All fruits need moisture-retentive but well-drained soil. Soggy sites spell doom for these species. Adequate water is also critical, especially when the fruit is developing and expanding. If you live in a drought-prone area, consider irrigating your fruit trees for the best yield. Drip tubes, which deliver water directly to the soil around the trees, are best. Avoid sprinklers that spray water on the leaves and contribute to disease.

Professional fruit growers also consider air movement when they plan their orchard placement and layout. Air affects fruit and nut plants in several ways:

• Wind: Too much wind can keep pollinating insects, such as bees, from flying and pollinating the flowers at critical times. It also knocks fruit off the tree and can damage the branches. Plant a windbreak, if necessary, or put the trees where a building shields them.
• Frost pockets: Cold air flows downhill and collects at the bottom of a slope. Trees that bloom in early spring are especially vulnerable to cold temperatures at that time, and the flowers may be severely damaged if planted where cold air collects. Plant fruit trees and shrubs on the slope instead of near the bottom, but avoid the windy top of a slope.
• Circulation: Constantly but lightly moving air helps prevent disease organisms from getting a foothold on your trees. Many fungus diseases that infect leaves need water and moisture to spread and grow, so keeping the leaves dry is important.

If you buy your plants locally, they’ll usually be already growing in a container. If you order them from a mail-order nursery, however, they’ll arrive in a dormant or nongrowing state and bareroot, without any soil around their roots. Be sure to plant bareroot trees and shrubs right away.

After planting, establish a wide ring of organic mulch around your trees to conserve soil moisture, prevent grass and weeds from competing with the tree roots, and reduce insect pests. See Chapter 3 of this book for the lowdown on mulch.

Because producing heavy crops of fruit stresses trees and shrubs, fruit-bearing species need additional nutrients. The texture of your soil, its current nutrient levels, plant age and type, climate, and amount of fruit your tree bears all have an effect on the amount of additional nutrients you need to add to the soil. Soil tests and leaf analyses are the most accurate methods used to determine which nutrients your trees need. Consult your local extension office for information on taking leaf samples and where to send them.