Fruit Production
Missouri Master Gardener Core Manual
Michele Warmund
Division of Plant Sciences
Missouri is home to almost all temperate zone fruit plants, including strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries, currants, blueberries, grapes, apricots, cherries, plums, nectarines, peaches, apples and pears. They can be harvested from mid-May through the end of October (Figure 1). However, because of differences in their requirements of weather and soil and in their susceptibility to pests, some fruit plants grow better than others. Raspberry plants favor cool summer and fall temperatures, so plants grown in Missouri are often stunted and produce small fruit. Raspberries also require a well-drained soil to prevent root diseases and therefore do not grow well in clay soils. Blackberries, grapes and many of the tree fruits are susceptible to spring frosts. Blueberries require a low soil pH (4.8 to 5.2) and high organic matter, so soil amendments are often added before planting. Because of these special requirements, a soil test is always recommended before planting, and care should be taken to place all fruit plants in sites with full sun. Low-lying areas should be avoided because cold air accumulates there, increasing the likelihood of spring frost damage and subsequent fruit loss. In spite of these challenges, harvesting fruit from your own property can be fun and rewarding. Table 1 shows how much fruit can be harvested per plant under typical Missouri conditions.
Table 1. Bearing age, planting longevity and estimated annual yield of fruit crops in Missouri.
Fruit crop | Interval from planting to fruiting (years) | Life of plants (years) | Estimated annual yield per plant or row |
---|---|---|---|
Apple (standard) | 5 to 7 | 35 to 45 | 10 to 15 bu/tree |
Apple (semidwarf) | 5 | 20 to 30 | 6 to 10 bu/tree |
Apple (dwarf) | 3 | 15 to 20 | 3 to 6 bu/tree |
Pear | 5 to 8 | 35 to 45 | 3 to 5 bu/tree |
Peach | 2 to 4 | 10 to 15 | 3 to 6 bu/tree |
Plum | 4 to 6 | 15 to 20 | 3 to 5 bu/tree |
Tart cherry | 3 to 5 | 15 to 20 | 60 to 80 qt/tree |
Grape | 3 | 20 to 30 | 50 to 100 qt/100 ft row |
Strawberry (June-bearing) | 1 | 4 to 5 | 50 to 100 qt/100 ft row |
Strawberry (everbearing) | 3 to 4 months | 2 | 50 qt/100 plants |
Strawberry (day-neutral) | 2 to 3 months | 2 | 45 to 90 qt/100 plants |
Raspberry (fall-bearing red) | 5 to 6 months | 5 to 12 | 100 to 150 pt/100 ft row |
Raspberry (summer red) | 1 | 5 to 12 | 150 pt/100 ft row |
Raspberry (black) | 1 | 5 to 12 | 1 qt |
Raspberry (purple) | 1 | 5 to 12 | 1-1/2 qt |
Blackberry (erect) | 1 | 5 to 12 | 40 qt/100 ft row |
Blackberry (semierect) | 1 | 8 to 10 | 4 to 10 qt/100 ft row |
Blueberry | 2 to 3 | 20 to 30 | 4 to 8 qt/plant |
May | June | July | August | September | October | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Black raspberry | X | X | X | ||||||||||
Fall-bearing red raspberry | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
Blackberry | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||
Grape | X | X | X | ||||||||||
Strawberry (June-bearing, day-neutral, everbearing) | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
Blueberry | X | X | X | ||||||||||
Plum | X | X | |||||||||||
Red raspberry | X | X | X | ||||||||||
Peach | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
Tart cherry | X | X | |||||||||||
Pear | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
Apple | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
Figure 1. Ripening season for fruit crops in Missouri.
Culture
Pollination
Most fruit plants require pollination (the transfer of pollen from a male flower to a female flower) and fertilization for fruit production. Peaches,