Many home gardeners who find growing fruit trees to be a passion and enjoyable cultivation task may wish to expand their production to establish a commercial fruit orchard. Fruit is a food that is constantly in high demand. It is tasty and nutritious and a major part of most people's diets. Increased awareness of the dangers of commercial herbicides, noxious fertilizers and poisonous pesticides have created a large market for organically raised fresh fruit.

Preparing Your Soil

Start with virgin, organic soil that has not been treated with chemicals in the past. Clear the land and remove all stumps, roots and surface rocks. Till the soil with a garden tiller or tractor. Choose a sunny location. Fruit trees require an abundance of sunshine to bloom and develop fruit. Test the soil. Take a sample to your local county extension office or garden center to test for soil quality, compaction and nutrient content. Fruit trees prefer a well-drained, light, loamy and somewhat sandy soil with a fairly neutral pH. Amend the soil as needed. Soil for fruit tree planting will benefit from a generous application of aged manure from herbivores (horses, sheep, cows, goats and lamas). Do not use green manures as they will burn the roots of newly planted trees.

Planning and Preparation

A successful orchard requires planning. Talk to your local garden center or extension office to determine your gardening zone and which species of fruit trees are native to or acclimated to your area. Determine the cost of starting a fruit farming business by determining the cost of the land, equipment required to plant, maintain and harvest the orchard and the initial cost of soil amendments and trees. Determine the potential market for your fruit crop. Evaluate pricing structure and how much competition you will have in a localized market. If applicable, plan to acquire any necessary permits, licenses and crop insurance. Sketch out a planting plan for your orchard. Trees should be planted 20 to 30 feet apart in a checkerboard pattern. Consider the size of the tree at maturity and the access requirements of irrigation, maintenance and harvesting equipment.

Choose Your Fruit Trees

Choose what kind of fruit you wish to grow and what species. Research each type of tree to fully understand its growing habits and care and maintenance requirements. Purchase well-established, potted or balled and burlap-wrapped trees from 3 to 5 years of age. Choose trees with a good growth pattern and structure. Avoid bent, misshapen or damaged trees. Plant trees in holes wide and deep enough to accommodate the root structure. Align the tree centered and vertically straight in the hole. Plant to the same depth as it was previously growing. Slowly add a mixture of equal parts of organic compost, top soil and sand. Tamp down gently and water as you fill the hole to eliminate air pockets around the roots. Cover the soil around each tree with a 12- to 18-inch layer of organic mulch to control weeds and retain moisture. Straw, dead leaves, shredded newspaper, non-treated sawdust or wood chips or aged grass clippings may be used. Top dress the mulch layer with a 2- to 3-inch layer of wood chips or pebbles. Deer like to munch new fruit tree growth. Protect with fencing or wire cages.

Source:

Texas Agricultural Extension Service: Important Considerations Before Starting an Apple Orchard in the Texas Hill County

University of Minnesota: Commercial Fruit Production in Minnesota--Before You Start an Apple Orchard

Start Up Biz Hub: How to Start a Fruit Farming Business