|
|
Article: The Home Orchard; Fruit Trees for the Landscape Without Chemical Sprays? It Can Be Done.
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- June 11, 2009
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
|
The apple looms large in the folklore of our gardens, and there
was a time when every back yard had its version of an apple orchard.
But for all its bounty and beauty, the apple tree is not as revered
as it once was. With reason.
Plump, unblemished apples come with a price: They must be sprayed
to avoid inevitable disfigurement or infestation by pests and
diseases. The search for the perfect peach may be even more elusive.
In our hot and humid climate, developing peaches can be counted on
to rot in the absence of chemical intervention.
The worst fruits for the home? The apricot and the nectarine,
says Mike McConkey, a fruit tree nurseryman in Afton, in the
foothills of Virginia's Blue Ridge ...