Episode 11:🍎 The Honest Truth About Fruit Trees in Northwest Arkansas
- White River Nursery
- 3 days ago
- 8 min read
Released: [Insert release date]
Hosts: Sarah McCue, Charity Cox, Alex Royce
Episode Length: ~45 minutes
🎧Listen on Spotify / Apple / YouTube
Helpful links and resources throughout
[00:00] Sarah opens the episode by confessing that the team has spent an inordinate amount of time thinking and talking about fruit trees at the nursery - mostly because of frustration. Between customer and the nursery’s own struggles, fruit trees have become a long-running learning project for the whole crew.
[01:00] Charity and Alex lay out the big-picture problem: Northwest Arkansas is not naturally friendly to traditional ‘grocery store’ tree fruit varieties. Warm, humid summers, wet springs, and frequent late frosts stack the deck against backyard growers.
[02:00] They walk through the main challenges:
Stone fruits (peaches, nectarines, cherries, plums) are hit hardest by:
Late frosts that wipe out blooms
Heavy fungal pressure (brown rot, leaf curl, summer rots)
Pears sometimes lose blooms to late frosts, but usually fare better.
Apples are a bit more forgiving on frost timing, but still vulnerable to disease.
“There’s a steep learning curve with fruit trees in our area, and 75% of that curve is just selecting the right cultivar.” — Sarah
🌧️ Disease Pressure: Cedar Apple Rust, Fire Blight & Summer Rots
[04:00] Alex explains how, years ago, the nursery carried all the familiar grocery-store apples: Red Delicious, Fuji, Gala, Jonathan, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp — almost all of which struggle here. Disease pressure was brutal both for customers and for the trees on the nursery benches.
[05:00] The team breaks down the two big diseases that drive their variety choices now:
Cedar apple rust – Primarily an issue on apples, caused by a fungus that cycles between Eastern red cedar and apple trees.
Fire blight – A bacterial disease that hits both apples and pears, but especially pears. It can kill branches and sometimes whole trees if they aren’t at least moderately resistant.
[06:30] Charity describes the “follow-up” problems: once you actually have fruit on the tree, you’re dealing with:
Summer rots on ripening fruit
Insects that create wounds where disease can enter
[07:30] They stress that even resistant varieties will show some fungal spotting or cosmetic damage in bad years. “Resistant” doesn’t mean perfect - it just means the tree can cope without an intense spray schedule.
“You don’t need a second job just to grow some apples.” - Alex
🔥 Fire Blight on Pears & Apples: What It Looks Like (and What to Do)
[11:30] The conversation turns to fire blight, the big bad of pear production (and a concern on apples too):
It’s bacterial, so fungicides don’t work.
Typical symptoms:
New shoots look blackened or burned
Leaves shrivel and hang on
The tip of the branch often curls over in a “shepherd’s hook” shape
[13:00] Treatment is mostly sanitation and pruning:
Cut well below any visible infected tissue.
Clean pruners between every cut (bleach or alcohol).
Many growers prefer to prune fire blight damage in winter dormancy to avoid creating fresh entry points during active disease season.
Charity shares her experience with Asian pears — generally more fire-blight-resistant, but not immune. Her Shinko has fared well, while a 20th Century Asian pear continually blackened from top to bottom and eventually had to go.
🌳 Rootstock Matters More Than the Name Tag
[15:30] Sarah shifts the focus to something most big-box tags never mention: rootstock. Nearly all apples (and many pears) are grafted, meaning:
The rootstock determines:
Drought and flood tolerance
Soil adaptability (hello, Ozark clay and karst)
Resistance to certain pests (like woolly apple aphid)
Ultimate tree vigor and size
The scion (top portion) determines:
Fruit variety
Flavor, texture, ripening time
Disease resistance in leaves and fruit
[17:00] For apples in our region, the team strongly prefers:
M.111 (MM111) semi-dwarf rootstock
Handles drought, periodic flooding, and poor soils
More resistant to woolly apple aphid
Encourages earlier fruiting than full-standard rootstock
[18:30] For pears, they reference the semi-dwarf rootstock OHxF 97, commonly used for disease-resistant pear production
[19:30] Why they avoid dwarf rootstock in the Ozarks:
Weak root systems that don’t anchor well in storms
Higher stress in drought and heavy clay
More likely to need permanent staking
“Don’t rely on the rootstock to keep the tree small. Rely on pruning.” — Alex
[22:00] Today’s fruit tree lineup is heavily curated for:
Cedar apple rust resistance
Fire blight resistance
Reasonable resistance to apple scab (with varieties like Liberty and Florina bred to be scab-immune). ATTRA+1
Instead of chasing supermarket names, they lean on:
Local experience (long-term growers and customers)
Research and variety trials from Guy Ames and Ames Orchard & Nursery in Washington County, AR, along with his work through ATTRA / NCAT on fruit trees in the Ozarks. ATTRA+1
“We offer these varieties not because they’re on the grocery store shelf, but because they have the best chance of actually producing for backyard growers here.” — Charity
🍑 Peaches, Plums & “Ornamental Fruit Trees”
[24:30] The group shares some personal war stories:
Charity’s peach that turned out to be a gorgeous ornamental… and almost never set fruit.
Alex’s pair of plum trees that were big, healthy, and spectacular in bloom — but never produced a single plum after that first nursery-sheltered year.
The takeaway:
Yes, peaches and plums can produce here.
But expect:
Many years with little or no crop
Heavy disease pressure (like brown rot, peach leaf curl)
They often make more sense for growers who are:
Ready to spray on a schedule
Or okay with treating them as flowering ornamentals first and fruit trees second.
[27:00] The team also points listeners to local orchards that do peaches and apples well, thanks to experience and spray programs:
A&A Orchard – A long-standing orchard that grows dozens of apple varieties plus peaches and nectarines; they sell primarily through area farmers’ markets. A&A Orchard+1
Rivercrest Orchard (McGarrah Farms Rivercrest Orchard) – A family-run agritourism orchard near Fayetteville with apples, berries, and fall events. Rivercrest+1
“They have it dialed in. Some years they still lose crops, but when they do have peaches, I’m so happy they’re the ones growing them.” — Charity
🌱 Apple Genetics & Why Everything Is Grafted
[29:30] Alex nerds out on apple genetics:
Wild and seedling apples display huge genetic diversity — fruit ranging from olive-sized to softball-sized, often hard, sour, or inedible.
Historically, people planted lots of seedling apples and used most of them for cider, not fresh eating.
Occasionally, one seedling in hundreds was delicious and crisp enough for fresh eating — those became named varieties.
To preserve those traits, growers started grafting those exceptional trees onto reliable rootstocks. ATTRA
This is why:
Planting a seed from a Gala apple will not give you a Gala tree.
Every named apple you know is really a clone of a single original tree, grafted repeatedly over time.
He mentions writers like Michael Pollan, who have explored apple history and genetics in depth. His PBS Documentary Botany of Desire discusses the history of apple trees.
✂️ Pruning for Health, Size & Fruit Production
[33:00] Alex and Charity stress that if you’re going to grow fruit trees, you must be willing to do some annual pruning.
Two main goals:
Airflow & light in the canopy
Open up the center of the tree.
Reduce disease pressure by helping leaves dry quickly after rain or dew.
Size control
Keep trees low enough that you can actually harvest fruit without renting a lift.
[34:30] Timing and types of pruning:
Dormant pruning (winter) is ideal
Typically December–February in the Ozarks, while trees are leafless and sap isn’t flowing hard.
Focus on:
Removing crossing/rubbing branches
Thinning congested areas
Establishing a strong framework (scaffold branches)
Keep height in check on semi-dwarf trees.
[36:30] Alex warns about over-pruning:
If you cut too hard or during the active growing season, you may see:
A flush of vigorous water sprouts (upright shoots)
More tender growth that’s extra susceptible to fire blight
Fruit pushed higher and higher out of easy reach
“Start pruning early in the tree’s life and do a little bit every year. Don’t ignore it for five years and then try to fix everything at once.” - Charity
[38:00] They also remind listeners to:
Remove rootstock suckers and shoots at the base of the trunk as soon as you see them — they steal energy and don’t produce the fruit you want.
Avoid taking more than about one-third of the canopy in a single year.
🍇 Easier Wins: Pawpaws, Blackberries, Hazelnuts & More
[40:00] After scaring everyone with disease talk, the team softens the mood with some easier fruit options:
Blackberries – Tough, heat- and drought-tolerant; can get some foliar fungus and insect issues, but they’re generally very forgiving.
Pawpaws – Native understory trees that handle local conditions well and aren’t plagued by the same diseases as apples and pears.
Mulberries & Hazelnuts – Often produce reliably with minimal intervention; hazelnuts in particular can become “set-and-forget” producers once established. ATTRA+1
“If you want an easy win, plant blackberries. If you want a science project, plant peaches.” - Alex
🌱 Bare-Root Fruit Tree Pre-Order: What It Is & How to Plant
[42:00] Charity announces that White River Nursery’s bare-root fruit tree pre-order is live on the website:
Apples and pears only, carefully chosen for disease resistance and suitability to the Ozarks.
Trees are grown by Century Farm Orchards, a small, family-owned nursery in North Carolina that specializes in old Southern and disease-resistant apples and pears and has operated on the same farm for over 100 years.
[43:30] What bare-root means for gardeners:
Trees are field-grown, dug while dormant, and shipped without soil around the roots.
When you pick them up:
They must go into soil soon after (either directly into their permanent spot or “heeled in” temporarily).
The benefit: a smaller planting hole and roots that adjust immediately to your native soil.
[45:00] Planting & soil tips from the crew:
Don’t overdo amendments:
Aim for no more than ~25% compost or potting soil in the planting hole; the rest should be your native soil.
Over-amending creates a “flowerpot in the ground” where roots circle instead of spreading.
Go easy on fertilizer:
Especially high-nitrogen lawn fertilizers near the tree.
Over-fertilization leads to lush foliage, fewer blooms, and very tender growth that’s more prone to fire blight.
“You actually want to be a little tough on fruit trees. If they’re too comfortable just making leaves, they don’t feel the need to make fruit.” — Charity
🎄 What’s Coming Up at White River Nursery
[47:30] Before wrapping up, Charity shares a few seasonal happenings at the nursery:
Fresh cut Christmas trees will be arriving soon, bringing that classic holiday smell to the garden center.
Wreath-making workshops with their friends at Trace Branch Gardens, featuring:
Fresh juniper bases
Beautiful dried flowers for decoration
Ongoing yoga classes in a heated greenhouse, which the team has been loving as a cozy, plant-filled retreat.
Listeners are encouraged to check the Events page on the White River Nursery website for dates, availability, and registration details.
🌳 Wrapping It Up: Start with the Right Tree (and Realistic Expectations)
[49:30] The episode closes with a simple message:
Growing tree fruit in the Ozarks is doable, but it’s not “plant it and forget it.”
Your best allies are:
Good variety and rootstock selection
Realistic expectations (especially about peaches and plums)
A little annual pruning
Willingness to tolerate a few spots and blemishes on leaves and fruit
“This isn’t a marigold — it’s a food plant that wants a little attention. Give it that, and it can be incredibly rewarding.” — Alex
Visit White River Nursery or reach out online if you’re ready to choose fruit trees, want help matching varieties to your site, or just need someone to talk through your orchard dreams with you.
📚 Resources Mentioned
Ames Orchard & ATTRA / NCAT – Fruit Trees in the Ozarks
Fruit Trees, Bushes, and Vines for Natural Growing in the Ozarks and other publications on low-spray fruit production in our region. ATTRA+1
A&A Orchard (Green Forest, AR)
Regional orchard growing numerous apple and peach varieties, supplying local farmers’ markets in Northwest Arkansas and the Ozarks. A&A Orchard+1
Rivercrest Orchard / McGarrah Farms Rivercrest Orchard (Fayetteville, AR)
Family-run orchard and agritourism farm offering apples, berries, and seasonal events like fall festivals and pumpkin patches. Rivercrest+1
Additional ATTRA Fruit Resources (NCAT)
Publications and videos on climate-resilient fruit and nut production, tree establishment, and risk management for perennial crops. ATTRA+1