# young fruit trees



## morninglory (Aug 7, 2003)

Some of the fruit trees that we bought and planted didnt survive. There are sucker shoots coming out of the ground. They are very healthy looking but the main tree branch is obviously dead. If I allow the suckers to grow and become a bush ,will they bear fruit and I can have a peach bush instead of a tree or ? I dont know whether to pamper the remainder of what I planted or start over. We planted 2 peach,2 plum, 2 apple and 2 fig. The only thing that has survived and is appearing healthy is one peach and one apple. The remaining peach,plum and apple that didnt take have this bushy area at the soil line. so someone tell me please.


----------



## CesumPec (May 20, 2011)

I'm not highly experienced in this area, but I'm pretty sure that all of those use a root stock grafted to a scion or fruit stock. Your scion has died and what is growing from the root stock is not desirable from a fruit production basis. You might get great looking trees eventually but have sour, small, or otherwise undesirable fruit. I would replace them as soon as your local conditions are favorable, probably in the fall for you. 

I would also see if your local extension can give you a hint as to why you had such a low success rate. If you bought the trees from a reputable nursery, you are either doing something wrong in the way you are planting, feeding, watering, or there is something in your soil or water the trees don't like. If you are not too far out in the country, the extension agent will probably pay you a visit if you ask, especially if you said you intended to sell the fruit at a farmer's market.


----------



## dizzy (Jun 25, 2013)

Cesum, you're correct. If the shoots are coming from below the graft, it's highly unlikely that you'll be able to get any good fruit. I say highly unlikely because freaky things can happen.

MG, you're best bet it to start over. Did they never do good, or did they start OK, and then suddenly die?


----------



## katydidagain (Jun 11, 2004)

I know figs can be grafted but I doubt yours were. Peaches and plums are sometimes grafted and applies almost always. If this is your planned orchard, I would dig those with suckers up. If you have space, transplant them (or rooted suckers) to see what happens--you might be pleasantly surprised. Find replacements for the holes left behind. Make sure you plant these right. Big hole, lots of compost mixed with native dirt, set, stomp in (gently), get the air pockets out then water copiously and often.


----------



## morninglory (Aug 7, 2003)

Thank you for your responses--this is what we thought. We believe something is wrong with the soil. I am going to get other fruit trees and use a different location for my orchard.


----------



## katydidagain (Jun 11, 2004)

I would definitely dig up the figs and replant; if the root system was strong enough, they could come back. (1 year plant or younger not usually but worth a try.) There are stories of figs being uncovered after many years of "dormancy" when old apartment buildings were torn down and they regrew.


----------

