How the plan is worked out
Each tree gets the spacing an extension guide gives for its rootstock or size: Minnesota Extension for apples by size class, the RHS for named UK rootstocks, and Oregon State, Penn State and Virginia Tech for pears and stone fruit. The planner puts the tallest trees on the north side, keeps branches inside your fences, and keeps trees at least their own mature height from the house, as Minnesota Extension suggests. Heights come from the guides where they give one for grafted trees; otherwise the spacing stands in. Close rows use Penn State's in-row and between-row distances for staked dwarf trees.
Pollination follows the RHS flowering groups and US bloom periods for apples, the S-allele groups for sweet cherries, and the WSU pear chart.
Fruit tree spacing chart
| Fruit | Dwarf | Semi-dwarf | Standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | 6 to 10 ft | 12 to 15 ft | 20 to 25 ft |
| Pear | 10 to 12 ft | 10 to 20 ft | 20 to 25 ft |
| Sweet cherry | 9 ft (Gisela 5) | 20 to 25 ft | |
| Peach, plum, tart cherry | 12 to 20 ft |
Apple: Minnesota Extension. Pear: Virginia Tech, Penn State, Oregon State. Cherry: RHS, Oregon State, Penn State. Peach and plum: Oregon State to Virginia Tech; tart cherry 14 to 20 ft.
Questions people ask
How far apart should fruit trees be planted?
Minnesota Extension gives 6 to 10 feet for dwarf apples, 12 to 15 for semi-dwarf and 20 to 25 for standard trees, and a rule of thumb: as much space as the tree will be tall. The RHS gives 2.4 to 3 m on M9 and 3.6 m on MM106. The planner uses the range for your rootstock.
How many fruit trees do I need for a family?
Fewer than most people expect. Oregon State puts a mature semi-dwarf apple at 180 to 300 pounds a year, while the US supply of fresh apples is about 16 pounds per person (USDA). Set your household size and the planner compares the two for each fruit.
Do I need two apple trees to get fruit?
Usually yes. Apples need pollen from a different variety that flowers at the same time, within about 100 feet (Minnesota Extension) or 18 m (RHS). A neighbor's apple or a flowering crab apple counts. Triploids such as Jonagold and Bramley need two other varieties nearby.
Which fruit trees are self-fertile?
Peaches, nectarines, tart cherries and most apricots set fruit with their own pollen. So do some sweet cherries (Stella, Lapins, Sweetheart) and some European plums (Stanley, Victoria). Most apples, pears, Japanese plums and other sweet cherries need a partner. Even self-fertile trees often crop better with one.
Can a crab apple pollinate my apple tree?
Yes, if the two flower at the same time. Virginia Tech says crab apple trees within 100 feet of apple trees will usually provide adequate pollination. Add one as a crab apple and the planner counts it as a partner for apples that flower with it.
How close to a house or fence can I plant a fruit tree?
Oregon State says to keep branches out of the neighbor's yard, so plant at least half the mature spread from the line. Minnesota Extension suggests as much space as the tree's height from buildings. Cordons and espaliers go about 30 cm from the wall or fence (RHS).
What do M9, M26, MM106 and G.41 mean?
They are rootstocks, which set the size of the tree. M27, M9, B.9 and G.41 make small trees that need a stake for life. M26 and G.935 are a little bigger. M7, MM106 and G.890 make semi-dwarf trees, and MM111 or a seedling make large ones.
Once the trees are in
Every variety the planner knows is in the fruit tree pollination chart. For the years after planting, see Fruit Tree Spray and Pruning Calendar in the tools below.