How to Grow a Tree Crop on High Terraces

Start all fruit and nut trees in mid-spring when the ground thaws. This timing depends on exact location but always protects the seedlings from cold weather, which damages the roots. Warmer soil also provides easier digging and planting.

Find sites for the trees where they'll get full sunshine, quick drainage and adequate air circulation. Put the trees in protected locations if possible, like south-facing slopes or on the south sides of buildings. This placement protects the trees from cold northern winds on the high terraces, and encourages better establishment. Allocate 20 to 25 feet for each full-sized tree.

Choose trees hardy to your zone. Apple, apricot, cherry, persimmon and plum trees are hardiest, with good tolerance down to U.S. Department of Agriculture Growing Zone 4. Peach, nectarine and pear trees grow to Zone 5. Plant at least two trees in each variety for best pollination and fruit crop.

Amend the soil in each planting site to give the trees support for growing. Dig 12 inches of organic compost into the top 20 inches of soil in a 2-foot-square site for each tree. Adding the compost warms the soil, increases nutrition and adds moisture-retentive material.

Plant the fruit trees one at a time to avoid root drying. Dig holes as deep and twice as wide as the root balls, spread the roots in the holes and cover them with compost-amended soil. Pack the soil down firmly to eliminate air pockets, then water each tree with 1/2-gallon of water. Prune each tree to 24 to 36 inches, and prune away any existing lateral branches. The pruning encourages healthy new growth.

Lay 2 inches of organic mulch -- wood chips, bark or straw -- over the soil for warmth, and put the trees on a schedule of 3 to 4 inches of water every week. Winds and temperature on high terraces mean quicker soil drying. Monitor the trees for increased water needs every week.

Prune the fruit trees in late winter to early spring, while they're still dormant. Prune away unhealthy or dead growth, and any limbs that grow through the centers of the trees. Pruning encourages better air and sun exposure for better growth and fruit production.

Protect the trees in late winter to early spring in areas prone to freezing. Peaches, pears, plums and cherries may bloom before the frost lifts, and experience damaged blooms and reduced fruit crops with late frosts. If the trees bloom before the frost lifts, cover them with blankets or sheets every night for protection. Increase the mulch layer to protect roots.

Feed the fruit trees in early spring before new growth begins. Mix new compost and fruit-tree fertilizer into the top 4 inches of soil around the trees, then water them.