In apples and pears the common diseases include scab and fire blight. With other fruits, such as raspberries, make sure you buy from a nursery that propagates from virus-free plants. Another crucial issue is hardiness. Make sure that the plants you purchase won t be damaged over the winter, by checking hardiness information before buying. Also consider bloom time.
Many fruits flower very early in the spring.
If your area is prone to late frosts, such early bloomers may survive, but they will never truly thrive or reliably set fruit. To grow these plants in a marginal area, you ll have to plant them in an especially favorable and protected site. Local nurseries usually sell trees in containers or with the root mass wrapped in burlap. Mail-order nurseries usually sell trees as bareroot stock, which means that they are shipped to you in a dormant state with their roots packed in damp wood shavings. However, if you re unsure about which variety to buy, a local nursery will carry plants that will thrive in your growing area.