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Grow a Little Fruit Tree: Simple Pruning Techniques for Small-Space, Easy-Harvest Fruit Trees
Grow your own apples, plums, cherries, and peaches in even the smallest backyard! Expert pruner Ann Ralph reveals a simple yet revolutionary secret that keeps an ordinary fruit tree much smaller than normal. These great little trees take up less space, require less care, offer easy harvest, and make a fruitful addition to any home landscape.
168 pages, Paperback
First published December 30, 2014
256 people are currently reading
624 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
December 21, 2014
Awesome book for the space challenged farmer. I live in the city my lot is small but I love growing fruit and vegetables. I found so many ideas for trimming, pruning, and making these beautiful trees work for my space ! I have started a peach tree, orange, lemon, and tangerine all in small sizes. I loved this book it answered all my questions and gave me choices to work with to fit into my growing space.. I am going to buy a few copies to give to friends. Great book, buy one !
December 18, 2014
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
Grow a little Fruit Tree is a very comprehensive and beautifully presented guide to pruning techniques for keeping trees under 6' tall. This makes for better fruit that is easier to pick and adds fullness to a garden space. The core of the techniques is to trim the main branch to encourage lateral growing but there is quite a bit of other information presented as well including historical and personal perspectives. But this is a book for those starting gardens and not applicable/usable for older growth trees (though there is good information about aesthetic trimming, etc. for more mature vegetation).The book breaks down as follows: Introduction, Small is beautiful, The short fruit tree method, The conversation begins: the hardest pruning cut you'll ever have to make, the conversation continues, How much water does a fruit tree need?, The elementary principles of pruning, Choosing varieties, The fruit tree comes home, Working with mother nature, Ripe fruit, Entering the zone of equilibrium, Appendix.
The book is very well thought out with many images and graphical elements. One might assume they were there to take up space but there is a LOT of information about fruit trees in this book. I was surprised and then daunted by how much there is to read on the subject. But it wasn't a dreary read either; the author is friendly and informative and clearly very much loves what she does.
The chronology of the book is as follows: encouraging you to understand the benefits of smaller trees, getting over the fear of pruning, selecting, transporting, replanting, rearing your trees, and then specifics such as the various fruit tree types and how to care for them.
Because of the beautiful layout and breadth of subject matter, this is an easy recommendation for any gardener, regardless of location. I rate 4 out of 5 stars due to some lingering questions (any way to prevent root suckers?) and because the techniques really are only for newly planted fruit trees (there's not much that can be done with older trees so this isn't a book intended for mature gardens).
Reviewed from an ecopy provided by the publisher.
January 16, 2015
This book should be required reading for any backyard gardener with an interest in fruit trees. Wow - so much helpful info! Everything you think you know about planting, pruning, and growing fruit trees is wrong...read this book and find out why. It will completely change your gardening game plan.
March 16, 2018
Very good information on growing compact fruit trees. There are many reasons to train the trees to grow small and the author explains why. I only wish there was zonal information and help to know which trees are good for the hardiness zones.
January 3, 2023
Second read of this excellent how-to guide. If you want backyard fruit trees this is the way.
Read
June 23, 2020This one was the most helpful! (Might need to buy it for future reference?)
Read
April 3, 2025I got some fruit tree saplings this week! Put three peach into the ground today, one more cherry for tomorrow. Probably will get more Used the pruning methods recommended here, very interested to see how they turn out. I got a bunch of gardening books from the library and I think I started with the least technical. Love that this book was written by a major Berkeley type, probably my mom's chiropractor's friend from their lesbian chorus or something.
July 5, 2021
What a quick read! And honestly, one of the most enjoyable gardening books I’ve read. Ralph writes effortlessly and the reader can tell she really loves trees. After reading this, I’m ready to get planting (and pruning my existing trees)!
December 30, 2019
I need to get a copy of this for myself and I also need some fruit trees!
June 16, 2024
A quick and easy-to-follow introduction to growing fruit trees at a manageable scale for a backyard. Ann Ralph’s writing is approachable, mildly funny, and very clear. The book gets a little repetitive but would probably be less so to someone who didn’t read the whole book in one day.
I’d say this is a good book for total beginners. (That would be me. I am the target audience.) I think I could muddle through pruning a tree now, even with my zero experience in gardening.
I have no backyard in which to plant fruit trees, and I don’t intend to have one in the near future, either. Luckily, even though the book is focused on deciduous trees, Ralph added a few notes about citrus, which I didn’t know were evergreen trees until I read this book. One of those notes is that they’re a good pick if you mean to keep a tree in a pot, which is exactly what I was thinking of doing. At the very least, this book gives me a place to start asking questions at a plant nursery.
It’s amazing what you can pick up at your local library.
I’d say this is a good book for total beginners. (That would be me. I am the target audience.) I think I could muddle through pruning a tree now, even with my zero experience in gardening.
I have no backyard in which to plant fruit trees, and I don’t intend to have one in the near future, either. Luckily, even though the book is focused on deciduous trees, Ralph added a few notes about citrus, which I didn’t know were evergreen trees until I read this book. One of those notes is that they’re a good pick if you mean to keep a tree in a pot, which is exactly what I was thinking of doing. At the very least, this book gives me a place to start asking questions at a plant nursery.
It’s amazing what you can pick up at your local library.
June 10, 2025
So excited for fruit 🍎🍏🍑🍒
July 3, 2014
√ A Revolutionary Vision for Backyard Fruit Trees
This is a delightful book that offers a TON of useful information on growing and pruning fruit trees. You can tell, right off the bat, that this is going to be a fun, creative book. To start with, even the Table of Contents is designed around gardening! Each major section is labeled with a plant marker. Note the detail--even the plant markers are decorated with little sketches of garden life. There are many more well-crafted illustrations throughout the book. They really add to the total theme of the book.
The author explains that she learned this technique from a nursery in Modesto, California; however, she was reluctant to practice the severe pruning required. Later, she saw the results of such a pruning, and she became a believer. The goal: Keep your fruit tree just 6 feet tall. By doing this, the tree is far more manageable, and you will obtain an excellent harvest--not a mediocre harvest with a lot on the ground.
The reader is treated to an anatomical discussion of what comprises a fruit tree, so that you can understand more about the process. In Chapter Two, we are formally introduced to the "Short Fruit Tree Method." There are detailed sections explaining rootstocks, how to graft, and suggested planting methods.
Chapter Three is all about pruning--and while you're at it, "Don't forget to thin your fruit!" Ann explains why this is important, even though it seems so harsh to remove immature fruit. Chapter Four explains how to choose the specific variety of fruit tree for your yard. Don't miss the little sidebar on "Trees of Antiquity in Backyard Gardens."
In wrapping up, the author summarizes with her "Four Basic Pruning Rules"
1)If you don't know what to do, cut some stuff out.
2)Prune to keep the "Zone of Equilibrium" within reach.
3)Make Aesthetic decisions.
4)Pruners learn by pruning.
I can see that I'm going to have to study that "Zone of Equilibrium" a bit more. Following the last chapter, there is a "Brief Glossary" of terms used. But that's not all--next comes a list of rootstocks, with a discussion of pros and cons of each type. The book concludes with a brief section of other books to read.
√ This is LOTS more to this bountiful discussion on growing small fruit trees--mulching techniques, pest control, composting, fertilizing, etc. There is even an entire chapter on how to tell when the fruit is ripe. If you are a gardener interesting in fruit trees (and keeping them manageable) this is the book for you! Highly Recommend!
This is a delightful book that offers a TON of useful information on growing and pruning fruit trees. You can tell, right off the bat, that this is going to be a fun, creative book. To start with, even the Table of Contents is designed around gardening! Each major section is labeled with a plant marker. Note the detail--even the plant markers are decorated with little sketches of garden life. There are many more well-crafted illustrations throughout the book. They really add to the total theme of the book.
The author explains that she learned this technique from a nursery in Modesto, California; however, she was reluctant to practice the severe pruning required. Later, she saw the results of such a pruning, and she became a believer. The goal: Keep your fruit tree just 6 feet tall. By doing this, the tree is far more manageable, and you will obtain an excellent harvest--not a mediocre harvest with a lot on the ground.
The reader is treated to an anatomical discussion of what comprises a fruit tree, so that you can understand more about the process. In Chapter Two, we are formally introduced to the "Short Fruit Tree Method." There are detailed sections explaining rootstocks, how to graft, and suggested planting methods.
Chapter Three is all about pruning--and while you're at it, "Don't forget to thin your fruit!" Ann explains why this is important, even though it seems so harsh to remove immature fruit. Chapter Four explains how to choose the specific variety of fruit tree for your yard. Don't miss the little sidebar on "Trees of Antiquity in Backyard Gardens."
In wrapping up, the author summarizes with her "Four Basic Pruning Rules"
1)If you don't know what to do, cut some stuff out.
2)Prune to keep the "Zone of Equilibrium" within reach.
3)Make Aesthetic decisions.
4)Pruners learn by pruning.
I can see that I'm going to have to study that "Zone of Equilibrium" a bit more. Following the last chapter, there is a "Brief Glossary" of terms used. But that's not all--next comes a list of rootstocks, with a discussion of pros and cons of each type. The book concludes with a brief section of other books to read.
√ This is LOTS more to this bountiful discussion on growing small fruit trees--mulching techniques, pest control, composting, fertilizing, etc. There is even an entire chapter on how to tell when the fruit is ripe. If you are a gardener interesting in fruit trees (and keeping them manageable) this is the book for you! Highly Recommend!
March 2, 2015
nonfiction/gardening. If only I had this book 25 years ago (best to have it before you buy/plant your fruit trees). The pruning instructions were pretty clear and concise (I know I've read other things on pruning before, but this provided some really nice guidelines). My trees are already somewhat overgrown, but I'm going to try to apply these principles and see if I can't make them shorter--the end shape is not going to be as elegant, but I won't need to rely on a ladder that much. And if my current trees should pass their period of usefulness, I'll probably want to check this book out from the library again when I shop for a replacement tree.
Notes:
* Zone of equilibrium (fruiting zone) = between the structural lower branches and the upper canopy. Needs light (thin that upper canopy/center branches!) in order to fruit.
* for large trees, try pruning back the canopy 1/3 at a time to a more manageable height. A hard prune in winter will encourage growth at the pruning spot; try a hard prune in summer if you don't want anything to grow back.
* thin out anything dead, diseased, disoriented anytime!
* esp. in winter, prune out the upright water spouts (rapidly growing upright shoots with longer spaces between buds)
* esp. in summer/June solstice, prune the upright branches to restrict the storage of food (being transferred from the leaves) into the trunk/roots and thus to inhibit vigorous winter/spring growth.
* don't be afraid to prune--start with the easy decisions first and you'll learn/get better as the seasons pass.
Notes:
* Zone of equilibrium (fruiting zone) = between the structural lower branches and the upper canopy. Needs light (thin that upper canopy/center branches!) in order to fruit.
* for large trees, try pruning back the canopy 1/3 at a time to a more manageable height. A hard prune in winter will encourage growth at the pruning spot; try a hard prune in summer if you don't want anything to grow back.
* thin out anything dead, diseased, disoriented anytime!
* esp. in winter, prune out the upright water spouts (rapidly growing upright shoots with longer spaces between buds)
* esp. in summer/June solstice, prune the upright branches to restrict the storage of food (being transferred from the leaves) into the trunk/roots and thus to inhibit vigorous winter/spring growth.
* don't be afraid to prune--start with the easy decisions first and you'll learn/get better as the seasons pass.
August 23, 2016
I am a terrible pruner. I am way too timid and no matter how much I read or watch videos on YouTube, when I'm standing in front of my fruit trees with the loppers I still have no idea what to do. So I really appreciated Ann Ralph's advice that trees are forgiving and will (usually) grow back.
This book advocates and teaches how to keep fruit trees so small that you can harvest all the fruit without even a ladder. She admits that you will get less fruit that way, but points out that traditional fruit tree husbandry, even for backyard orchards, often produces so much fruit that there is no way to use it all anyway.
I have several fruit trees in my teeny urban yard, and unfortunately, I discovered this book too late for any of them, since she advocates doing the really hard prune as soon as- or even before- planting. Still, some of them are still small enough that I think I can do something with them. I also learned that it's okay, and sometimes preferable, to prune in the summer, especially if you don't want a lot of regrowth.
It's probably too late for my 20-foot cherry tree, but I'm going to try anyway, because man, those cherries are good.
This book advocates and teaches how to keep fruit trees so small that you can harvest all the fruit without even a ladder. She admits that you will get less fruit that way, but points out that traditional fruit tree husbandry, even for backyard orchards, often produces so much fruit that there is no way to use it all anyway.
I have several fruit trees in my teeny urban yard, and unfortunately, I discovered this book too late for any of them, since she advocates doing the really hard prune as soon as- or even before- planting. Still, some of them are still small enough that I think I can do something with them. I also learned that it's okay, and sometimes preferable, to prune in the summer, especially if you don't want a lot of regrowth.
It's probably too late for my 20-foot cherry tree, but I'm going to try anyway, because man, those cherries are good.
June 17, 2018
Everyone who grows or wants to grow fruit trees should read this. It’s really clear and concise and I feel way more confident about pruning my apple trees. after reading this I’m now planning to get 2-3 more to either create espaliers (something I’ve wanted to do for a while) or just prune new bareroot trees according to this method because it seems so easy. unfortunately I didn’t prune my trees at all since planting last fall and I was getting worried that I really screwed up getting older, containerized trees, as the book really emphasizes starting with young, bareroot trees. but it is stated over and over that the tree will respond to how you cut and there’s really no right or wrong way to do it— you just need to prune and give structure to the tree. although I likely can’t take my existing trees down super short as some of the trees are in the photos, I started to prune before I even finished the book— so it really started building my confidence on pruning. highly recommended for anyone who’s ever wanted to grow fruit but doesn’t think they have the space.
June 11, 2015
Reading this short informative book answered nearly every question I have ever had about orchard and back yard fruit trees. We have not had good luck trying to grow either ornamental or functional fruit trees in our yard, and much of that has been because of poor shaping. This short book will not only direct you to purchase something appropriate, but let you know where to plant, how to care for it, and most importantly, how and when to prune. Lots of pictures and drawings and clearly written. Loved it!
April 28, 2022
This book came recommended to me by David the Good one of my favorite garden writers/ youtuber and it did not disappoint.
It discusses how and why you want to keep your fruit trees under six feet. Although the topic of large and established fruit trees is briefly discussed, it does not focus on how to manage these trees. The main focus is on selecting, planting and pruning your first little fruit tree and learning techniques that will keep it under six feet.
Here are the main takeaways:
- Buy a little bare root fruit tree (these will be dormant and usually available in Feb)
- When purchasing a tree smaller is better than bigger. The trunk should be the thickness of a thumb.
- Plant it in the ground
- Prune it knee high. This will seem extreme do it anyways. (She has illustrations of knee-high trees to give you courage to make that first counterintuitive, aggressive prune!)
- Now that the tree is planted and knee high, it is your job to keep it small and manageable. you should prune mid Summer And Winter. The Mid summer prune will help stunt height growth and direct the growth to the remaining branches. A winter prune will manage the structure of the tree and does not stunt the height growth. You cannot keep the tree small with just winter pruning.
- There are two types of prune cuts: Heading and thinning.
-Heading cut removes part of a limb buds below this cut will become new growth
-Thinning cut will subtract the branch entirely. There will be no new growth since you trimmed the branch at its point of origin. The book illustrates these two types of prune cuts.
The book also discusses thinning fruit, close planting techniques, dwarfs and semidwarfs, fruit varieties, zones, watering, harvesting and is filled with helpful illustrations. A great book for backyard gardener growing in small spaces!
"Stand back. Forget what you read on the Internet. Attend to the tree before you. Observe the growth pattern of the tree. In Pruning, as in any good design, negative space plays an important role. Well-Pruned trees have an airy quality. Yuki Nara of the website Way of Maple says that a bird can fly through a well pruned Japanese maple- good standard for a fruit tree, too." Ann Ralph
It discusses how and why you want to keep your fruit trees under six feet. Although the topic of large and established fruit trees is briefly discussed, it does not focus on how to manage these trees. The main focus is on selecting, planting and pruning your first little fruit tree and learning techniques that will keep it under six feet.
Here are the main takeaways:
- Buy a little bare root fruit tree (these will be dormant and usually available in Feb)
- When purchasing a tree smaller is better than bigger. The trunk should be the thickness of a thumb.
- Plant it in the ground
- Prune it knee high. This will seem extreme do it anyways. (She has illustrations of knee-high trees to give you courage to make that first counterintuitive, aggressive prune!)
- Now that the tree is planted and knee high, it is your job to keep it small and manageable. you should prune mid Summer And Winter. The Mid summer prune will help stunt height growth and direct the growth to the remaining branches. A winter prune will manage the structure of the tree and does not stunt the height growth. You cannot keep the tree small with just winter pruning.
- There are two types of prune cuts: Heading and thinning.
-Heading cut removes part of a limb buds below this cut will become new growth
-Thinning cut will subtract the branch entirely. There will be no new growth since you trimmed the branch at its point of origin. The book illustrates these two types of prune cuts.
The book also discusses thinning fruit, close planting techniques, dwarfs and semidwarfs, fruit varieties, zones, watering, harvesting and is filled with helpful illustrations. A great book for backyard gardener growing in small spaces!
"Stand back. Forget what you read on the Internet. Attend to the tree before you. Observe the growth pattern of the tree. In Pruning, as in any good design, negative space plays an important role. Well-Pruned trees have an airy quality. Yuki Nara of the website Way of Maple says that a bird can fly through a well pruned Japanese maple- good standard for a fruit tree, too." Ann Ralph
May 4, 2023
Terribly written book. Over 50 pages in and it's the same 3 anecdotes being regurgitated endlessly with repetitive circular writing.
Yet to hit any practical pruning advice besides prune in the summer to keep a fruit tree small.
There is no research or anything spoken of beyond one guys personal anecdote and things are presented in a tired binary cliche, "haters versus true believers"
Whatever horticultural knowledge this book contains can surely be found by skimming or googling at this point, this is just terribly, terribly written and reads like some push poll blog post from buzz feed.
Awful
Please see the excerpt below to get a sense of what you're in for -
"The summer solstice in late June marks the midpoint in the annual growth cycle. By the time of the solstice, a tree’s resources have migrated from the roots and trunk and are stored primarily in the foliage. Solstice pruning removes some of these resources. Fewer resources means less vigorous growth, much like cutting the calories of a too-energetic eater. Summer pruning slows a tree down, a desirable result when you have an interest in keeping your fruit tree small.
Prune near the solstice. Time summer pruning so it occurs near the summer solstice. In early summer, trees still have plenty of vigor to recover from pruning. They grow, but at a moderate pace..."
Like a desperate high schooler trying to pad out an essay, the author returns to a theme and a point ad naseum, sometimes paragraph after paragraph.
Whatever publishing house edited this for this woman should be ashamed.
Yet to hit any practical pruning advice besides prune in the summer to keep a fruit tree small.
There is no research or anything spoken of beyond one guys personal anecdote and things are presented in a tired binary cliche, "haters versus true believers"
Whatever horticultural knowledge this book contains can surely be found by skimming or googling at this point, this is just terribly, terribly written and reads like some push poll blog post from buzz feed.
Awful
Please see the excerpt below to get a sense of what you're in for -
"The summer solstice in late June marks the midpoint in the annual growth cycle. By the time of the solstice, a tree’s resources have migrated from the roots and trunk and are stored primarily in the foliage. Solstice pruning removes some of these resources. Fewer resources means less vigorous growth, much like cutting the calories of a too-energetic eater. Summer pruning slows a tree down, a desirable result when you have an interest in keeping your fruit tree small.
Prune near the solstice. Time summer pruning so it occurs near the summer solstice. In early summer, trees still have plenty of vigor to recover from pruning. They grow, but at a moderate pace..."
Like a desperate high schooler trying to pad out an essay, the author returns to a theme and a point ad naseum, sometimes paragraph after paragraph.
Whatever publishing house edited this for this woman should be ashamed.
February 9, 2023
I loved this book. While most of it is based, as is the author's experience, for the California climate and seasons, the information is presented in a way that is easy to understand and helpful!
The premise of the book is that you as a backyard tree grower, might not think you want a little fruit tree, but you really do. Ralph argues that the optimal height of a harvestable fruit tree should be basically your hand over your head--what you can actually harvest without a ladder.
She discusses that letting your tree get bigger actually causes waste--either you can't reach half the apples (for example) or they all get ripe at the same time and suddenly you're drowning in apples. A smaller fruit tree allows you to have enough fruit and some to put up--you control how much fruit you get, without waste.
She discusses the major pruning techniques--where you prune and how to angle it, and comfortingly tells you that there's really no wrong thing to do--if you cut the 'wrong' branch, you'll just have a different shape to deal with.
Her knowledge about trees is great and she presents it in a very user friendly, beginner friendly format. I feel much more confident in managing my little apple trees than before.
The premise of the book is that you as a backyard tree grower, might not think you want a little fruit tree, but you really do. Ralph argues that the optimal height of a harvestable fruit tree should be basically your hand over your head--what you can actually harvest without a ladder.
She discusses that letting your tree get bigger actually causes waste--either you can't reach half the apples (for example) or they all get ripe at the same time and suddenly you're drowning in apples. A smaller fruit tree allows you to have enough fruit and some to put up--you control how much fruit you get, without waste.
She discusses the major pruning techniques--where you prune and how to angle it, and comfortingly tells you that there's really no wrong thing to do--if you cut the 'wrong' branch, you'll just have a different shape to deal with.
Her knowledge about trees is great and she presents it in a very user friendly, beginner friendly format. I feel much more confident in managing my little apple trees than before.
July 31, 2018
This book gives very good and practical advice on how to grow/prune a fruit tree so that it stays small and is easy for the home gardener to take care of the tree and to harvest the fruit easily.
Some quick things that I learned were 1) you need to get a young fruit tree, so that you can make the big heading cut first. If you buy a tree that is already well established at a nursery or a big box store it is usually too late to make this first cut b/c the tree doesn't respond as quickly & as well. Buy bareroot stock! 2) Pruning at the summer solstice is key to keeping the tree small. If you prune in the winter the trees grows more vigorously in the spring/summer. 3) Rootstock matters & make sure you get one that is good for the area that you live in.
If you plan on putting fruit trees in your property read this book before buying! It has a lot of helpful information. I now need to find if she has videos so that I can see exactly how to do the pruning cuts (I wish that there were more detailed photos).
Some quick things that I learned were 1) you need to get a young fruit tree, so that you can make the big heading cut first. If you buy a tree that is already well established at a nursery or a big box store it is usually too late to make this first cut b/c the tree doesn't respond as quickly & as well. Buy bareroot stock! 2) Pruning at the summer solstice is key to keeping the tree small. If you prune in the winter the trees grows more vigorously in the spring/summer. 3) Rootstock matters & make sure you get one that is good for the area that you live in.
If you plan on putting fruit trees in your property read this book before buying! It has a lot of helpful information. I now need to find if she has videos so that I can see exactly how to do the pruning cuts (I wish that there were more detailed photos).
July 13, 2021
Yessssssssss, prune prune prune prune!
This book is amazing. We are trying to make the best of the small yard we have & this book caught our eye - and I am sure glad it did!
From the basic concept of why a small fruit tree is highly desirable (compared to a larger one), to basic botany and techniques for making a tree that way, this book explains it all. It does this in such an empowering way too! It encourages you to trust yourself, your decisions & your understanding of what you're doing. To watch for what the tree tells you in response. That making a cut that maybe someone with lots of experience wouldn't isn't the end of the world, and is just another alternative for the tree to explore.
I have a special place in my heart for people who truly want to make their passion more accessible to everyone, sharing genuinely & without snootiness. Ann Ralph, with her writing, gentleness & encouragement has definitely earned a place right there for me :)
This book is amazing. We are trying to make the best of the small yard we have & this book caught our eye - and I am sure glad it did!
From the basic concept of why a small fruit tree is highly desirable (compared to a larger one), to basic botany and techniques for making a tree that way, this book explains it all. It does this in such an empowering way too! It encourages you to trust yourself, your decisions & your understanding of what you're doing. To watch for what the tree tells you in response. That making a cut that maybe someone with lots of experience wouldn't isn't the end of the world, and is just another alternative for the tree to explore.
I have a special place in my heart for people who truly want to make their passion more accessible to everyone, sharing genuinely & without snootiness. Ann Ralph, with her writing, gentleness & encouragement has definitely earned a place right there for me :)
December 18, 2022
This book really set me on the right path for having fruit trees that are manageable for myself and my household. Without this, I would not have thought about the height of the scaffolding branches or pruning in the summer to control for size. I'm now not afraid to order trees with larger rootstocks and keep them small.
The book itself was a little bit repetitive, but it was also a fast read, even for reading the whole thing. You can skim the book. If I had to sum up:
1. Start with new fruit trees rather than trying to shape an existing tree, if possible.
2. As soon as you get a whip from a nursery, cut it down to 12-18 inches, paying attention to where the buds are around the branch. You want 3-4 right below the cut, hoping these will leaf out and become branches.
3. Prune in the winter to change the shape, prune in the summer (after the solstice) to control for size. Cut back new shoots significantly even though they have fruit.
4. Thin the fruit to one every 6 inches or so.
The book itself was a little bit repetitive, but it was also a fast read, even for reading the whole thing. You can skim the book. If I had to sum up:
1. Start with new fruit trees rather than trying to shape an existing tree, if possible.
2. As soon as you get a whip from a nursery, cut it down to 12-18 inches, paying attention to where the buds are around the branch. You want 3-4 right below the cut, hoping these will leaf out and become branches.
3. Prune in the winter to change the shape, prune in the summer (after the solstice) to control for size. Cut back new shoots significantly even though they have fruit.
4. Thin the fruit to one every 6 inches or so.
January 2, 2026
This is a great little book that I was introduced to via a blog post on Mother Earth News by the author. I am totally into the thesis: that for the backyard orchard, keeping trees small makes life easier, and allows you to fit more trees and varieties into a small space. I've just started implementing her pruning methods, and so far, so good. My only wish is that there were more diagrams and more examples of the finished orchard with trees pruned this way. Some of the chapters meander a bit, but there's a friendly, casual tone that permeates that makes up for this. I really appreciate her advice about keeping things pesticide free: work with nature, not against it, which is 100% my philosophy on all gardening things. I'm giving it 5 stars because the ideas she is introducing are so groundbreaking in my conception of how my home orchard can work and what it can become--it totally changed the number of trees I'm trying to grow in a small suburban yard.
April 25, 2022
-big trees are hard to care for and produce excessive fruit
-with one big tree you have nothing but that one kind of fruit
-on a big tree its too hard to reach to prune, thin, and harvest. you end up with rotting infested fruit on the ground.
-proper pruning limits the crop size to fruit you will actually use.
-you dont need to buy dwarf trees if you want small trees. regular pruning is the best way to control the size of a fruit tree.
-don't count on rootstock for size control.
-with small trees you can have 3 different varieties in the space of one regular tree.
-a good height for your first tree is as tall as you can reach while standing on the ground.
-dave wilson nursery recommended
-trees of antiquity heirloom mail order company. its in california but says it has trees for all climates.
-summer prpuning near the june solstice best controls the size of a fruit tree, and decreases vigor.
-solstice pruning removes reserves which means less vigorous growth after pruning. prune too early and the tree will recover with viogr. too late in summer or fall and its like winter pruning.
-prune upright branches in summer.
-winter pruning will grow the tree larger, increased vigor. prune wimpy sections in winter.
-plants pruned in winter will, by june, be as tall as they were in january.
-winter pruning is the time to make structural and aesthetic decisions when the tree is bare and can be seen. time to open the interior.
-too much interior shade in the tree and it wont generate new fruit spurs.
-hard winter pruning results in water sprouts. remove them at any time.
-winter pruning corrects the shape of the tree and promotes vigorous growth
-thinning is as important as pruning. in addition to focusing nutrients into fewer (larger) fruits, thinning keeps fruits separate from each other, which reduces the spread of pests and disease.
-even sturdy, well pruned trees produce more fruit than they can manage.
-june drop is when trees abort some overcroppage in early summer. but they do not drop enough.
-thin fruit around the summer solstice. thin clusters down to a single fruit. thin larger fruits like apples or peaches to 8 inches apart. smaller fruits like plums to 5 inches apart.
-you may end up taking 75% of the fruit off the tree. its better for the tree and grower to have fewer, superior, evenly distributed fruit.
-a pollenizer is a tree with a corresponding bloom time.
-chill hours determine the bloom cycle, and summer heat increases the sugar content.
-bare root trees are offered in jan/feb for california, later in colder climates. so minnesota - march? buy before they leaf out.
-bare root allows you to prune the tree properly from the outset.
-may need to soak the roots of a bare root tree for a couple hours before planting. plant right away or the roots will dry out. same day as purchased or received.
-bigger is not better for choosing fruit trees at the nursery. better to let them acquire their size in the ground, not in a pot.
-a tree trunk should be as big around as your thumb, 5/8".
-full sun equals unobstructed exposure from 11am-4pm and always includes noonday sun.
-water trees deeply and less often. not like lawns.
-dont add amendments when planting fruit trees. tree roots know exactly what to do. amendments will keep the roots inside the hole you dug and amended rather than reaching out.
-the hardest cut: a heading cut, removing 2/3 off the top of the tree. 18-24" tall. this is crucial for scaffold limbs to develop from buds below this cut. overcome your fear. it must be done to awaken the buds below. do this in winter to take advantage of the vigorous growth that will follow.
-fruit trees require structure, training and shaping.
-when planting a bare root sapling, cut the sapling to knee high height. you will remove more than you leave behind. where you make the cut becomes the crotch of the tree. several buds should remain below the cut and will be your new branches.
-a plant with a trunk/stem thicker than 3/4 inch may have a harder time pushing buds. you may need to cut higher up.
-prune extra shoots where two or more branches emerge from the same bud in early spring.
-leaving too many branches in place promotes an undesirable shrubbiness that keeps sunlight from penetrating the interior of the tree.
-tag limbs you're considering pruning with blue tape and step back to consider your choices before you cut anything off.
-after removing extraneous branches, head back remaining branches by 1/2 to 2/3 to a bud that faces the directino you want the branch to grow (away from the trees center)
-by summer the outside bud usually has produced a leaf. prune aggresively growing trees just above that leaf.
-weigh branches with a water bottle. use thick coat hanger wire wrapped around the bottles neck. aiming for 45 degree angle.
-when leaves wilt - the leaf surfaces droop and they get less sun. with less sun the plant preserves its diminishing stores of available water.
-when a plant is stressed and bug ridden: correct the problem. then apply a top dressing of worm castings 1/2 inch deep out to the dripline. reapply every 6 months. layer mulch on top of the castings.
-worm castings are proven to control soilborne fungus disease and helps control insect infestations.
-for codling moths, attract beneficial trichogramma wasps by planting umbel flowers: alyssum, dill, parsley, and yarrow.
-for critter deterrent - fox or coyote decoys with furry moving tails, motion activated sprinklers, mylar bird tape, or netting. netting a tree is easier on a small tree.
-apples picked too soon dont have much flavor or sweetness. must wait. ripe apples release from the tree easily.
-summer pears (ripen in august) need below 75`F temps to start the ripening. winter pears (ripen in september) need 2-6 weeks below 40`F.
-with one big tree you have nothing but that one kind of fruit
-on a big tree its too hard to reach to prune, thin, and harvest. you end up with rotting infested fruit on the ground.
-proper pruning limits the crop size to fruit you will actually use.
-you dont need to buy dwarf trees if you want small trees. regular pruning is the best way to control the size of a fruit tree.
-don't count on rootstock for size control.
-with small trees you can have 3 different varieties in the space of one regular tree.
-a good height for your first tree is as tall as you can reach while standing on the ground.
-dave wilson nursery recommended
-trees of antiquity heirloom mail order company. its in california but says it has trees for all climates.
-summer prpuning near the june solstice best controls the size of a fruit tree, and decreases vigor.
-solstice pruning removes reserves which means less vigorous growth after pruning. prune too early and the tree will recover with viogr. too late in summer or fall and its like winter pruning.
-prune upright branches in summer.
-winter pruning will grow the tree larger, increased vigor. prune wimpy sections in winter.
-plants pruned in winter will, by june, be as tall as they were in january.
-winter pruning is the time to make structural and aesthetic decisions when the tree is bare and can be seen. time to open the interior.
-too much interior shade in the tree and it wont generate new fruit spurs.
-hard winter pruning results in water sprouts. remove them at any time.
-winter pruning corrects the shape of the tree and promotes vigorous growth
-thinning is as important as pruning. in addition to focusing nutrients into fewer (larger) fruits, thinning keeps fruits separate from each other, which reduces the spread of pests and disease.
-even sturdy, well pruned trees produce more fruit than they can manage.
-june drop is when trees abort some overcroppage in early summer. but they do not drop enough.
-thin fruit around the summer solstice. thin clusters down to a single fruit. thin larger fruits like apples or peaches to 8 inches apart. smaller fruits like plums to 5 inches apart.
-you may end up taking 75% of the fruit off the tree. its better for the tree and grower to have fewer, superior, evenly distributed fruit.
-a pollenizer is a tree with a corresponding bloom time.
-chill hours determine the bloom cycle, and summer heat increases the sugar content.
-bare root trees are offered in jan/feb for california, later in colder climates. so minnesota - march? buy before they leaf out.
-bare root allows you to prune the tree properly from the outset.
-may need to soak the roots of a bare root tree for a couple hours before planting. plant right away or the roots will dry out. same day as purchased or received.
-bigger is not better for choosing fruit trees at the nursery. better to let them acquire their size in the ground, not in a pot.
-a tree trunk should be as big around as your thumb, 5/8".
-full sun equals unobstructed exposure from 11am-4pm and always includes noonday sun.
-water trees deeply and less often. not like lawns.
-dont add amendments when planting fruit trees. tree roots know exactly what to do. amendments will keep the roots inside the hole you dug and amended rather than reaching out.
-the hardest cut: a heading cut, removing 2/3 off the top of the tree. 18-24" tall. this is crucial for scaffold limbs to develop from buds below this cut. overcome your fear. it must be done to awaken the buds below. do this in winter to take advantage of the vigorous growth that will follow.
-fruit trees require structure, training and shaping.
-when planting a bare root sapling, cut the sapling to knee high height. you will remove more than you leave behind. where you make the cut becomes the crotch of the tree. several buds should remain below the cut and will be your new branches.
-a plant with a trunk/stem thicker than 3/4 inch may have a harder time pushing buds. you may need to cut higher up.
-prune extra shoots where two or more branches emerge from the same bud in early spring.
-leaving too many branches in place promotes an undesirable shrubbiness that keeps sunlight from penetrating the interior of the tree.
-tag limbs you're considering pruning with blue tape and step back to consider your choices before you cut anything off.
-after removing extraneous branches, head back remaining branches by 1/2 to 2/3 to a bud that faces the directino you want the branch to grow (away from the trees center)
-by summer the outside bud usually has produced a leaf. prune aggresively growing trees just above that leaf.
-weigh branches with a water bottle. use thick coat hanger wire wrapped around the bottles neck. aiming for 45 degree angle.
-when leaves wilt - the leaf surfaces droop and they get less sun. with less sun the plant preserves its diminishing stores of available water.
-when a plant is stressed and bug ridden: correct the problem. then apply a top dressing of worm castings 1/2 inch deep out to the dripline. reapply every 6 months. layer mulch on top of the castings.
-worm castings are proven to control soilborne fungus disease and helps control insect infestations.
-for codling moths, attract beneficial trichogramma wasps by planting umbel flowers: alyssum, dill, parsley, and yarrow.
-for critter deterrent - fox or coyote decoys with furry moving tails, motion activated sprinklers, mylar bird tape, or netting. netting a tree is easier on a small tree.
-apples picked too soon dont have much flavor or sweetness. must wait. ripe apples release from the tree easily.
-summer pears (ripen in august) need below 75`F temps to start the ripening. winter pears (ripen in september) need 2-6 weeks below 40`F.
July 11, 2021
I have been lucky to have rented homes that had fruit trees: Plums and Figs were the easy fruits we enjoyed – others seemed to suffer and I had no idea what I was doing wrong. My daughter now has a few fruit trees on the property they bought 10 years ago, including two planted in just the last few years, but there’s been nothing to harvest. I had no idea how to help. I might now. There is a lot of practical information here about pruning but also about how to choose and plant a fruit tree, watering, insects. The author makes it easy to understand, pictures make it even more clear. She explains the reasoning behind making a fruit tree smaller and reassures the reader that none of this is rocket science or too complicated for the average person to attempt. I look forward to trying to put some of these things into practice.
April 29, 2025
Even though I don't want to grow fruit trees quite as small as those described by the author, I still really found this book interesting and helpful. Her approach to grafting and to growing fruit is practical and matter of fact. After reading it, I was really eager to get out and do some pruning, and I know I will be sharing some of her wisdom with others.
As a grower with somewhat different objectives and living in a very different climate, I will not be following all of the author's advice, which does sometimes seem rather California specific. Despite that, she gave me a lot of good food for thought and I would definitely recommend this book to others, even those who live much farther north, as I do.
As a grower with somewhat different objectives and living in a very different climate, I will not be following all of the author's advice, which does sometimes seem rather California specific. Despite that, she gave me a lot of good food for thought and I would definitely recommend this book to others, even those who live much farther north, as I do.
April 15, 2020
As a librarian, when I start a new hobby, I grab a giant stack of books to research it. Then I usually hit the Internet for videos, blogs, and forums, and then go through more stacks of books.
This book was the very best of all the piles and research. It's heavy with info, but not boring or overwhelming.
I love the author's tone. She's telling you the facts and rules, but also that you can absolutely do it -- even if you're a novice -- and not to worry so much about doing it perfectly. You got this.
I wish Ann Ralph wrote about all the hobbies. With her gentle laid-back encouragement available, I would try anything. :)
This book was the very best of all the piles and research. It's heavy with info, but not boring or overwhelming.
I love the author's tone. She's telling you the facts and rules, but also that you can absolutely do it -- even if you're a novice -- and not to worry so much about doing it perfectly. You got this.
I wish Ann Ralph wrote about all the hobbies. With her gentle laid-back encouragement available, I would try anything. :)
June 19, 2020
Having idly considered getting a few small fruit trees for my fairly small yard, I've felt overwhelmed by not knowing what to do and what kind to buy--I don't want something that will take over my yard and end up shading my vegetable garden, I don't want something that will undermine the foundation of my house, etc.
This book is straightforward and encouraging, and while I know I will need to do more research to determine what kinds of trees I want (the information on varieties that are good in California is less relevant to a reader in Michigan, as the climate and soil are different), I feel like this is actually a project within reach and within reason.
This book is straightforward and encouraging, and while I know I will need to do more research to determine what kinds of trees I want (the information on varieties that are good in California is less relevant to a reader in Michigan, as the climate and soil are different), I feel like this is actually a project within reach and within reason.
June 1, 2021
good info. Best piece of advice: just do it, the tree will forgive. The author uses many anecdotes to prove her point that smaller trees are better for the average homegrower. I have a question that was never answered in the book, yet brought up: at the end of Ch 1, the author mentions a Santa Rosa plum at their demonstration garden that is a 4'x4' shrub as an example of "how far it was possible to push the small fruit tree concept." How exactly was that 1. the most extreme example of the concept and 2. how was that created? I want to follow this idea for myself and have the smallest possible trees I can get.
December 29, 2024
I'm taking care of a garden with an established peach tree that is behaving totally differently than other trees in my life. This was recommended to me by our master gardener's office. It makes a strong case for keeping fruit trees so small that you can harvest them standing on the ground. A wealth of ideas and instructions. I was able to understand why the trees I'm taking care of are pruned the way they are, and make my own pruning cuts. The author lives in my area, but the peach tree I'm growing is an hour north, so it was bittersweet to hear her telling how luxurious and perfect the growing conditions around here are, when my garden has much harsher ones.
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