Choosing the right fruit trees for the climate and soil quality in Virginia is extremely important. Therefore, you need to carefully consult the fruit trees and learn about them before starting to plant in large quantities.
If you choose the right plants, this means you won’t have to spend too much effort fertilizing and will give a higher yield against adverse effects from weather, pests, or climate change.
In particular, the selection of fruit trees also needs to ensure long-term criteria, it is like an investment because a tree to produce fruit also takes a long time, so you need to maintain that tree for a long time to reap the benefits.
This is also why I have mentioned the 5 best fruit trees that grow in Virginia because they are suitable for the weather conditions in this area, are less susceptible to pests and diseases, and can absorb maximum nutrients in the soil in this area.
Top 5 Best Fruit Trees That Grow In Virginia
Virginia has a mild climate and fertile soil, so you can expect to see a wide variety of fruit trees, especially in northern climates.
However, not most of them grow healthy and get delicious fruit. Many fruit trees can only grow for a first season and are susceptible to pests and diseases common in the area.
If you are a person who does not have much experience in growing fruit trees and does not have much time to take care of them, you can refer to the five fruit trees recommended by many gardeners to grow in Virginia below.
1. Apple Tree
The apple tree is the most popular fruit tree in Virginia because the cold spring weather and hot autumn weather provide the perfect growing conditions for this fruit.
Unlike other fruit trees, the flowers and fruits of apple trees can both grow even with cold snow in late spring.
Apple trees are the easiest to grow in this area, so you don’t have to fertilize or water them, and are suitable for all soil types in Virginia. From time to time, you just need to prune to ensure fast growth and avoid focusing on too many leaves and branches.
If you do not have a garden or space, you can completely plant in a pot because apple trees can still live, grow and produce fruit normally.
If you want to grow a lot of apple trees, consider choosing dwarf and semi-dwarf varieties. You should alternate planting these two varieties to facilitate pollination. The best varieties to grow in Virginia are Golden Delicious, Gala, Fuji, and Winesap.
The apple harvest time is also very long from August to November, so you will enjoy delicious apples for three months.
Apple trees are the easiest to grow in Virginia, but you still have to be on the lookout for some insects that can attack apple trees like beetles and leafhoppers.
In addition, leaf blight and powdery mildew are the two most common diseases in apple trees, so you can spray them to prevent insects and diseases for apple trees.
2. Pear Tree
The pear tree is another fruit tree that is widely grown in Virginia because it is well-suited to the region’s cold spring conditions. Pear trees will bloom and bear fruit earlier than apple trees and can be harvested in the summer.
The pear tree is not only suitable for the harsh conditions of the cold spring but also can withstand drought, high temperature, and high humidity.
Pear plants can perfectly be grown in pots even if you only have limited space. In particular, the pear tree is very suitable for those who are just starting in the garden because it does not require a lot of care skills.
However, in the process of care, you need to pay attention to insects such as aphids, and beetles can attack pear trees. The pear tree’s resilience won’t be as fast as the apple tree’s.
Pear trees can also withstand the wet weather in Virginia. You should be aware that if the ground is too wet, the pear tree can have root rot and die.
3. Plum Tree
The plum tree is also one of the most widely planted fruit trees in Virginia. The plum tree will bear fruit in early summer and will continue to bear fruit into winter and spring.
The special advantage of the plum tree is that its fruit is very hard so it is resistant to most insects and diseases.
While pears and apple trees can take up quite a bit of space if you don’t have the space, plum trees may be a better choice for you as they are no more than 8 to 10 feet tall and wide 6 to 8 feet.
Plum trees are not suitable for very wet weather, so you should plant them in an area that is well-drained and receives sunlight.
A gardening tip that you should know is that plum trees can take up to 5-6 years to bear fruit, but if you prune regularly, the plum tree will be stimulated and produce fruit faster.
4. Peach Tree
The peach tree is also a fruit tree that tolerates high temperatures and hot and humid climates. Therefore, summer is the ideal time for peach trees to grow and produce more fruit.
While most fruit trees grow tall and have wide foliage. However, peach trees can grow to 10 to 15 feet tall but the foliage is only 2 to 3 feet wide. Therefore, you can choose peach trees if you do not want the foliage of fruit trees to be too large in the yard.
Among the fruit trees mentioned above, peach tree is the fastest growing fruit tree. It can bear fruit immediately after planting from 1 to 2 years instead of 3 to 5 years like other fruit trees.
Peach trees do not tolerate cold as well as pear, apple and plum trees. Most peach trees will die if winter temperatures are too extreme and consistently stay below 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, you need to take care of peach trees if the temperature is too cold.
Peach trees are also susceptible to leaf blight or powdery mildew during wet spring, summer, and even fall. Therefore, you need to spray and observe the leaves if the peach tree shows signs of disease.
5. Fig Tree
The fig tree is the only fruit tree on this list that is truly resistant to pests and diseases. In particular, figs can be grown both indoors and outdoors.
Most people can grow figs outdoors, but you can absolutely grow them in pots. So you can leave them outside in the summer and indoors in the cold winter.
Planting figs will save you the most time in care, you only need to water once a week and don’t have to worry about pests. In addition, you also do not need to prune as often to stimulate plant growth.
If you grow your figs in a pot, make sure to water them well during the drought season as potted figs are more susceptible to drying out in the ground.
Read more: Types of Fruit Trees That Grow In Clay Soil – Know Before You Plant!
Conclude
Apple, pear, plum, peach and fig trees are all the most suitable fruit trees to grow in Virginia as they are well-suited to the region’s extreme temperatures.
These types of fruit trees are very easy to grow, less susceptible to pests and diseases, do not take too much care and can survive for a long time. So these fruit trees will be a smart and high yielding long term investment.