Why do some fruit trees thrive while others struggle? with Derek Barbe and Chrisina Balint
Orchard PeopleShow Notes
Explore what soil biology can reveal about fruit tree health - and how compost, mulch, root-zone conditions, observation, and ongoing care can help fruit trees thrive.
Susan visits two community orchards in Peterborough, Ontario, with Christina Balint of GreenUP, where trees planted around roughly the same time are growing very differently. With soil microscopy expert Derek Barbe, they investigate what might be happening beneath the trees.
Resources from our guests:
Christina Balint | GreenUP The orchards featured in this episode are part of a larger network of community orchards cared for by volunteers with support from GreenUP and community partners. Peterborough Community Orchard Stewards Read Christina's story: Peterborough's community orchards are growing more than fruit Explore GreenUP volunteer opportunities Support GreenUP's work
Derek Barbe | Soil microscopy For those interested in exploring soil biology further, Derek recommends: Soil Food Web Certified Listing Directory — find a practitioner near you
For those interested in going deeper, Derek also recommends this resource featuring Dr. Elaine Ingham, founder of the Soil Food Web School: Explore Derek's recommended Soil Food Web resource
--------------------- The host of the Orchard People radio show and podcast is Susan Poizner of the fruit tree care education website www.orchardpeople.com.
Susan is the author of four books on fruit tree care. Learn more here: https://orchardpeople.com/books/
HOW TO TUNE IN TO OUR PODCAST
📺 Video Podcast: Watch the recorded episode anytime on our YouTube Podcast Playlist. 🎧 Audio Podcast: Download the podcast and listen on your favorite app after it airs. 🌐 Article: Read the article linked to the show "Why do some fruit trees thrive while others struggle?" and find the video and podcast links there too!
---------------------
✍️ Do you want to learn to grow organic fruit trees successfully? Sign up for OrchardPeople.com's free monthly newsletter at https://orchardpeople.com/sign-up/
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON GROWING FRUIT TREES THAT THRIVE:
✂️ How to Prune Fruit Trees: https://orchardpeople.com/how-to-prune-and-train-fruit-trees/ 🪲 Fruit Tree Pests and Diseases: https://orchardpeople.com/protecting-fruit-trees-from-pests-and-diseases/ 🌳 How to Feed Fruit Trees: https://orchardpeople.com/how-to-feed-fruit-trees/ 🍎 The Best Fruit Trees to Grow: https://orchardpeople.com/best-fruit-trees-to-grow/ 🌱 How to Graft Fruit Trees: https://orchardpeople.com/how-to-graft-fruit-trees/
WHERE TO BUY FRUIT TREE CARE BOOKS AND PRODUCTS: 📗Buy Fruit Tree Care Books (including Susan's books) Here: https://orchardpeople.com/books/ 🪚Buy Fruit Tree Pruning Tools and Other Products
These show notes may contain affiliate links to products. We may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!
More from Orchard People
We often think about watering, pruning, and fertilizing when a fruit tree struggles. In this Classic Episode, Dr. Glynn Percival explores another possibility: compacted soil. Learn what vertical mulching is, when it may help, and why healthy roots begin with healthy soil.
In this classic Orchard People podcast episode, explore why some fruit trees grow vigorously while others struggle for years before producing fruit, with fruit tree physiologist John Cline about the science behind fruit tree growth, productivity, and early fruiting. John Cline Ph.D, is a professor in the Department of Plant Agriculture, at the University of Guelph in Ontario. Together, they explore how rootstocks, pruning, branch training, soil conditions, sunlight, watering, and tree genetics all influence how quickly fruit trees establish and produce harvests. This conversation originally helped inspire Susan’s book Grow Fruit Trees Fast and remains one of Orchard People’s foundational discussions on young fruit tree care. In this episode, you’ll learn: • The difference between vigor and precocity • Why some fruit tree varieties grow faster than others • How rootstocks affect tree size and productivity • Why branch bending can encourage earlier fruiting • When pruning stimulates growth — and when it delays harvests • How soil, sunlight, and irrigation influence tree health • Common mistakes that slow young fruit trees down
Learn how watering and feeding fruit trees work together with arborist, author, and educator Casey Clapp on this episode of the Orchard People Radio Show. Casey is the co-host of Completely Arbortrary and an arborist based in Portland, Oregon. Learn more: https://caseyclapp.com https://arbortrarypod.com https://www.gofundme.com/manage/yearofthecone The host of the Orchard People radio show and podcast is Susan Poizner of the fruit tree care education website www.orchardpeople.com.
What do all those numbers on a soil test actually mean? In this episode of the Orchard People podcast, Susan Poizner speaks with soil educator Ariel Agenbroad about how to read a soil test for fruit trees and how to interpret results like pH, organic matter, nitrogen, and electrical conductivity.
Learn how to evaluate your soil before planting fruit trees with Ariel Agenbroad, Area extension educator in community food systems and small farms at the University of Idaho Extension, Boise, Idaho, on this episode of the Orchard People Radio Podcast.