Gordon Johnson, Extension Vegetable & Fruit Specialist; gcjohn@udel.edu
There has been an increase in interest in planting fruits in Delaware. This is a positive trend that matches the interest in buying local and can also provide local fruit to the steady influx of visitors in the region.
Success with tree fruits, blueberries, grapes, brambles, and other long-term perennial fruits begins with selecting a proper site. I have visited too many sites where growers have lost expensive planting material because of poor locations and poor planning. Landowners most often are not buying properties with fruit planting in mind and many properties just are not suitable for fruit.
The most common issue with planting fruit is that of high seasonal water tables. When water rises in winter, it can saturate part of the root zone of the fruit plant and roots will then die due to lack of oxygen. Roots injured by waterlogging are also then more susceptible to root rot pathogens. Fruit plants with water damaged roots also have fewer effective roots which can make them more susceptible to other plant stresses such as drought. In the end, these fruit plants will die prematurely, have shorter life spans or will be less productive.
The best time to evaluate a site for the height of the seasonal water table is in late winter. Find the lowest elevation in the property being evaluated and dig a hole 6 feet deep using a posthole digger. If any free water is found in the hole then the site is not suitable for most deep rooted perennial fruits such as tree fruits and grapes. With brambles and blueberries water should not be found within 4-5 feet of the surface in these observation holes. Also examine the soil that comes out of the borings. If you see considerable amount of gray colored soil, this is an indication of water saturation. Do these borings throughout the property and map your site and avoid planting fruits on any areas with high water tables.
Another problem with water saturation and roots can be perched water tables. This is when an impervious soil layer does not allow water to drain and a saturated area develops above that layer. If perched water tables are found, the area is again not ideally suited for fruits. Subsoiling can fracture these layers if done properly but the layers may reform in a few years.
In high water table soils, it may be possible to grow some fruits such as brambles or blueberries by creating high mounds to grow on. In this case, the growing area is elevated 2-4 feet by moving soil to create a mounded ridge where fruit is planted. While this is possible, it is expensive and must be done in such a way that water does not collect between the mounds.
Another issue with fruit siting is air drainage. Our last 2 winters have had sub-zero conditions which can cause problems with winter kill in some grapes and brambles and bud damage in some tree fruits. Lower areas where cold air drains to also are more susceptible to late frost damage to flowers in the spring, particularly in peaches, nectarines, apricots, and plums. All sites should be evaluated for air drainage by doing elevations on the property. Fruit should be planted on the highest elevations and frost pockets should be avoided. Frost pockets are easily seen by looking where frost is found during late spring frost events. On Delmarva, an issue we have is that some areas are just completely flat, with low elevation. These areas will not allow for air to drain and can also have issues with cold air accumulating.
Soil pH is an issue with blueberry establishment. Blueberries require a soil pH of 4.5-4.8. Most of our soils have much higher pHs and the soil must be acidified before blueberries can be planted. This can take 1-2 years using sulfur as the acidifying agent.
Sites should also be evaluated for nematodes, soil pests that can be damaging to fruit roots, before planting.