I had been trying to plant fruit trees on my backyard for the last three years. Hoping to collect the fruit of my labor or at least somebody can enjoy it. Throughout these three years, I have planted 12 fruit trees and only five so far have survived. I planted with much care as I think is need it, use good soil, gopher protection, fertilized them twice a year and water as need it. Throughout the year, sometimes two or three die at the same time. Seems like all die under the same symptoms; leaves start to dry up then branches until reaching the trunk. Even once, I took a death tree and dry leaves to the nursery and they did not find trace of known disease. The strange thing is that the tree shows healthy sign for months after I planted even grow fruit, when suddenly die. Weather and soil looks fertile here in California, so I don’t think this have anything to do. Is this common on backyard gardening? Should I give up spending my money and effort on something that it won’t work???????? I appreciate your advice on this matter, Thanks javier
Sounds like they are drying up, check your watering practices. Other problems could be drying winds or mineral salts in irrigation water. Check suitability of kinds chosen to your particular part of California. See Sunset WESTERN GARDEN BOOK with its finely divided Sunset Climate Zones, also web site of California Cooperative Extension.
