How Do I Start My Own Orchard?

Selecting an Orchard Site: Choose a site with well-drained fertile soil and full sun. Avoid frost pockets and areas exposed to high winds. Expect costs of $4,000 to $5,000 per acre.
Overview of Setting Up an Orchard: Guide through the process of setting up your own orchard, from choosing the right location to nurturing your trees for optimal growth and productivity.
Things to Consider in Orchard Designing:
- Choose planting location on the slope.
- Wells should be located at convenient places in different parts at the rate of one well for 2 to 4 hectares.
- Higher gradient slopes have a higher risk of soil erosion over the years.

Profitable Fruits in Orchards:
- Walnut, hazelnut, or almond trees are among the most profitable.
Costs and Profit Margin:
- A healthy small orchard of five to ten acres can generate $10,000 a year.
- Are orchards a good investment? Tree fruit companies are considered well-run organizations with multigenerational track records of success.

Choosing Orchard Trees:
- Select trees adapted to your climate.
- Consult your local Cooperative Extension about varieties suited to your area.
- Expect costs of $4,000 to $5,000 per acre.
Planning the Home Orchard:
- Consider your orchard goals, such as fresh dessert/cooking fruit, preserves, cider, historic replant, or beautification.
- No minimum number of trees needed to call your garden an orchard.

Start Early: Since fruit trees take between 3 to 10 years to produce a full harvest, waiting to get started means you have to wait even longer for your delicious harvest of fruits.
Starting a Backyard Orchard: A home orchard can supply you with delicious, low-cost fresh fruit, attract pollinators, and provide shade and beauty. It requires a small investment of money and a large investment of time and patience.