Nothing beats the taste of fresh fruit plucked right off the tree. Many Atlanta gardeners have started planting fruit trees for shade and pleasure. Fruit trees are ideal for Atlanta because of the limited growth habit and their appreciation of our climate. Here are a few facts that might come in handy when planting fruit trees in your yard:

SITE SELECTION
Sun: Fruit trees need at least 8 hours of sunlight.
Air Movement: Good air circulation helps to prevent fungus and insect problems.
Drainage: While young fruit trees need an ample supply of water, they can not tolerate soggy soil.

PLANTING
Soil Amendment: Mix equal parts of Pike's Planting Soil and Peat Moss with the clay from the hole.
Depth: Follow the directions from the Planting Trees and Shrubs information sheet.

MAINTENANCE
Water: Standard size fruit trees need a lot of water. If rains are not sufficient, deep watering is needed. Dwarf trees may not need as much water but they should never be allowed to dry out.
Pruning: Prune apples, pears, grapes, blueberries, and figs during the winter months and preferably ahead of budding in the spring. Peaches and plums should not be pruned from October through January. Prune these during February and March; preferably ahead of budding. Watersprouts and suckers can be removed during the spring and summer.
Fertilizing: Use a premium slow-release fertilizer according to the label directions. Feed equal amounts of fertilizers four times at six week intervals between early spring and mid July unless otherwise recommended by the specific fertilizer brand.
Spraying: Spray with an approved fungicide every 14 days or as needed between blooming and harvest. (Apples and Pears need to be treated for Fire Blight while in full bloom using agricultural streptomyicin).

DORMANT CARE
Spraying: Spray dormant oil and/or lime sulfur during late winter to kill any over-wintering insects and fungi. Dormant care will help to reduce the amount of spraying needed during the growing season.

FRUIT VARIETIES FOR ATLANTA

APPLES
Note: All apples need cross pollination.
Red Delicious: Good for eating, ripens September thru October
Golden Delicious: Good for eating and pie making, good pollinator, ripens in late October
Yellow Horse: Old-time favorite, good for both cooking or eating, ripens in early Fall
Granny Smith: Green apple, good for cooking
Winesap: Good for eating or cooking, late fall ripening

FIGS
Brown Turkey: Medium to large fruit, excellent eating, self-fertile
Celestial: Sweet tasting, self-fertile GRAPES
Concord: Blue fruit, very hardy
Niagara: White fruit, sweet tasting, ripens late September
Eredonia: Large blue fruit, good eating, ripens in midseason

MUSCADINES
Carlos: Mid-sized, light bronze, ripens early, self-fertile
Dearing: Bronze, ripens mid-season, self-fertile
Dixie: Bronze, ripens mid-season, self-fertile

PEACHES
Belle of Georgia: Freestone, ripens mid-season, good eating
Elberta: Freestone, ripens mid-season to late-season, good for eating and canning
June Gold: Ripens early, good for eating and canning

PEARS
Note: All pears need a cross-pollinator
Bartlett: Good for eating or canning, ripens in late summer
Keiffer: Good for cooking, ripens mid-fall, Fire Blight resistant
Moonglo: Good for eating or canning, ripens in late summer, Fire Blight resistant, crosses with Orient
Orient: Good for canning, ripens in late summer, crosses with Moonglo

PLUMS
Note: All plums need a cross-pollinator
Methley: Ripens early July
Bruce: Ripens early July

BLUEBERRIES
Note: All blueberries need a cross-pollinator You need to plant 2 different varieties
Climax: Ripens early, strongest pollinator
Tiftblue: Ripens late
Premier: Ripens early
Bluebell: Ripens mid-season
Centurion: Ripens late
Beckyblue: Ripens early
(Suggested purchase: 2 Tiftblue, 2 Bluebell, 1 Climax)