• Continuous harvest (early → mid → late season)
• Diversify fruit production beyond core orchard
• Strong summer income driver
• Clean, scalable orchard block
• Support farm stand + U-pick

• Faster return than core orchard
• Bridges gap between:
  • Flowers (early income)
  • Fall orchard (apples/pears/plums)

👉 This is your summer production engine

• Less pollination complexity overall
• Focus on:
  • Harvest timing
  • Crop diversity
  • Income flow

👉 Main summer income crop

• Separate row or section
• Prefer grouped planting (not scattered)

• Edge planting or row ends
• Good for:
  • Value-added products
  • Pollinator support

• Warmest, most protected area
• Test crop (expand later if successful)

• Candor
• Derby

• Contender
• Redhaven

• Elberta
• Cresthaven

👉 Gives 6–8 weeks of harvest instead of 1–2

Candor Derby Blueberry Blueberry Candor

Derby Contender Redhaven Contender Derby

Contender Redhaven Contender Redhaven Contender

Elberta Cresthaven Fig Elderberry Elberta

👉 Moves north → south as season progresses

• Most trees in peak-producing window

• Non-peach crops placed on edges
• Keeps layout clean and manageable

👉 Same block can be repeated or expanded

• Trees: 12–15 ft apart
• Rows: 15–18 ft apart

• Blueberries: 4–6 ft apart (grouped row)
• Elderberries: 6–10 ft apart
• Figs: 10–15 ft

• 3–4 ft mulch ring
• Keep trunk clear

👉 Fescue grass (recommended)

Optional:
👉 Clover mix (soil improvement)

👉 Open Center (Vase Shape)

• Heavy annual pruning
• Keep center open
• Maintain picking height

• Light pruning
• Remove old canes over time

• Minimal pruning early
• Shape as needed

• Cut back aggressively (they respond well)

• Drip line per row
• Consistent watering during fruit set
• Blueberries need consistent moisture

• 1–3 bushels per tree

• High yield per plant once established

• Moderate yield
• Better for:
  • Variety
  • Value-added products

• Fresh peaches
• Small fruit mix (blueberries, figs)

• U-pick (peaches + blueberries)

• Value-added:
  • Peach jam 🍑
  • Berry products
  • Mixed bundles

• Brown rot (peaches)
• Insects (plum curculio, etc.)
• Short shelf life
• Bird pressure (blueberries)
• Water consistency

✔️ Keep layout clean and simple
✔️ Don’t overcrowd with mixed crops
✔️ Prune aggressively (especially peaches)
✔️ Harvest often
✔️ Keep crops grouped, not scattered

👉 Same as core orchard:

• Build in blocks
• Repeat layout
• Leave spacing between blocks

• Summer U-pick rows
• Mixed fruit baskets
• Farm stand stocked daily
• Strong overlap with flowers + vegetables

Best producers:
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Disease pressure:
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Harvest timing:
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Crop performance:
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