Excellent Fruit Tree Options for Northern Iowa

With a little planning, homeowners who enjoy picking ripe, juicy fruit from their own trees can successfully grow fruit trees in northern Iowa, such as apples, pears, plums and cherries – even homeowners with only small yard space.

Selecting the proper planting site is critical when planting fruit trees in the home landscape. While fruit trees can be grown on a wide variety of soils, good soil drainage is imperative. Apples and other fruit trees do not tolerate wet soils. Fruit trees planted in poorly drained soils often die within a few years of planting. Fruit trees require full sun. Select a site that receives at least six hours of direct sun each day. Avoid shady sites near large trees.

Apples and pears possess excellent winter hardiness and can be successfully grown throughout Iowa. Hardy sour (tart) cherry, plum and apricot cultivars can be grown throughout the state. Sweet cherries and peaches perform best in southern Iowa as they are not reliably hardy in northern and central portions of the state.

Now through August 15th, Fruit Trees and Fruiting Shrubs are on sale at Southdale Garden Center.