Fruit Trees for Every Garden: An Organic Approach to Growing Fruit from an Expert Gardener

Description

Written by the long-time manager of the highly regarded Alan Chadwick Garden at the University of California, Santa Cruz, this substantial primer covers everything a home gardener needs to know about organically growing fruit trees including apple, pear, peach, plum, apricot, nectarine, cherry, citrus, and more. Written by the long-time manager of the renowned Alan Chadwick Garden at the University of California, Santa Cruz, this substantial, authoritative, and beautiful full-color guide covers everything you need to know about organically growing healthy, bountiful fruit trees. WINNER OF THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY BOOK AWARD For more than forty years, Orin Martin has taught thousands of apprentices, students, and home gardeners the art and craft of growing fruit trees organically. In Fruit Trees for Every Garden, Orin shares--with hard-won wisdom and plenty of humor--his recommended fruit varieties and techniques for productive trees, including apple, pear, peach, plum, apricot, nectarine, sweet cherry, orange, lemon, fig, and more. If you crave crisp apples, juicy peaches, or varieties of fruit that can never be found in the store, they are all within reach in your own backyard. Whether you have one tree or a hundred, Orin gives you all the tools you need, from tree selection and planting practices to seasonal feeding guidelines and in-depth pruning tutorials. Along the way, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the core principles of organic gardening and soil stewardship- compost, cultivation, cover crops, and increasing biodiversity for a healthier garden. This book is more than just a gardening manual; it's designed to help you understand the why behind the how, allowing you to apply these techniques to your own slice of paradise and make the best choices for your individual trees. Filled with informative illustrations, full-color photography, and evocative intaglio etchings by artist Stephanie Martin, Fruit Trees for Every Garden is a striking and practical guide that will enable you to enjoy the great pleasure and beauty of raising homegrown, organic fruit for years to come.

ORIN MARTIN is manager of the three-acre Alan Chadwick Garden (home of 600 fruit trees) at the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Farming Systems at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and manager of the orchard at UCSC's Farm & Garden. Since 1977, he has taught classes, lectures, and workshops to thousands of home gardeners, apprentices, students, and budding farmers who have gone on to found and lead organic farms, teaching gardens, and food justice projects around the country and the world. MANJULA MARTIN, Orin's daughter, is a writer, managing editor of the literary magazine Zoetrope- All-Story, and editor of the book Scratch- Writers, Money, and the Art of Making a Living. STEPHANIE MARTIN is a painter and printmaker living on the California coast with her husband, Orin Martin. Her intaglio etchings depict the flora and avifauna of her native landscape.

"An excellent guide for those of us who are 'addicted' to the joys, pleasures, and sweat of growing tree fruit-a sweet blend of the skills and art required to grow the perfect peach (or apple, citrus, fig ...)" -David Mas Masumoto, organic fruit farmer and author of Epitaph for a Peach, Wisdom of the Last Farmer, and Changing Season "Like the best teacher you've ever had, Orin Martin knows how to light the fire. Yes, this beautifully written and illustrated little book provides clear instructions for planting an orchard. It lovingly introduces you to more than a hundred varieties of fruit. But it is so much more. It's about the power of observation, talking to our neighbors, and investing in our food, families, and Mother Earth." -NPR's The Kitchen Sisters (Nikki Silva & Davia Nelson) "The opportunity to learn from one of the great organic farmers is an opportunity not to be missed! The UCSC Farm & Garden has always been a place of joy, awe, and wonder for me; this book captures the thought process and techniques that help us understand the unseen beneath our feet." -Nell Newman, founder of Newman's Own Organics "Here you have all the practical tools to create your own orchard of any size-information on rootstocks, pruning, thinning, and a thrilling array of varieties-but moreover, you have Orin's wise and gently wry voice to guide you through it." -Alice Waters, chef, author, food activist, and founder of Chez Panisse restaurant "In this book, Orin Martin gives us his true mastery of trees. Here is a man who lived his life working in paradise, took care of the land, and planted an orchard. His gifts: the Chadwick Garden, and this book to be shared by all." -Karen Washington, co-owner of Rise & Root Farm and cofounder of Black Urban Growers