Do you have a fruit tree in your garden, but no fruit in your garden? You're not alone. I am amazed at how many gardens share this dilemma. Year after year, gardeners press on, hoping for some sort of magical fruit tree transformation.
Why do some fruit trees grow strong and healthy, but not fruit?
Reason No. 1: It's the wrong variety for the climate
By a long margin, I have found this to be the most common reason for big, healthy, green trees, but with no fruit. Fruit trees are very regional and particular about their climate. An Elberta peach is a great choice for Fresno, but will produce almost no fruit in a Newport Beach, Laguna Beach or Huntington Beach garden. A Flordaprince peach, intended for Miami, may do poorly here, due to the wrong rootstock for our soils. There are tangerine varieties for inland gardens and others for coastal gardens; likewise with figs, apples, nectarines, grapefruits and just about anything else you might want to bite into. Get some good advice. Regardless of the fruit, it is critical that you start with a variety well-suited to your garden's unique climate and soil.