Almonds, Apples, Cherries, Nectarines, Pears, Peaches and Plums grow well in many parts of California and Nevada. For more fruit and beautiful flowers, trees can be pruned back quite severely at the end of each year's growing season.
Grow what you love to eat! And if your space is small, consider the wide variety of dwarf fruit trees that are available, and make sure there will be long days of sunshine.
Apples
Apples are such beautiful companion trees. In good old Johnny Appleseed fashion, apple trees have followed human beings in migration all over the world providing incredible food and beauty in an abundance enough for birds and friends and neighbors alike. Apples help bring us together.
For your big orchard, check out Red Delicious, Scarlet Sentinal, Spartan, and Sweet Sixteen. For your backyard orchard, check out simi Dwarfs like Golden Delicious, Red McIntosh, Red Wealthy, and Spy.
Almonds
You can tell when you look at an almond tree that it is related to the cheery, peach, and plum family. Plus, they provide us with one of the most delicious foods on the planet, so great as snaks, but also for cooking and baking. If you've never seen the beauty of the great almond orchards of California, take a drive on the back roads of the big valley sometime.
Cherries
If you have a wide, sunny location with a good depth of well drained soil -- not too damp, not too exposed, but with good air circulation -- a cherry tree might be a great addition to your backyard orchard. Check out the Black Tartarian Cherry for its high yield of beautiful, medium-sized fruit, almost black in color.
Nectarines
A favorite nectarine for the backyard orchard is the Artic Jay. This hardy tree offers 3 inch, very sweet, white-fleshed freestone fruit with a perfect balance between acid and sugar. At some locations, like in Northern Nevada, just east of the Sierra Crest, this necterine is the first tree to bloom in the spring.
Right Planting and Care
It's important that you find the right place to grow your fruit trees, so keep in mind that all fruit trees need full sun to grow well, especially to produce fruit, and well drained soil is also key. Just as important is finding trees that are hardy for your unique region. Be sure to talk to your local tree specialist for tips and suggestions on which fruit and nut trees will thrive where you live.
If you already have established trees, don't hesitate to prune your trees in late winter or early spring. They will love you for it. Keep a close watch in the spring to make sure your trees aren't being attacked by pests. Do some research on what types of diseases to watch for.
