Growing herbs isn’t difficult, even for those who have never tried it. Herb gardens take up very little space. In fact, herbs can be grown in containers or scattered amongst other plants in your flower or vegetable garden. Choosing the right herbs to grow can be as simple as taking a look at your spice rack. Just grow the ones you’ve been buying; enjoy them freshly picked rather than settling for the dried alternatives.

All you need is a small, well-drained, sunny spot to grow your own herb garden. Herbs are easy to grow, don’t require a lot of fertilizer, and actually like it when you take some cuttings for use. This encourages them to put out new growth. Once you start cooking with fresh herbs, you’ll find that they have better flavor than the dried, store-bought alternatives, and you’ll probably end up using more and more of them in your favorite recipes.

Poducing your own fruit tree orchard at your home can be a fun fall activity, imagine being able to pick apples off your own tree – no driving, parking or paying involved. Planting a fruit tree can provide you with bushels of apples, pears, or stone fruit such as cherries, plums, apricots and peaches for many years.

Autumn is a good time to plant fruit trees.

Here is what you will need for Peter Atkins and Associates to design and plant a fruit tree or a row of trees. They can be planted for the flowering trees beatification. They can also be planted to reap the rewards of fresh fruit.[

For success with fruit trees, select a location that provides at least eight hours of sunlight, and choose a variety that is hardy to Zone 3 or 4. Depending on the fruit, you might also need a pollinating partner tree, and the trees should be spaced at least their maximum height apart from each other. Once you’ve established that you have a good location for your fruit tree(s), the fun starts as you decide what type of fruit and the varieties you want to grow.

Apples are a popular choice for New York and Connecticut gardeners, and there are dozens of options available. In fact, some varieties have been specifically bred by the University of New York to thrive in our climate, and they even come in semi-dwarf and dwarf sizes.

When selecting an apple tree, consider tree size, grow time, and yield. A standard apple tree can grow to more than 20 feet tall, takes up to eight years to bear fruit, and produces up to five bushels of apples in a year. A dwarf tree grows to a maximum of 10 feet tall, takes two to three years to bear fruit, and produces up to three bushels of apples per year (enough for most home growers). All apple trees require cross pollination with another species or crabapple within 100 feet to produce fruit.

Pears, like apples, generally require two varieties for pollination and will produce fruit in three to 10 years. Pears are less likely to be bothered by most insects and diseases, but in Minnesota they can get fire blight, which can kill the tree if not controlled immediately. Pear trees require more space than apple trees, as a standard variety can grow to 40 feet tall, while the semi-dwarf varieties grow to approximately 20 feet. There are very few hardy dwarf rootstocks available.

Some fruit trees can produce fruit within a few years if you select trees that are at least a year old. Because they bloom early in the spring, the delicate flowers of stone fruit trees can be destroyed or damaged by late frost, so it is not unusual to have a season without fruit if weather conditions don’t cooperate. Some stone fruits such as European plums and tart cherries can be grown without pollinators; this makes them attractive for smaller yards.

Having your own home orchard can be rewarding and ‘fruitful’ if you select trees that are suitable for your location.

Please reach out to Peter Atkins and Associates. We have availability to fruit trees that are one year and older. Sizes to semi mature from orchards can be purchased and planted by Peter Atkins and Associates. Call us for a site meeting (914) 234-0161