Fruit

Keeping the ground clear around apple, pear and stonefruit trees will help keep the trees free of disease. Do not leave fruit on trees over winter and always gather windfalls and prunings. Heritage fruit trees are gaining popularity. Many ceased to be commercially produced because of uneven fruit shape or size, inability to store well over long periods or a biennial fruiting cycle. None of these factors should deter the home gardener. Old varieties are often more diseaseresistant than modern cultivars, making them suitable for organic gardening or for those who do not have time to spray.