Amount of rainfal

Soil pH

Salt and other contaminants

activities near by

Drainage

Access to irrigation

The site where you plant your tree is very important to success. The first three topics below are

Site

Sunlight: best if receives 8 hours or more of direct sunlight during growing season. 6 hours or less, the tree will grow, but the tree will not fruit reliably

Soil: loose (not compacted, no hardpan) for at least 18" (45 cm). Most fruit tree roots are in the top 6 to 12 inches (15 - 30 cm) 

Well Drained: water level in the soil should 

Evaluate your site

Hours of direct sunlight each day during primary part of the growing season: from before bloom till autumn.

Hard soils must be loosened 

Soil water - Water table must stay below 18" (45 cm) 

Flooding - the area must not be prone to flooding or standing water

Irrigation is required

For fruiting

fruit trees require 8 or more hours of direct sunlight distributed throughout the tree. Less sunlight causes a reduction in flower bud initiation flower bud development, weaker blossoms, poor set and poor quality fruit.

Sourcing new trees

The heavy shade on this side and full sun on the other side will lead to this side being weaker. This tree is planted east-west so there will be very little direct sun on this side. If they were planted north-south there would be morning sun on one side and afternoon on the other side would have been better. The solution to this problem is improved management of the cordons so direct light from one side will reach all leaves of the tree.

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This Candelabra is in its second year of training and the cordons are just in development. All leaves receive full direct sunlight. The verticals of the trellis are 12" (30cm) apart so each cordon should be no wider than 8" (20cm) and developing spurs should be spaced so direct sunlight will always fall on all leaves of the tree.

Planting site requirements

• Climatic zone - summer and winter temperatures. erratic temperatures in winter and summer

• Cold air drainage

• Sunlight on the tree enough and too much

• Soil - drainage, water table and flooding

• irrigation availability

Fruiting requirements

• sunlight in the tree

• Frost

• Length of growing season

There must be enough hours of direct sunlight during the growing season. There is not enough sunlight, select a site that does have enough.

Note that sunlight must be direct on the tree, preferably on all leaves of the tree.

Sunlight on the tree vs sunlight in the tree: