It's just peachy: Tips on caring for fruit trees from an orchardist
Heather Verhey, orchard manager for Verhey’s Peaches, holds up a peach in front of a line of peach trees in Royal City.
Casey McCarthy/Columbia Basin Herald
Trees are pruned to leave an open center at Verhey’s Peaches orchard to help maximize air flow and sunlight.
Thinning out fruit on young, overcrowded branches helps to protect the branch from breaking and diminishing the tree’s structure.
A peach sits on the branch at Verhey’s Peaches orchard in Royal City.
It isn’t uncommon when traveling around the Columbia Basin to pass by a fruit tree or two, or even an entire orchard. Raising a fruit tree at home is popular, too, but there are plenty of things to consider to ensure the best bounty possible.
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