Crops to Grow
Preparing Your Site and Planting
Yearly Care
More Information
Blackberries
Blueberries
Currants, Gooseberries, & Jostaberries
Grapes
Raspberries
Strawberries
Vegetable Gardening in Idaho
Planning Your Garden
Short Season Vegetable Gardening
Harvesting and Storing Your Vegetables
Pest, Disease, & Management
Crops to Grow
More Information
Herbs for
Idaho Gardens
Annual Herbs
Perennial Herbs
Herbs for Cooking
and Tea
Edible Flowers
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Growing Tree Fruits in Idaho
Tree fruits can be very productive and learning to successfully grow fruit
may be rewarding to gardeners. In part, success comes from
understanding the specifics of your climate and conditions and in selecting
the right species and varieties to grow. Some tree fruits, such as
apples, pie cherries, and plums, can be grown anywhere in Idaho.
Others, like peaches and sweet cherries may not survive or produce in the
colder climates and high elevation areas in the state. After planting
the best trees, there is still much to learn about caring for fruit trees to
enhance production and fruit quality. Discussions on tree care for the
predominant fruit crops grown in Idaho are detailed below.
 Apples
Apricots
Cherries
Peaches and Nectarines
Pears
Plums and prunes
Crops to Grow
Apples
Apples are among the most cold hardy tree fruits and are well adapted to many Idaho locations. Thousands of cultivars (cultivated varieties) are available and a wide selection of rootstocks makes it possible to grow the trees large or small on many different soils. In fact, perhaps your biggest challenge will be choosing which variety to grow among the more than 13,000 that have been named.
Apples grow and produce best on deep, well drained soils that are neutral to slightly acidic. Production on alkaline soils (pH above 7.0) can be difficult due to a plant disorder called iron chlorosis. Many of the soils in southeastern and southwestern Idaho are alkaline. Simple laboratory tests can help you determine whether your soil is acidic or alkaline and guide you in adjusting the pH with lime or sulfur. Apples bloom early in the spring and are sensitive to frost damage. You will find it best not to plant in a frost pocket or shady location.
When growing on their own roots, apple trees often reach 25 to 30 feet tall. Very tall trees make pest management and fruit harvesting difficult and do not fit into small yards. By grafting or budding a desirable apple variety onto different rootstocks, you can keep mature trees six feet tall or less and even grown them in large pots. In general practice, however, trees in the 10 to 12 foot tall range work best for most gardeners. Malling 9, Malling 26, and Mark are among the most popular dwarfing rootstocks. Malling 27 produces a very small tree that nearly always requires trellising or staking. Other rootstocks, such as Malling 106 and Malling 111 are available for problem soils, but do not reduce tree size much. When these rootstocks are used, growers typically insert an interstem of Malling 9 or Malling 26 to reduce tree size. Many other rootstocks are available, each with particular advantages and disadvantages. Your nursery or garden center should be able to advise you on what root stocks are available.
All apple cultivars require cross pollination to set good crops. Crab apples make good pollinators, as does Golden Delicious. For a list of recommended apples, click here.
www.ag.uidaho.edu/sandpoint/treefruits.htm#Apples
The University of Idaho has an excellent guide on growing apples in cold climates. To download a free copy, click here.
http://info.ag.uidaho.edu/Resources/PDFs/BUL0820.pdf
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Apricots
Please note: Apricots are quarantined by the Idaho Department of Agriculture to prevent the introduction of diseases. Except for the fruit, no plant parts can be imported into Idaho from certain parts of the United States unless they have been grown in a disease-free area and are accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate. Home gardeners should generally purchase their apricot trees from nurseries in Idaho.
The hardiest apricot varieties available in the United States are, reportedly, cold hardy to between -20 and -30°F and are often recommended for
USDA Zones 5-8. www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/hzm-nw1.html Varieties developed from Siberian or Mongolian parents are sometimes rated to zones 3 or 4. The trees bloom very early in the spring, making them susceptible to frost injury. Gardeners usually find it difficult to grow apricots in most parts of northern, central, and southeastern Idaho because of frequent frost injury to blossoms and occasional winter kill. Apricots have been grown commercially with limited success around Malad in southeastern Idaho and the crop does well in most parts of southwestern Idaho and around Lewiston.
Apricots are generally self-fruitful, but most experts recommend planting two varieties close together to ensure good fruit set. Varieties are commonly grafted onto apricot or 'Lovell' peach seedling rootstocks. The trees grow to about 20 feet tall and should bear their first crop in three to four years. Plant on well drained, light to medium-textured soil that is neutral to slightly acidic. Place the trees on slopes away from frost pockets. For apricot varieties recommended for Idaho growers, click here. www.ag.uidaho.edu/sandpoint/treefruits.htm#Apricots
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Cherries
Sweet Cherries are only marginally cold hardy and the buds can be injured at temperatures near -20°F. Production over the long term is challenging in northern Idaho and questionable, at best, in central and southeastern Idaho. Sweet cherries are grown commercially in the warmer parts of southwestern Idaho. The trees grow to about 25 feet tall and bear fruit about five years after planting. Most varieties require cross pollination, and you must be careful to select varieties that are cross compatible. For a list of sweet cherry varieties recommended for Idaho gardeners, click here. http://www.ag.uidaho.edu/sandpoint/treefruits.htm#Cherries
Tart or pie cherries are more cold hardy than sweet cultivars, and make excellent pastries. The trees grow to about 15 feet tall and bear about three years after planting. Most tart cherries are self-fruitful, so you only need one tree or cultivar. Montmorancy does crop best when planted with another cultivar. For a list of varieties recommended for Idaho gardeners, click here. www.ag.uidaho.edu/sandpoint/treefruits.htm#Cherries
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Peaches and Nectarines
Please note: peaches and nectarines are quarantined by the Idaho Department of Agriculture to prevent the introduction of diseases. Except for the fruit, no plant parts can be imported into Idaho from certain places in the united States unless they have been grown in a disease-free area and are accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate. Homeowners should purchase their peach and nectarine trees at nurseries in Idaho.
Nectarines are simply fuzzless peach varieties. Mature trees grow to about 20 feet tall, but can be kept smaller with pruning and training. The trees bear fruit three to four years after planting. Peaches and nectarines are generally poorly adapted to northern, central, and eastern Idaho growing conditions. The trees are sensitive to freezing injury and can be injured or killed at temperatures around -10 to -15°F. Peaches and nectarines also bloom very early in the spring and the flowers are easily damaged by frost.
Varieties of both crops are usually grafted onto seeding rootstocks. Special rootstocks are available, but seldom necessary in Idaho. The trees are naturally small and you can control the size by careful pruning.
Peaches and nectarines require well drained, light-textured soil that is neutral to slightly acid. Neither crop tolerates poorly-drained soils well and iron chlorosis develops quickly on soils with pH above 7.0.
Peaches are self-fruitful, as are most nectarines, so you only need to plant one tree or cultivar. For a list of recommended peach and nectarine varieties, click here. /www.ag.uidaho.edu/sandpoint/treefruits.htm#PeachesandNectarines
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Pears
Two distinct types of pears varieties are available: standard and Asian. Asian pears are rounder and crisper than standard pears, and are sometimes likened to apples. Pears are less hardy than apples and can suffer freezing injury in some parts of Idaho. The buds and wood of standard pears are typically hardy to about -25°F. Standard pears are widely grown throughout Idaho, although they can be more difficult to grow in central Idaho and the colder parts of southeastern Idaho. Asian pears are less hardy than standard pears and are best suited to the warmer parts of southwestern Idaho.
Pear trees grow to about 18 feet tall, but can be kept nearly any size by training and pruning. For artistic gardeners, pears can easily be trained into espaliers or other exotic shapes and can be trained to grow in a narrow wall along trellises or fences, or flat against walls. You can expect your first crop three to five years after planting. Seedling or Old Home rootstocks are commonly used.
Plant on deep, well drained soil and away from frost pockets. While pears tolerate somewhat heavier soils than most other tree fruits, poor drainage can stunt growth, reduce survival, and reduce fruit crops. Neutral to moderately acidic soils are suitable for pears.
Pears require cross pollination, so plant two cultivars close together. Seckel and Bartlett are not cross fertile and will not serve as cross pollinators for each other. Nearly all pear cultivars are susceptible to fire blight disease, particularly in humid climates. Fire blight can be a problem in Idaho, so try to select varieties resistant to the disease. Pear scab is also a problem disease in Idaho. For a list of pear varieties recommended for Idaho, click here.www.ag.uidaho.edu/sandpoint/treefruits.htm#Pears
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Plums and Prunes
Please note: Plums and prunes are quarantined by the Idaho Department of Agriculture to prevent the introduction of diseases. Except for the fruit, no plant parts can be imported into Idaho unless they have been grown in a disease-free area and are accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate. Homeowners should purchase their peach and plum stocks at nurseries in Idaho.
Prunes are simply plums that develop high enough sugar concentrations in the fruit to allow the fruit to be dried without spoiling. The trees grow 10 to 20 feet tall and bear fruit three to five years after planting. Cultivars are budded onto rootstocks.
Both European and Japanese cultivars are available. Nearly all Japanese cultivars require cross pollination, as do many European cultivars. As a general rule, plant two or more cultivars close together. Plums are less hardy than apples. Japanese plums are injured at temperatures between -10 and -15 F. European plums are injured at temperatures between -15 and -20 F. Although adaptable to a wide range of soil conditions, the trees perform best on deep, well drained soil. For a list of recommended varieties, click here. www.ag.uidaho.edu/sandpoint/treefruits.htm#PlumsandPrunes
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