How Far Apart to Plant Fruit Trees [7+ Fruit Tree Spacing Tips]
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Whether you’ve got a small backyard food garden or several acres of real estate to play with, the temptation is always to cram in as many edible crops as possible!
But when it comes to fruit trees, how many can you fit in your yard?
To figure this out, we need to know how far apart we can plant fruit trees! The fruit tree transplanting range will depend on several factors, so it is best to have your plan figured out before springing for a load of new trees!
Luckily, there are some clever and creative ways we can fit more fruit trees into our yards. Let’s take a look at how to plant a fruit orchard. We’ll look at all the space requirements of standard, dwarf, and semi-dwarf varieties of nine different fruit trees, then share some tips to help you plan and grow your very own orchard!
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How Many Feet Apart Should You Plant Fruit Trees?
The distance between fruit trees depends on the type and rootstock of each tree!
Standard rootstock fruit trees grow up to 18 to 25 feet tall/wide.
The distance between standard fruit trees depends on the type of tree. Apples will need planting at least 30 feet apart, while pear trees can be a bit closer at 20 feet apart.
This is starting to get a little confusing, so let’s look at the specifics for each type of fruit tree:
How Far Apart Should You Plant Peach Trees?
The exception to the rule of standard rootstock spacing is peach and nectarine trees.
Peach and nectarine trees grow to about 12 to 15 feet, so you should space them out by at least 15 feet. Ideally, each tree should have about 18 to 20 feet of growing space.
How Far Apart Should You Plant Apple Trees?
Apples need a lot of space to reach their fullest potential.
You should generally plant larger varieties of apple trees about 20 to 30 feet apart. Still, semi-dwarf apple trees grow well with only 15 feet of space, and dwarf apples grow just fine with about 8 feet of space.
How Far Apart Should You Plant Pear Trees?
Pear trees are a bit pickier than most other fruit trees when it comes to spacing. While pear trees get larger when they have plenty of space, if you want pollinators to cross-pollinate your trees, you’ll need to keep them close together.
You should give pear trees between 16 and 20 feet of growing space when planting them. Try not to space your pear trees more than 24 feet away from each other, as too much extra space may limit the amount of pollination going on between your trees.
How Far Apart Should You Plant Citrus Trees?
You should plant citrus trees 15 to 30 feet apart. However, smaller citrus trees, such as dwarf varieties, may only need 10 feet of root space to grow to their full potential.
Authorities at the University of California recommend planting standard rootstock citrus trees such as oranges, lemons, and limes at least 15 feet from other trees and structures. However, most other experts suggest that 18 to 20 feet is best, as it ensures that your trees can get as large and fruitful as possible.
The only exception to this rule is grapefruit, as these trees get quite large over time!
Give your full-size grapefruit tree varieties about 20 to 30 feet of growing space, then offer dwarf grapefruits about 12 to 15 feet of room.
How Far Apart Should You Plant Semi-Dwarf Trees?
Semi-dwarf rootstock fruit trees reach a more manageable 12 to 15 feet in height and width, which means that you can plant them just 15 feet apart from each other. So, if you’re looking to fit more trees into a smaller space, a semi-dwarf rootstock is a more sensible option.
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How Far Apart Should Small Fruit Trees Be Planted?
If you’re short of space, there are some other ingenious ways to fit more fruit trees into a small space:
Dwarf Fruit Trees
Dwarf fruit trees graft onto a rootstock! The graft limits its size to 8 to 10 feet tall. Their limited height means they are small enough to be planted in large pots without taking up too much space in your yard.
Dwarf apple trees are a fantastic choice if you're pinched for space. The best part is that you can get almost any apple in dwarf form, including Fuji!
Multi-variety Fruit Trees
Some specialist plant nurseries sell fruit trees where more than one variety gets grafted onto the same rootstock. So, just one small tree might bear several different types of fruit – incredibly ingenious space-saving!
Cordon Fruit Trees
Cordon trees are dwarf trees grown as a single stem, with all the fruit borne directly adjacent to this stem. Their growing style means you can plant many fruit trees in a line, as little as 2-3 feet apart! You won’t get a large yield from each tree, but you do have the option to plant many more different varieties of trees with this method.
Fruiting Hedgerows
Hedges don’t just have to be for keeping livestock in! Planting a fruiting hedgerow can give you an abundance of fruit throughout the summer and fall! You can also count on providing shelter and excellent wildlife habitat.
This method means you can have heftier trees, such as apples and pears, interplanted with berries and other fruits! It might not be the easiest to prune, but it will be buzzing with happy pollinators when the spring blossom bursts into life!
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Read More – Our Epic Spaghetti Squash Growing Guide!
Fruit Tree Spacing Quick Reference Chart
Want an easy reference guide to help you space all of your fruit trees? Well, consider it done!
Here’s a handy chart with the space requirements for standard, semi-dwarf, and dwarf varieties of the most common fruit trees:
| Fruit Tree Type | Standard Tree Size Space Requirements | Semi-Dwarf Space Requirements | Dwarf Space Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | 20 to 30 feet | 15 to 18 feet | 8 to 10 feet |
| Lemon | 15 to 20 feet | 10 to 15 feet | 6 to 10 feet |
| Lime | 15 to 20 feet | 10 to 15 feet | 6 to 10 feet |
| Orange | 15 to 20 feet | 10 to 15 feet | 6 to 10 feet |
| Grapefruit | 20 to 30 feet | 12 to 15 feet | 10 to 15 feet |
| Peach | 15 to 20 feet | 12 to 15 feet | 8 to 10 feet |
| Nectarine | 20 to 25 feet | 15 to 18 feet | 8 to 10 feet |
| Pear | 16 to 20 feet | 12 to 15 feet | 8 to 10 feet |
| Cherry | 35 to 40 feet | 15 to 18 feet | 8 to 10 feet |
What Happens If You Plant Fruit Trees Too Close Together?
When trees grow too close together, they will compete for water, oxygen, and other nutrients. If your trees are too tightly bound, you may need advanced irrigation, and your trees likely won’t be as fruitful.
As every tree grows, its canopy will expand. Despite this expansion, your fruit trees must have enough air, light, and water if you want them to grow a bountiful fruit crop!
The thick fruit tree canopy may reduce light and air around the base and branches of the tree. Overly crowded tree canopies can cause fungal diseases and will also reduce the overall crop of each tree.
There’s another problem with planting fruit trees too close together! When it comes to harvest time, you won’t be able to access the fruit!
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Can You Plant Different Fruit Trees Next to Each Other?
As long as they are suitable for your climate, you can plant any type of fruit tree next to others. It is often beneficial to interplant varying species of trees, as this can reduce the likelihood of disease and may also invite helpful pollinators.
When planning your fruit trees, remember that some types of fruit will need one or more varieties for pollination. For example, pears and apples often benefit from a partner in pollination.
This companion fruit tree doesn’t need to be the exact same cultivar. As another example, you can plant a crabapple tree or dwarf apple next to a standard-sized Honeycrisp for pollination purposes.
Others, such as avocado trees and kiwi vines, may require a male and a female to pollinate.
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More Pro Tips for a Perfectly Spaced Orchard
Whether it’s your first time growing fruit trees or you’re here to brush up on your tree-spacing basics, you might benefit from some of the lessons we’ve learned over the years.
Here’s what we wish we would have known when we started growing fruit trees:
Add Space For a Walkway
If you have a densely planted area full of trees, don’t forget to add a few extra feet to make room for yourself!
Generally, two to three feet extra is all you’ll need to pick your fruit – or just go for a lovely stroll down in your private orchard.
Consider Underground Obstacles
Oh, man. I wish I had really thought this one through when I first started planting fruit trees around my house.
Fruit trees, like other trees, need plenty of root space. If you don’t give them that space, your fruit tree and whatever obstacle that’s in its way will fight against each other until one of them wins.
In my personal experience, my cherry tree won the battle against my septic tank. It was a truly traumatic experience.
When planting fruit trees, think about your home’s foundation, your septic tank, power lines, and plumbing as you decide on the perfect spot. Consider all of these obstacles in your spacing plan. Otherwise, you may end up with a costly repair to undertake.
Protect Your Young Trees From Hungry Wildlife
There’s one more tip that I need to share.
Watch out for hungry bunnies!
Rabbits and deer love to nibble on baby fruit trees. I’m not saying to harm the rabbits or deer. But – keep your eyes open and shoo them away if needed!
You can also get a tree scarf for your young developing fruit tree.
Once your baby tree develops for a few seasons, it’ll grow much heftier and thicker. Before long, bunnies and deer won’t be able to harm it in the least!
Fruit Tree Spacing Without Stress
So, ultimately here are the key takeaways:
- Every fruit tree type has different spacing requirements. Still, on average, most standard fruit trees need 20 feet of space to grow healthily.
- You can plant any type of fruit tree next to another as long as you mind each tree’s spacing needs.
- Plan ahead. Think of underground obstacles, harvesting space, and hungry wildlife before you plant your saplings.
Thanks so much for reading this fruit tree spacing guide – and let us know if you have questions, feedback, or fruit tree growing tips!
More on Growing Fruit Trees:
If you're getting serious about growing fruit in your backyard, you need the Fruit Gardener's Bible! Inside, you'll learn about growing fruits from beginner to advanced.
One of the authors (now deceased, RIP) famously grew over 20,000 trees on their farm in Vermont.
Whether you want to start an orange orchard or launch a tiny strawberry patch in your backyard, this is one of the most popular and highly rated fruit gardening books. Period!
Nice post. Where do you get the tree scarf?
Hi Carol!
Amazon has them, here 🙂
Thanks for checking in!