The summer heat can become unbearable, and if you enjoy gardening, the beating sunshine can fry your plants as well as your passion for landscaping. To combat this issue, plant single specimen trees around your yard so that when they mature, your yard will be more shaded. Then you can enjoy your backyard during the entire summer.

Are your neighbors driving you crazy? Or maybe you’re just looking to have more privacy. Add some espaliered trees against a wall or fence. A privacy fence can look boring, but you can enhance it with greenery. Another option is to create a hedge of nut trees to separate your land from your neighbor’s plot. A few rows of individual nut trees is an alternative way to define your space.

Your nut tree orchard can also act as a windbreaker. Having to move your patio furniture indoors is a pain, but if you have a wall of trees or even a few trees dispersed around your lawn, your backyard will be better protected from the elements.

Trees can be a beneficial addition to your home for several reasons. Not only can they provide sustenance, but they can also improve your backyard living and air quality.

Before you delve into the world of nut trees, you need to decide if a backyard orchard is right for you. This project will require your time to spray, prune and harvest. If you do have a large harvest, are you going to have the time to make use of all of those nuts? Then there are landscaping issues to consider too. Do you have enough land for the trees? It’s also important that the soil is suitable and fertile enough to support the plants. If you don’t have enough space, you can always add a few nut trees to your current landscape.

Basic Necessities

In order for your orchard to be a success, you need at least three feet of fertile soil to allow for the tree’s root system. Also, the soil shouldn’t be comprised of too much sand or clay either. However, some trees can tolerate these types of extreme soils.

When it comes to tools, you will need a ladder, sprayer and pruning tools. If you’re hesitant about growing taller trees such as walnut or chestnut, stick to dwarf trees, which can be pruned easily and without a ladder.

When you know more about your soil texture as well as the tools that you have available, you can determine which types of nut trees you want to grow. Some climates are not suitable for certain varieties. For example, you’re not going to have much luck growing pecans, almonds or pistachios in Oregon, because the winter temperatures are too severe and the spring and summers are cooler too.

Once you choose the right type of tree, you will have the ultimate gardening experience caring for your nut orchard.