Certainly you can search (like Google) on this site. See search box above. There's tons of info on all your issues there.

Hello Phoebe.

I'm not one of the fruit experts here, although I like to pretend now and then, but I do have something to say about the dwarf/semi-dwarf/semi-standard/standard nomenclature.

True dwarfs can be problematic for a number of reason, as can standards. Take my word for that for the moment.

Between semi-dwarf and semi-standard one has a range. In either case size can be managed reasonably: a semi-dwarf can be plenty big enough (or can be pruned to keep it smaller) and a semi-standard can be allowed to get pretty dern big (or it can be kept pretty small with pruning.)

So if you don't take tree size as the most important factor you have a chance to look at other things that will also matter: disease resistance, hardiness, vigor, anchorage, longevity, precocity, the like. You specified ease of picking and disease and pest resistance, for example.

The non-professional but serious grower who wants trees that produce useful amounts of fruit (that leaves out most true dwarfs) on trees that can be readily managed without expensive or difficult gear (and that leaves out most true standards) will find a useful middle ground in the semi-dward/semi-standard range, IMHO. And this is a good place to get down to specifics. People here have been incredibly generous to me and to anyone who wants to participate.

Good luck,

M

Thank you so much, M. That was an extremely helpful explanation of the size issue, and sounds like just the direction in which I will need to look.

"Primary goals are flavorful fruit and ease of picking. Pests and disease-resistant would be next.

Generally speaking the two goals you mention are somewhat mutually exclusive (in areas that get rainfall.

What I mean is everyone who starts out with an orchard wants to do it with easy care, low spray, and harvest great tasting fruit.

I started out that way, but have come to learn (at least for my tastes) easy care fruit generally doesn't taste very good. I've cut down and pulled out loads of "easy care" fruits.

You'll get people that rave about Service Berries, Paw Paws and other low input fruits, but for my part there's pretty much an inverse correlation between easy care and fruit quality. At a minimum if the fruit quality is very good it will draw more animal pressure, thereby making it less "easy care".

Not to be pessimistic, but producing quality fruit takes a significant commitment.

All that said, there are a few disease resistant apples that will still require insect protection, but don't require fungal sprays. Williams Pride gets good reviews. I grow Enterprise, and while it's OK, it's not all that great. There are a few other varieties as well.

European pears tend to be easier care if they are fireblight resistant. I grow Harrow Delight and Harrow Sweet. Both are fireblight res. and have good flavor (Harrow Sweet is the better of the two.)

Blackberries are easier to care for and frequently can be grown with no sprays. Of the ones I've tried Triple Crown is my favorite.

Sweet cherries are one of the hardest fruits to grow in a climate that receives rain. Tart cherries are fairly easy to grow but some cultivars must be sprayed for cherry leaf spot in some climates (i.e. my climate).

Peaches grow like weeds and produce abundant fruit early if cared for properly. They do require sprays. There are no easy care peach cultivars.

Most people order from mail order nurseries. The prices are much more attractive and the selection better. There are many reputable ones out there (and some really bad ones). Some I've had good luck with in order of preference are Vanwell, Adams County, Johnson Nursery, Burnt Ridge, Sanhedrin, Raintree.

Adams Co nursery may be near you.

As always, I vote for persimmon and pawpaw as being easy, and I have been told that pawpaws are not affected by walnut trees.

Benny

Though a bush, not a tree, you should consider blueberries as these are nearly carefree and almost universally loved. They should be planted as far away from the walnut as possible as should any pears or apples. Plums and peaches should be tolerant of walnut for the most part. Also be aware that you may need more than one variety of pear or plum for pollination since most varieties are not self fruitful. You could probably get away with one apple since there are likely crabapples or other apples within pollinating distance. Pears, European or Asian, are relatively carefree compared to apples and plums and a good bang for the buck. Peaches are more finicky but well worth the trouble to get really good tree ripened fruit. Know that plums are among the most disease and insect prone of fruit trees. Paw paws are the ultimate no care fruit tree if you like them (If you don't know, now's the time to find out since September is when most ripen in zone 6) and they thrive next to walnuts. American persimmon is probably not what you'd want and Asian persimmons are iffy in your climate.

I've gotten good selections from One Green World and Stark Bros in addition to some mentioned above.

Thanks to all of you for your responses! We will take it under advisement. We certainly plan on some work and know that some care and (unfortunately) spraying will be involved--we just don't want to have to really baby our plants. I'll continue to peruse the board for more info, and will investigate the suggestions you've made.

i like this. very helpful to me and i'm sure others. a lot of input from different growers with great info. m's info then olpea...put that together..nice. thanks
luke

Belle Dave Wilson Nursery has lots of information for the home orchard (Wholesale Nursery).
Dan

In Michigan chestnuts, hardy kiwis, grapes (in bags), mulberries, raspberries, aronia and currant are all easy (no spray) with limitations.

Raspberries have attracted a lot of squirrels since all the ash trees died. The ash seed and raspberry seasons overlap. Mulberry attracts a lot of birds but they are usually plentiful. IMHO, both these berries are high quality.

Aronia is bothered by some pests but currants are usually left alone. They are medium quality.

Chestnuts are high quality but one needs to be careful and pick them when the burrs are just cracking. The squirrels will not touch them until the burrs crack wide open (then it is an all out assault).

Grapes and hardy kiwis are also high quality but grapes need to be away from deer and in a bag, so wasps don't spoil them, and kiwis take a very long time to fruit. Both need a trellis, and kiwis grow 12 feet per year.

There are other choices of course: juneberries, blueberries, shipova (long time to fruit). But the OP, who is going to live there forever, should consider a small apple orchard, with a lot of storage apples, to cover the period November-May, with some spraying and bagging. People eat fruit in the winter too.

Asian pears (shinko is fine) covered us up with fruit.
Gibson golden produced a clear, yellow delicious type apple.
My fuji apples are a winner.

Your trees need to be big enough to get above deer browsing range. also large enough to NOT need staking to survive a storm.