1005: Growing Urban Fruit Trees with Tom Spellman

In this Episode Tom Spellman shares more than five decades of experience growing, propagating, and managing fruit trees, with a focus on what he calls urban fruit tree culture. He explains why backyard growers should prioritize varieties they enjoy, choose trees and rootstocks suited to their climate, manage tree size, and use successive ripening to extend harvests. Tom also discusses protecting fruit trees from heat, sunburn, wind, and sudden weather events through whitewashing, shade, pre-irrigation, and mulching. Throughout the conversation, he emphasizes a simple goal for backyard growers: get a little bit of fruit all the time rather than an overwhelming amount all at once.

Our Guest: Tom Spellman has been involved in the nursery business since 1973. At that time, he was a freshman in high school and rode his skateboard to work. Since then he has worked for several different nurseries including La Verne Nursery where he was general manager for 20 years. And Dave Wilson Nursery where he was the southwestern sales Manager for over 20 years. Since retiring he is an Urban Fruit Tree and orchard consultant. Most of all he is the person that knows more about fruit trees than anyone else I know!

Key Topics & EntitiesUrban fruit tree cultureFruit tree variety selectionRootstocks and climate adaptabilityTree size managementSuccessive ripeningBare root fruit treesDesert fruit tree growingSunburn and sunscald protectionWind stress and windbreaksPre-irrigation before extreme heatMulching and soil temperatureCompanion plantingCitrus in desert climatesContainer-grown citrus

Key Questions AnsweredWhat is urban fruit tree culture?

Urban fruit tree culture is growing fruit trees under limited backyard conditions, where space is restricted and the goal is to make the most productive use of that space. Tom recommends growing varieties you actually like and will use while considering climate, geography, and soil type.

Why is tree size management so important for backyard growers?

Backyard growers generally don't need hundreds of pounds of one type of fruit at once. Keeping trees compact makes pruning, thinning, harvesting, and other maintenance easier while allowing multiple varieties to be grown in the same space.

How can successive ripening extend a backyard harvest?

By planting varieties that ripen at different times, gardeners can harvest the same type of fruit over a much longer period. Instead of getting one large crop for two weeks, several varieties can provide f