport
A Family Affair!
Storage
CHAPTER 4: Planting
Timing the Planting
Spotting the Layout
Tools
Site Preparation
Planting a Containerized Tree
Planting a Bareroot Tree
Checking Depth and Orientation
Backfill
Berms
Mulch
Staking
Planting Procedure Checklist
CHAPTER 5: Irrigation and Fertilization
Irrigation
Water Needs
Flood Irrigation
Sprinkler Irrigation
Micro-irrigation
Watering Schedule Guidelines
Watering Schedule Comparisons
Rainwater Harvesting
Fertilization
Macronutrients, Secondary Nutrients, and pH
Building Healthy Soil
What Is Compost Tea?
Organic Options for Citrus Trees
CHAPTER 6: Pruning and Weeding
Basics
Tools
Root Pruning
Cuts
Forms
Thinning
Mature Tree Rejuvenation
Topping
Rules of Thumb
When to Prune
Weeding
Weeds Wanted!
Companion Planting and Permaculture
CHAPTER 7: Prevention, Troubleshooting, and Controls
Right Tree, Right Place
Orchard Cleanup
Insects, Mites, and Nematodes
Diseases
Environmental Disorders
Animal Exclusion
CHAPTER 8: Enjoying the Harvest
Dehydrate Your Orchard
Preserving Your Harvest Through Canning
Jamming with Chef Tal Ronnen
Assorted Fruits: Seasonal Fruit in Papillote by Chef Tal
Apples and Cashews: Celery Root Soup with Granny Smith Apples by
Chef Tal
Avocados and Lemons: Summer Chopped Salad by Chef Tal
Grapefruits: Shiso Bites by Chef Tal
Apples and Dates: Raspberry Applesauce by Diana Stobo
Apples: Caramel Apple Tart by Diana Stobo
Apricots and Cherries: Cherry Apricot Crisp by Diana Stobo
Peaches: Summer Peach Cobbler by Diana Stobo
Tangerines: Creamy Tangerine-tini by Diana Stobo
CHAPTER 9: Beyond the Home Orchard
Community Orchard Committee
Outreach
Event Day
Community Orchard Planting Checklist
Community Orchards Speak Volumes!
Contact FTPF
Glossary
Recommended Reading
Index
Image Credits
Acknowledgments
About the Authors