Fruit Trees for Every Garden: An Organic Approach to Growing Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Citrus, and More

by Orin Martin, Manjula Martin, Alice Waters (Foreword)

Written by the long-time manager of the renowned Alan Chadwick Garden at the University of California, Santa Cruz, this substantial, authoritative, and beautiful full-color guide covers everything you need to know about organically growing healthy, bountiful fruit trees.

For more than forty years, Orin Martin has taught thousands of apprentices, students, and home gardeners the art and craft of growing fruit trees organically. In Fruit Trees for Every Garden, Orin shares--with hard-won wisdom and plenty of humor--his recommended fruit varieties and techniques for productive trees, including apple, pear, peach, plum, apricot, nectarine, sweet cherry, orange, lemon, fig, and more.

If you crave crisp apples, juicy peaches, or varieties of fruit that can never be found in the store, there's no better way than to grow them yourself. Whether you have one tree or a hundred, Orin gives you all the tools you need, from tree selection and planting practices to seasonal feeding guidelines and in-depth pruning tutorials. Along the way, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the core principles of organic gardening and soil compost, cultivation, cover crops, and increasing biodiversity for a healthier garden. This book is more than just a gardening manual; it's designed to help you understand the why behind the how, allowing you to apply these techniques to your own slice of paradise and make the best choices for your individual trees.

Filled with informative illustrations, full-color photography, and evocative intaglio etchings by artist Stephanie Martin, Fruit Trees for Every Garden is a striking and practical guide that will enable you to enjoy the great pleasure and beauty of raising homegrown, organic fruit for years to come.

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction

281 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 27, 2019

Reviews

[Carrie Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

So delightful and eye opening! It's like he's right there talking to you as your mentor, and he makes learning about fruit trees fun. You get a little history, science, life experience, and even humor. I really developed an appreciation for how much care needs to go into cultivating great fruit - especially regarding the soil.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part how-to, part Thoreau-esque nature writing. I was hoping for a little more on citrus…

[Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid resource w lots of good information, particularly on pruning and training. Would give it 5 stars but the writing is sometimes confusing and repetitive.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

A helpful introduction with a more diverse slate of fruit trees than many others (I especially appreciated the sections on persimmons and figs).

[Suzanne Kramb · Rating 4 out of 5]

"To have the best fruit you must grow it yourself." - Edward Bunyard

Am I in over my head? Possibly. But this book has been very eye opening. I'm walking away with a lot of tips, tricks, and a foundational base of knowledge. Orin Martin wrote in a way that was straight, to the point, and even included diagrams that were so beyond helpful. I'm excited to learn more and start implementing my ideas. It won't be perfect, but over time, I'll figure out what works and what doesn't. This will definitely be a book I need to buy to have on hand for future reference.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was informative without being boring. I have made a lot of mistakes with my fruit trees. I have also learned a lot of lessons from said mistakes. This book has helped me realize some of the mistakes I didn't know I was making, and has helped me be better prepared to better tend to my trees throughout their lives. I will be carrying this with me into my orchard, particularly during pruning season to make sure I do it correctly! This is an invaluable resource!

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was sooooooo hoping this book would have some really definite ways of dealing with the bugs that seem to embed themselves in my apple and peach trees. Pretty much ruining them before they can be enjoyed. I'd rather not spray the trees twice a year - or at all, but I can never use the fruit on them.

Oh well, I guess the animals can enjoy the fruit that's too nasty for us picky humans.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful combination of how-to and the author’s own personality. Orin Martin lives and loves fruit trees and it shows in this book. He makes you want to plant some of everything! Putting our third apple tree in the ground this week with his “multi year hole” plan, so we’ll have to wait a few years to see how the practical side plays out.

[Ray Stadt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well organized, cleanly written and well illustrated. I cannot wait to put the lessons learned into action with my new fruit trees. Will be referring back to this frequently while I prune, thin and train my trees.

[Yates Rats · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good one

This is a great book simple and straight to the point. You will enjoy reading this. Have a healthy fruit.

[Garrett Nicolai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth it just for the chapter on pruning. I learned more in about 2 hours than I have in several years.

[Janelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 Very helpful given I just inherited 3 fruit trees and hope to plant a few more. Good information about preparing, selecting, thinning and pruning fruit trees. I could have used a little more info on pest management.

[Heidi Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an absolute delight to read. I purchased it to learn more about growing fruit trees, and was not disappointed. Like a series of Master Gardener lectures; a stroll in an orchard with an experienced, passionate and gentle teacher-gardener; a picture book with drawings, etchings and photos - this book taught me and inspired me, with a balance of science and beauty. The tone is conversational yet with deeply technical guidance nestled inside the friendly, informal writing. It is both a reference book I’ll return to consult and reread, and a beautiful volume to pick up and peruse for sheer joy. Highly recommend for those wanting to learn more about successfully planting, growing and maintaining an orchard.

[Craig Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful guide for thinking through fruit tree selection, planting and care.