Growing fruit trees in desert climates present many different challenges. Not only is it scorching hot in the summer, it can also dip below freezing in the winter. The lack of humidity and virtually no rainfall throughout the year, also compounds things. With all that being said, our desert climate offers an abundance of sunshine and warmth which many plants need. I will be giving you some of the basics that I have discovered for growing fruit trees in hot climates.
Chill Hours
When shopping for your fruit tree you want to look at the label to determine the estimated chill hours. Some fruit tree varieties require a certain amount of hours below 45 degrees during dormancy in order to produce fruit the following season. In the desert or hot climates that stay fairly warm throughout the year, the lower the chill hours the better. You can check various weather sites to find the estimated annual chill hours in your area.
Rootstock
The label may also indicate the type of rootstock that your tree is grafted too. Some rootstocks are dwarfing, which means they will keep the tree from growing too large. These are nice for urban gardens with limited space or container growing. Some rootstocks may be better suited for your climate, like better drought tolerance or performs better in clay soils.
Planting
Digging the proper hole gets your fruit tree off to the right start. It is important to dig a hole that is 2-3 times the width of the root ball. The root flare of the tree (where the roots start coming off the trunk) should be slightly above the grade of the soil and exposed for oxygen. I use a pix axe to loosen up the walls of the hole to help with drainage and not creating a clay pot for water to sit.
Soil
Since we get very little rain in the desert our soil tends to compact and contain virtually no organic material. Although some people differ in opinions, I tend to amend my soil at planting to help the roots get established. Mixing in some compost and soil that drains (cactus mix) with the native soil can help begin to create more organic material and soil life into the soil.
Watering
Watering is more of an art form then a science. Some types of fruit trees are more drought tolerant, then others, so will require less frequent watering. It helps to know the water needs of the various fruit trees that you are trying to grow. I tend to adjust watering based on the weather. It is important to get in the habit of checking the soil with your finger. If the top of the soil is dry then water.
Feeding
With all the energy that it takes to produce delicious fruit, it is necessary to consistently feed your trees. This can be done in different ways depending on if you want to feed organically or not or maybe a combination. I prefer to go mostly organic, but will use some synthetic fertilizers. You can use things like manure, compost, granular feed, and liquid fertilizer. Some things you look for in feeding your fruit trees are the main nutrients of N-P-K and then elements of micro nutrients like zinc, magnesium, iron, etc.
(N) Nitrogen promotes vegetative growth
(P) Phosphorous promotes strong root development
(K) Potassium promotes overall plant health and improves fruit quality
Pruning
Some fruit trees require annual pruning to maximize fruit productions. Some fruit trees produce fruit on last year’s growth, while others produce on new growth. Pruning can also help to keep your fruit trees at a manageable size.
Please comment below on anything you enjoyed from this post or your experiences with gardening.