Tips to Prune and Train Espalier Fruit Trees It's fun to grow healthy homegrown fruit on a sturdy trellis. The ancient technique called Espalier allows for a full harvest in a small space planting. Espalier is now being done on Apples, Apricots, Citrus, Cherries, Figs, Nectarines Pears, Peaches, Persimmons, Pomegranate and Plums. There are few varieties of fruit that cannot be trained to grow flat. Citrus is ideal for espalier. Watch as our High Density Backyard Orchard Culture Expert, Ed Laivo, walks you through the steps to prune and train a young pear tree growing as an espalier on a sturdy trellis. You'll learn how far to trim back, how to tie down limbs to direct growth. You'll also see what kind of tools are required to create a "high density planting" espalier. Benefits include the fact that you can grow several varieties of fruit trees together as a single espalier. You'll love extending your harvest season and ensuring cross-pollination. Yes, you can grow effective espaliered fruit trees in an urban agriculture paradise or on a small, productive suburban homestead. Enjoy! Shop all fruit from Nature Hills

  LINK: https://www.naturehills.com/cooperative_extension Nature Hills Horticultural Staff is always happy to assist you with your gardening questions and challenges. But sometimes, customers pose location-specific questions to us that we are unable to answer. We don't always have knowledge of the regional climate and soil conditions. We do not want to pass on incorrect information to you. In situations such as these, we always recommend the customer contact their local cooperative extension office. The cooperative extension offices are a nationwide, non-credit educational network that staffs experts who can be valuable resources to local gardeners. Your county extension offices can answer questions related to various trees and plants and other gardening issues at no cost to you. Your local cooperative extension office may also offer growing and maintenance guides and can help diagnose insect infestation and suggest remedies free of charge. Other services may include soil testing and pH so you can see what your soil is lacking and tackle your unique situation. Each office is staffed with helpful experts that are ready and willing to assist you.  Perhaps you live in an area that has a tough climate - because of elevation or unusual microclimate that may affect what grows well for you. In your case, the general USDA Plant Hardiness Growing Zones map may not reveal the challenges for your particular area. Use your Extension Office to tap into excellent information that can save you lots of time, frustration, and money from having the benefit of research and history of the area available to you for free.  The beauty of contacting your local Extension Office is they will be able to share with you all pertinent information for plants in YOUR local area. They know which species or cultivars work best in the immediate area. Your local office will have experience dealing with disease and insect problems that may have plagued the area in the past or have new data on problems that are new to an area. You'll get feedback not only from master gardeners and growers or homeowners, but also University knowledge and research that is pertinent for your local area. It’s so easy to obtain pertinent information regarding plant identification and/or information on diseases or insects that can affect the health of your garden by contacting your local Cooperative Extension Office (aka County Extension Office). For your convenience, we have compiled a list of the nationwide network of County Cooperative Extension offices. Just click on your state to find your local office.

These days, every region is becoming more aware of precious water resources. And, gardeners are busy people, so time is also something to carefully safeguard. Watch the video below to get the pros and cons of different techniques, and learn how to adjust automatic water systems as you need to.  Water-Wise landscaping is here, and we don't think that philosophy is going away. This is true all across the country as people realize how expensive water bills are getting. Learn the finer details of using timer for watering plants and automatic watering system for plants. That means automatic sprinkler systems, too.  Have a question? Email us at [email protected]!

Nature Hills sells all kinds of plants, including trees, shrubs, fruiting trees & plants, perennials, roses, vines, grasses - you name it! And every one of our beautiful and useful plants loves a layer of mulch to keep the weeds down and provide cover for their roots. New and Existing Plants Benefit Greatly From a Layer of Mulch Over the Roots Watch as Ed Laivo, one of our resident horticulturalists, breaks it down for you. See what kind of mulch is right for several applications around your landscape. Learn about the proper depth for new plantings and as an annual topping. During the video, you'll understand the different types of mulch, and when to use them. You'll see when to use compost as a mulch. You'll get tips on how to apply (and re-apply) mulch as a top dressing. Finally, you'll walk away with a much greater insight into the benefits of mulch, including weed and moisture control. We want you to be thrilled with your plants! Mulch is a critical step to success. Trees  |  Bushes & Shrubs  |  Fruit Trees & Plants  |  Perennials  |  Roses  |  Grasses

#ProPlantTips from Nature Hills on Repotting Container Grown Fruit Trees Let Ed Laivo, Nature Hills resident Fruit Horticulturalist, show you tips and tricks of repotting container grown fruit trees for the best results.  What size pot comes next as you repot your fruit tree into a larger size container? You'll learn everything from the right potting soil mix to use to how to handle the roots of the plant as you repot it. Growing fruit in containers is a wonderful way to produce delicious food, and gain a highly ornamental patio plant in the process. If you live in a cold growing zone, and must grow tender fruit - like the Australian Finger Lime - in containers, you'll definitely want to watch.