Ideals Distances Between Fruit Trees

Standard Apple and Pear

• Plant standard, full-size apples and pears at a distance of 25 to 30 feet apart, in rows spaced 30 feet apart. Standard apples will begin bearing fruit in six to 10 years; standard pears will begin to bear in five to eight years.

Dwarf and Semi-dwarf Apple and Pear

• Semi-dwarf apples are smaller than full-size trees, but larger than the true dwarfs. Space semi-dwarf apples 12 to 18 feet apart, in rows 20 feet apart. Dwarf apples can be spaced as close together as eight feet apart, with 12 feet between rows.

  Pears are available in dwarf-sized trees that need approximately 12 feet of space between them, with approximately 14 feet between rows. Dwarf apples begin to fruit in two to three years, with semi-dwarf apples taking four to six years to become fruitful. Dwarf pears bear fruit in three to four years.

Stone Fruits

• Standard size peaches and plums require 14 to 20 feet between trees in rows spaced about 20 feet apart. Sour cherries require about 18 to 20 feet between trees and 25 feet between rows. Sweet cherries grow well planted 25 feet apart within the rows with 30 feet of spacing between the rows. Apricot and nectarines should both be planted about 14 feet apart in rows 20 to 22 feet apart. Stone fruits begin to fruit in three to six years, depending on the variety.

Alternative Fruit Tree Growing Methods

• Miniature fruit trees in several varieties are available that will grow successfully in a large container. They bear full-size fruit on miniature-size trees. Space their pots about 5 feet apart, to ensure they get enough light all around their canopy, in order to produce fruit.

  Fruit trees can also be grown against a wall, trained to grow in a single vertical plane, using a process called "espalier." Espalier trees are pruned extensively to create decorative shapes of their branches, which are trained and fastened to a supporting trellis. Fruit from espalier trees tend to be especially large and succulent, due to the extensive cultivating required.