Growing Fruit Trees

Fruits bring year-round interest to your garden as well as a sense of achievement gained by growing and harvesting your own fruit. Marin’s favorable Mediterranean climate allows growing so many possibilities for enjoying the pleasure of eating fruit grown in your own backyard.

Anne-Marie Walker, a UC Marin Master Gardener, recommends growing diverse, climate-appropriate fruits in Marin backyards, including apples, pomegranates, figs, quince, serviceberries and native grapes.

At this workshop, she will explore with you site considerations, selecting fruit trees, preparation and planting, growing/pruning, maintenance, irrigation, pollination, fertilizing, propagation, pests/diseases, harvesting and storage.

Anne-Marie writes, "Part of the reason I enjoy growing backyard fruit is the novelty aspect. I like tasting a variety not always found in markets. For example, markets abound with ‘Black Mission’ and ‘Brown Turkey’ figs. But where in the market can you find a ‘Genoa’ fig or a ‘Violette de Bordeaux’ fig? Figs ripen only on the tree. Specimens of backyard fruit will abound in nurseries soon. Consider the pleasures of growing fruit in your backyard and delight in the bounty as you harvest ripe fruits."