Evening star., 1926-06-19
Gardening in Washington
AND ITS ENVIRONS
CHESTER ]. HUM, Garden Editor, The STAR
DWARF FRUIT TREESI

In the more crowded suburban gar
dens there Is much interest in dwarf
fruit trees in order to conserve space
and to have a larger selection of va
rieties within a given area. Fruit
trees are dwarfed by budding desir-
able varieties upon root stocks which
will naturally induce a smaller top
growth. Other than in size, the trees
are little affected. The extent of
iwarfing depends upon the sort OF
root stock and also upon the type OF
pruning. For apples, the Paradise
root stocks make the smallest trees,
whereas the Doucin root stocks de
velop trees intermediate between
dwarfs and the ordinary standard
forms. For pears the ounce is used,
and this stock develops true dwarf
tree. These are the two fruits ordi-
narily grown as dwarfed trees.
The smallest type of dwarf, apples
on Paradise roots, are commonly
grown in European countries where
climatic conditions. in addition to re-
strtcted home areas, have made the
use of real dwarfs a practical solu-
ton 10 their fruit problems. 1t is
rather to the semi-dwarfs that the at
tention of the Washington reader is
directed, for these may he spaced as
half standards and grown with a mod
crate amount of attention. Standard
apple trees are planted 80 to 40 feet
apart each way, but these distances
NAV be reduced to 20 by 90 feet, up
to 25 by 25 feet when the trees are
on Doucin stock, or in the ratio of
three to four semidwarfs to the space
occupied by one standard tree. The
planting distances with the pear can
he reduced from "a feet apart each
way, with the standard sorts to IA, or
preferab bly, 16, feet apart with trees on
ounce roots. or a ratio of two to one.
It Is recommended that these trees he
planted at least one-half of the above
distances from the property boundary
lines.
In addition to conserving space and
to having a greater number of vari-
eties. semi.dwarfs are easily kept low
headed, so that pruning. spraying and
picking can he performed more easily.
Another advantage of these diva rfed
trees Is that they come into bearing
at an earlier age than do standard
fruit trees Of the same variety
This dwarfing root is only the be
ginning toward a productive tree.
For the first three years the top must
be headed back. especially the upward
growing leaders. by removing from
one-third to one half of the past sea-
sons growth while the trees are dor
rnant. This dormant pruning should
often be supplemented during the
Summer months by the pinching back
OF the strongly growing shoots to
ferce branching and to maintain a
symmetrical top. More care must
he given these two prunings than is
usually accorded standard trees in the
home grounds, else the semidwarfs
will exceed the limits of space set for
such trees. When the trees begin to
bear fruit they should be lightly
pruned, taking out crowded limbs,
cross limbs and water sprouts, keeping
the center of each tree open to expose
the inner branches and fruits to the
sun.
Aside from pruning. these trees will
need no special attention as semi
dwarfs other than the tillage, fertiliz-
Ing and spra wing which all trees I'm
the fruit garden should receive. For
size and good appearance, and espe-
ctally when the trees are Young and
liable 20 everbesf, j. IS advisable that
the fruit crop be fieoroilsly thinned
after the usual June drop.
With limited space one should grow
the bettef varieties of apples adapted
to. this section. with a selection to
cover the early and medium season
sorts, depending upon the commercial
supplies for the Winter kRds. Among
the varieties to ho recommended and
IN order Of their earliness are Yellow
Transparent, Sweet Rough, Odenburg.
wealthy, Grimes Golden, Delicious
and Stayman Winesap. Among the
pear varieties might he mentioned
Tyson. Clapp Favorite, Bartlett, Seek
ef. Bose and Aniou. One, however.
runs the risk of losing most of these
pear varieties, especially the Bartlett.
For they are susceptible to attacks of
the "fre-blight" disease Of the near.
IN all cases order 1-yea r-old budded
trees OF choice varieties and then give
the trees every advantage of soil and
care.