The 6 Best Fruit Trees To Plant In The Fall

Here’s what to plant to start your own mini-orchard

Fall is a great time for planting. Temperatures are more mild, so it’s not as stressful on the new plant (or you!), and rainfall generally is more plentiful. If you have always wanted to grow your own fruit trees, fall is the ideal time to get them in the ground.

When selecting a type or variety, it’s important to understand that in order to bloom and set fruit, fruit trees require a certain number of chilling hours with winter temperatures below 45 degrees. Insufficient hours will affect your crop so that you’ll have little or no fruit. That means you must be sure to choose a variety that is suited to grow in your USDA Hardiness zone (find yours here).

You’ll also need to find a spot to plant in full sun, which is six or more hours of direct sunlight per day. Areas shaded by other trees or your house aren’t ideal. Fruit trees need direct sun to produce buds.

In addition, consider the tree’s mature size; it might not look like much now in that one- or five-gallon bucket, but you don’t want to plant it so it’s crowded by other plants or buildings down the road. Also, some fruit trees are self-pollinating but others require a second tree nearby for pollination and fruit set. Read the plant tag or description so you’ll know what you’re buying.

One last thing to keep in mind: As trees mature, you will need to clean up fallen fruit. Rotting fruit will attract wildlife you may not want visiting your yard, such as deer, opossums, raccoons, and even insects such as yellow jackets. Deer also may nibble on the trees, so protect young plants with cages to prevent foraging damage.

Ahead, the best fruit trees to plant this fall for future harvests:

Pear

Botanical Name: Pyrus spp
USDA Zones: 4 to 9
Soil Type: Well-drained, fertile
Soil pH: Slightly acidic

Both Asian and European pears are a great choice for gardens. They need well-drained, fertile soil but adapt to clay if it is amended. Some pear varieties are self-fruitful, but many need a second tree to ensure pollination and fruit production; even self-fertile types will bear more prolifically with another tree nearby to cross-pollinate.

Fig

Botanical Name: Ficus carica
USDA Zones: 5 to 10
Soil Type: Well-drained, rich, and moist
Soil pH: Slightly acidic to neutral

Although figs do best in hot, dry summers, many new cultivars that do well in the Southeast, such as Little Miss Figgy, have been introduced in recent years. They are self-fruitful, so you only need one tree for a decent harvest. Figs are relatively pest and disease-free, and many types thrive in pots, so they’re one of the easiest fruit trees to grow successfully.

Apple

Botanical Name: Malus domestica
USDA Zones: 3 to 8
Soil Type: Well-drained, sandy to loamy
Soil pH: Slightly acidic to neutral

Apples typically need more chilling hours than many other fruits (up to 1,000, depending on the variety). Look for cultivars with “low-chill” requirements, which will be listed in the description, for best yields in the Southeast. Some apple cultivars are self-fruitful, while others require a pollinator.

Peach

Botanical Name: Prunus persica
USDA Zones: 5 to 9
Soil Type: Well-drained, sandy or loamy
Soil pH: Slightly acidic to neutral

Nothing says the South like a fresh, juicy peach fresh off the tree. Peaches are self-fruitful so you won’t have to plant more than one tree if you don’t have room in your garden. They are susceptible to many diseases and insects, however, so they’re more of a challenge than some other types of fruit trees. They are not tolerant of soggy soils.

Pawpaw

Botanical Name: Asimina triloba
USDA Zones: 5 to 9
Soil Type: Well-drained, rich and moist
Soil pH: Slightly acidic

Native to North America, pawpaw trees have delicious fruit with a tropical, custard-like flavor. The trees can grow to 30 feet tall and wide, so give them plenty of space to mature. They like slightly acidic soil and won’t tolerate heavy clay. Pawpaws are adaptable to full sun or part shade conditions, though they won’t produce as much fruit in shade. Make sure to plant a second pawpaw to ensure pollination.

Serviceberry

Botanical Name: Amelanchier spp
USDA Zones: 3 to 9
Soil Type: Well-drained, rich, and moist
Soil pH: Acidic to neutral

This shrub, which can also be pruned into a small tree form, is a lesser-known choice for edible gardens, but it’s a great option for low-maintenance fruit production. Serviceberry adapts to a variety of soil types. With white spring blooms, showy bark, edible purple-red berries, and great autumn color, this plant offers year-round interest. The berries, which birds also love, can be eaten fresh or made into jams and jellies.