Preventing Diseases in Fruit Trees

If you maintain any pitted fruit trees such as plums, peaches, or cherries, you already know that those types of trees are much more susceptible to diseases than any other type. While the fruits are delicious, it can be rather hard to live with all of the maladies that can plague the life of everyone who has ever grown one of those types of fruit trees.
 
The main disease that you will hear about the most is known as Brown Rot.. This is a fungus that attaches to many of the leftover fruits after the picking season is over. Not only does it look disgusting on the leftover fruits, but it also can come back on the newer fruits, rendering them inedible.
 
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To prevent this, you should prune your trees often to encourage good air circulation. Buildups of moisture are the main cause of the brown rot. Also when you are done picking for the season, you should get rid of all of the leftover fruits in the tree or on the ground.

Picking a good spot for your Fruit Tree

When growing a fruit tree, choosing the right place to plant it is very important. You have to consider how close it is to a building, electric line, side walk, or any other thing that might disrupt its growth. Once you plant a fruit tree, the chances of unearthing it and changing its spot without killing it are very slim.
 
Therefore you must always be sure you know which size fruit tree you have (dwarf, semi dwarf, or standard) and how big it will end up once it's an adult. Dwarf trees need an area with an eight-foot diameter to grow. Semi-dwarf fruit trees can grow up to fifteen feet wide. Standard fruit trees can grow as wide as thirty feet. To keep the size of your fruit tree at whatever level is best for you, be sure to prune them at least once a year.
 
In addition to this, you have to consider whether or not it will be the sunlight it needs to survive. You also have to be sure it doesn't get too much sunlight. If your tree doesn't get just the right amount of sun, it will die.
 
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Be sure that you do not plant it where the sunlight will be blocked by something. Make sure that it won't be hit by the sun the whole day. Either of these can be fatal to the tree.
 
An important thing to keep in mind when choosing a spot for your tree is whether your spot will be convenient for watering, harvesting, and pruning. A place that would not be good to plant a fruit tree is close to your house or your fence. Any of these things could get in the way of you harvesting and pruning. If your tree grows over your fence the fruit could drop into your neighbor's yard, just keep that in mind since your neighbor may not like this.
 
Be sure to plant your tree where it will be easy to water; if you already have a sprinkler system in your yard you could put your tree where the sprinkler could reach it. If you do not have a sprinkler system installed, you should put the tree within reach of your hose.
 
One of the most important things of all to keep in mind when planting a fruit tree is whether or not your soil in your yard is suitable for your tree. You have to make sure that is has enough nutrients, it has enough moisture, you need proper water drainage so the tree doesn't drown. If your soil doesn't have these traits then your tree won't grow very well or produce good fruit. You can always alter your soil to be more suitable for your tree.
 
You can find out what kind of soil you have by taking a sample and taking it to a lab. It may be expensive, but they can test it for what nutrients it has the most of. You'll have the results back in a couple of days. If your soil is low in nutrients, you can go to your local nursery, or any other store with gardening supplies, and get fertilizer.
 
After you have checked on all of these things, you are finally ready to go and choose what kind of fruit tree you want. When you are choosing your tree keep in mind the spot you picked, and buy the tree that would do best in that spot. The worst thing that can possibly happen is devoting time and money to growing a tree, only to end up having to remove it because of poor planning.

Happy Gardening !

Longan Fruit Tree

Native to the highlands of India, Sri Lanka and southeast Asia, longan trees (Dimocarpus longan) are evergreen tropical trees that grow over 40 feet tall and wide.

Features

The longan tree bears glossy, dark green compound leaves composed of four to eight leaflets. Even if it never produces fruit, it makes an attractive tropical shade or street tree. The small, yellowish, plumelike flower clusters occur in late spring with fruits ripening by mid- to late summer. The bark is coarsely smooth and pale cocoa brown.

Growing Requirements

• Plant longan in fertile, well-drained soil in a garden location that receives at least 10 hours of direct sunlight daily, according to Margaret Barwick in "Tropical and Subtropical Trees." Some shading from intense hot tropical midday summer sun is beneficial. The tree is susceptible to nutrient deficiencies, so an acidic topsoil at least 3 ft. deep is best. Maintain a 3 to 4 inch layer of organic mulch over the root zone. Longan is not drought- or salt spray-tolerant.

Considerations

• Like the closely related lychee tree, longan trees tend to flower more profusely and yield better fruit crops when the preceding winter has been cool and somewhat dry. Barwick notes that winters with frequent light frosts tend to increase the subsequent spring production of flowers. Fruit production is diminished after warm and humid winters during which temperatures had not dropped below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

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How to Water a Longan Tree

Longan trees are closely related to the more popular lychee tree, with similar histories and growing requirements. These trees--also called dragon's eye trees hail from southern China, where they grow in high, cool elevations with some frost hardiness. The trees grow to 30 to 40 feet tall and bear small brown skinned fruits.

Plant longan trees in rich, deep soil to satisfy their need for quick drainage. Use a combination of quick-draining soil, sandy loam and organic compost for planting, to encourage both drainage and moisture retention. Longan trees won't flower or bear fruit if they grow in thick or waterlogged soil.

Irrigate longan trees with 2 to 3 inches of water a week during spring and summer. Longan trees need consistent moisture during flowering and harvest seasons.

Reduce watering to 1 inch per week after harvest and through winter, to decrease excessive foliage growth and encourage spring flowering. Longan trees are tolerant to drought and will manage with restricted or no water at this time.

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How to Care for a Longan Tree

Grow the longan tree in full sun in the warmest, driest area of the garden.

Water the young longan tree regularly to keep the soil moist. When the tree begins bearing fruit, it only requires a regular irrigation schedule while it is in flower and bearing fruit. Withhold water in September and October.

Maintain a grass- and weed-free area around the trunk of the longan tree. Apply a 4-inch layer of mulch, 8 inches from the tree's trunk and spread out to the dripline. Mulch helps discourage weed growth.

Fertilize the first-year longan tree with 1/4 lb. of 6-6-6 fertilizer every eight weeks. Increase the amount of fertilizer to 1/2 lb. in the second year but decrease the frequency of applications to four, split evenly throughout the year. Follow this same schedule in the third year, increasing the amount of fertilizer to 1 lb. Mature longan trees require 5 lbs. of fertilizer just before the tree blooms in late spring and again before harvest. Spread the granular fertilizer on the soil beneath the tree, 5 inches from the trunk, and spread it out 1 foot beyond the dripline. Water well after applying.

Apply an iron chelate soil drench around the tree in July, according to the manufacturer's instructions. Reapply at the same rate in early September.

Inspect the longan tree periodically for pests. Contact your county cooperative extension service to find out approved control methods.

Prune the longan tree to keep it to a manageable size. Agriculturists with the University of Florida suggest that the tree be kept no taller than 15 feet high and 30 feet wide. Cutting 1 to 2 inches from the tips of new shoots on the young longan tree during the spring and summer will help keep the tree compact.

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How to Propagate a Longan Fruit Tree in a Pot

Wait until the potted longan tree develops fruit, which occurs between August and September in the United States. When the fruits reach 1/2 to 1 inch in diameter, pick them off the tree.

Fill a bowl half full of water. Peel away the outer rind and pulp from one of the longan berries. Rinse the inner black seed in the bowl of water and lay it on a paper towel. Repeat the process to clean the other longan seeds from the fruit.

Place the paper towel in a room-temperature location and allow them to sit undisturbed for four days to dry.

Fill a plant pot 2/3 full of a mix of equal parts potting soil and sand. Place one to two longan seeds on top of the soil and cover them with an additional 3/4 inch of soil.

Water the soil well until it is completely moist. Set the pot on a windowsill and wait until the seeds germinate, which can take between seven and 10 days.

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How to Plant Longan

The longan tree, native to China can grow to a height of 40 feet. Longan trees bear fruit best after cool, but not freezing, winters.

Choose the right location. Longan trees like a lot of sunlight and prefer warm temperatures.

Prepare the soil. Longan trees like sandy loam. If you do not have naturally sandy soil, mix a lot of sand into your soil. In fact, longan trees can grow in pure sand, as long as it is moderately acidic. Longan trees also grow well in limestone.

Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and twice as wide as the root base. Then, place the tree in the hole. The sandy soil will probably collapse around the tree rather quickly. Fill the hole in completely around the root ball.

Tamp down the soil around the tree, and water it well. Keep the soil moist. Longan trees do not tolerate dry soil very well.

Support a young longan tree by tying it to a stake driven into the ground next to the trunk. Many saplings need added support, especially in windy areas.

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