What tree should I buy?

So, you are thinking about growing a tree, but what kind of tree should you grow?

The first thing is to think about what kind of food you LOVE to eat that grows on trees, fruit, nuts, etc. Then consider the area in which you live, cold north, desert, middle of the country or hot balmy south. Each area will support certain kinds of trees and will refuse to support other kinds.

Here in the North the best fruit trees to grow are apple or pear trees, and the best nuts are hazelnuts or walnuts. We are in hardiness zone 4 or 5 in the area where I live and we are on the edge of growing temperatures for lots of fruit and nut trees.

One way to know what will grow on your property, is to look around and see what is growing in your area and what they are selling at the local farmers markets. Look at the neighbors and in neighboring towns that have similar weather patterns to your area.

Here they are able to grow much less hardy trees near the water or just 10 to 15 miles farther south than our home, so you really need to pay attention to your zone and temperatures. You can find a hardiness zone map of your area by doing a google search.

If you look at my previous post you will learn how to dig a proper hole and plant your tree.

When you shop for trees, the bigger the better. You can find tiny little seedlings that are sold bare root, but they take much longer to fruit than a bag and burlap or potted fruit tree from a reputable nursery. The tag should tell you if it is hardy for your zone and give you some planting tips for the tree.

Most trees prefer full sun and do best if there is some wind protection (more about windbreaks later). They also do better on a slope if possible but slopes are not required. A slope will drain frosty air away from your tree in spring to help to keep the blossoms from frosting.

Most of the garden books will tell you to prune your tree, honestly most trees really don't require pruning unless there is damage to the branches, but some trees do produce better on new wood. You can look up on google the care of the type of tree you plant in the future, but right now, just put it in the hole, water it, mulch it and cut off any broken branches.

Soon you will want to give it some companions, so I'll put a post on later about guilds..these are companion plants for your tree.