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Natural Awakenings Lehigh Valley

THE BACKYARD ORCHARDIST’S WISH LIST

Feb 28, 2022 10:25PM ● By Bear Creek Organics

When we hear the word “orchard” we think of tree farms, commercial enterprises with hundreds of mono-crop trees arranged together to facilitate the spraying and harvesting of bushels of fruit for sale. When Bear Creek Organics uses the word “Orchard,” we’re thinking of the homeowner or homesteader with fruit and nut trees chosen with the ecology of a small holding or back yard in mind. Most of the fruit is grown for personal use. In a particularly good year a bumper crop may produce extra fruit to share with friends or sell in a makeshift stand at the end of the driveway. But most of us will eat our harvest fresh or preserve it for the rest of the year. That’s the dream!

 Making that dream of a productive backyard orchard a reality takes some planning and starts with a WISH LIST. What are you hoping for in your backyard orchard?  Very few of us want a mono-crop orchard. We want a variety of fruit trees, apples, pears, cherries, peaches, plums, nectarines, or apricots. Or how about the native Pawpaw. Then we have to ask ourselves, “Will all these different fruits grow in the micro-climate of my backyard?” Some will and some won’t… you have to look for a variety of apple or cherry or pear that will do well in your regional growing zone and also within your specific property context.

 You may wonder, how will you fit all these trees into your backyard?  Choosing the right sized tree, from standard to dwarf varieties is essential.

 Perhaps you want to stagger your harvest so that you are not inundated with all your fruit at the same time. Here again, knowing the growing habits of different varieties of fruits can help you anticipate and prepare for harvest times from mid summer to late fall.

Bear Creek Organics has many varieties from which to choose and the knowledge to help you plan the backyard orchard that works for you.

 Do you already have an old fruit tree or two in your yard?  Have you been tending to it every year or has it been neglected? Richard Mitchell from Bear Creek Organics can help you care for your old tree. Pruning a fruit tree in the late winter or early spring can revive a weak producing tree so that it can channel its energy more effectively for a more abundant harvest. Maybe your old tree needs a companion tree to facilitate pollination. Or some pollinator attractors planted nearby to lure in the bees and butterflies. Echinacea, monarda, mountain mint, or Joe Pye weed draw bees and butterflies galore and are useful plants in their own right.

 Now we are starting to talk about a Food Forest…but that’s a topic for another day.  In the meantime, how is your orchard wish list coming along?  If you are ready to start or expand your organic ecological fruit and nut orchard it’s time to contact Bear Creek Organics, we are excited to work with you to turn your dreams into reality.


visit https://bearcreekorganics.com/ for more inforamtion.