Orchard People

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.  

Susan is the author of four books on fruit tree care. Learn more here: https://learn.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 "Fertilizing Fruit Trees: Why Water Matters More Than You Think" and find the video and podcast links there too! 

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✍️ 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://learn.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!

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.

Extension Professor Ariel Agenbroad has been working with urban farmers, gardeners and community members for over 18 years through University of Idaho Extension. Her love of plants, people and the natural world shape her programs and her approach to education. She is currently involved with a community orchard at Spaulding Ranch, a one of a kind historic agricultural park owned by the City of Boise.
Together, they explore how soil tests can guide your decisions—without overcorrecting or rushing to “fix” your soil.

You’ll learn:
 how to interpret soil test results in context 
 why pH matters for nutrient availability 
 what organic matter levels really tell you 
 why nitrogen is difficult to measure accurately 
 how to build healthier soil over time 
If you’re just getting started, you may also want to check out the podcast on how to evaluate your soil before planting fruit trees, also with Ariel.
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.
 
IS READING YOUR THING?
🌐 Transcript: Read the full conversation at your own pace. 
🌐 Article: Read the companion article linked to the show "How to Read a Soil Test for Fruit Trees: What Your Results Really Tell You" and find the video and podcast links there too! 

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://learn.orchardpeople.com/books

✍️ 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 premium fruit tree care education visit: https://learn.orchardpeople.com/. 
 
Additional Resources on this topic:

Managing Cover Crops Profitably: https://www.sare.org/resources/managing-cover-crops-profitably-3rd-edition/ (available free online or in print)

Cover Cropping for Beneficials Guide: https://www.sare.org/resources/cover-cropping-for-pollinators-and-beneficial-insects/

Oregon State University Cover Crop Calculator: https://smallfarms.oregonstate.edu/calculator

Compilation of Washington State University Organic Orchard Floor Management resources, including Cover Cropping: https://tfrec.cahnrs.wsu.edu/organicag/tree-fruit/orchard-floor-management/

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://learn.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!

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.

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://learn.orchardpeople.com/books

She is also the creator of five-star rated premium online fruit tree care education at: https://learn.orchardpeople.com

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.
 
IS READING YOUR THING?
🌐 Transcript: Read the full conversation at your own pace. 
🌐 Article: Read the article linked to the show "Evaluate Your Soil Before Planting Fruit Trees" 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 premium fruit tree care education visit: https://learn.orchaCheckingrdpeople.com/. 

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://learn.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!

How do you grow healthy, productive fruit trees — without guesswork? In this trailer, Susan Poizner introduces the Orchard People Podcast and explains how the show helps home growers, gardeners, and orchardists understand their trees and grow organic fruit trees with confidence.

For over 10 years, Susan has interviewed leading experts and orchardists from around the world, sharing practical, science-based advice on pruning, watering, soil care, pest and disease prevention, choosing varieties, and more. This teaser will show you what the podcast is all about and where to begin.

New episodes will appear from time to time, but the real treasure is the evergreen library — packed with conversations you can return to again and again as your trees grow.

Listen, learn, and enjoy your fruit trees.

Sign up for updates: OrchardPeople.com/sign-up
Explore more resources: OrchardPeople.com

Learn how to choose the right fruit trees for real communities in real climates with James Kaechele, an ISA Certified Master Arborist and Program Arborist at the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation (FTPF). FTPF is a nonprofit organization that plants orchards across the United States and around the world.
Also, consider joining Susan's Book Development Team if you are passionate about fruit trees and would love to help shape her new books.
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
The show airs on the last Tuesday of every month on RealityRadio101 at 1:00 PM ET! While it’s no longer live, you can still watch or listen anytime—and catch the recorded podcast anytime afterward.

📺 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.

IS READING YOUR THING?
🌐 Transcript: Read the full conversation at your own pace.
🌐 Article: Read the article linked to the show "Best Fruit Trees to Grow: Choosing the Right Trees for Your Climate (Warm, Cold & Tropical)" 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/

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!

(00:00) - Introduction and the Best Fruit Tree Question

(00:25) - Meet James Kaechele from the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation

(00:53) - Understanding the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation

(04:55) - The Importance of Staggering the Harvest

(07:06) - Disease-Resistant Fruit Trees

(10:04) - Case Study: Warm Climate Planting

(12:11) - Selecting Trees Based on Hardiness Zones and Chill Hours

(19:22) - Implementing the Planting Plan

(26:06) - Recommended Cultivars for Warm Climates

(28:54) - Self-Pollinating Persimmons

(30:06) - Cold Hardy Apples in Wisconsin

(35:06) - Challenges of Urban Planting

(36:02) - Preparing for Tree Planting

(38:55) - International Tree Planting Projects

(40:05) - Fruit Trees in Peru

(45:07) - Climate Change and Tree Selection

(46:35) - Mulching and Pollinator Gardens

(51:08) - Community Impact of Fruit Trees

(55:23) - Farewell and Future Plans