New Fruit Trees:

The varieties were chosen mainly on availability in local stores and the fact that they have been grown in South Australia at Balhanna Nursery. This means that the root stocks they are grown on have been chosen for South Australian soil and climatic conditions which are sometimes very different to those in other states.

Apple Pink Lady Malus domestica
Chosen for it's late ripening fruit (May).
We have 5 other apple varieties Jonathon, Granny Smith, Red Fuji, Cox's Orange Pippin and Golden Delicious and have found that the early varieties suffer in the heat of our summers. The later fruiting varieties seem to cope better.
Pink Lady needs either Granny Smith, Delicious, Gala or Fuji for proper pollination. The fruit garden contains a Granny Smith although some distance away and a Fuji closer by.
Growing Requirements:
Apples need winter chilling of 1000-2000 hours of temperatures below 10C Pink Lady have a medium chill requirement (lower than Golden Delicious which fruits well here)
Water requirements:
Apple trees need to be watered well during the first season.
Mature trees can tolerate dry periods.
Crucial water need times are soon after flowering early summer and before harvest to improve fruit size.

Peach Elberta Prunus persica
Chosen because it is listed as being a late producer. The garden already contains a early fruiting variety Anzac and some trees of a very late (name unknown) fruiting variety that are the offspring of a tree that was already planted on the property on our arrival. This peach will fill the gap between the two types already growing.

Nectarine Goldmine Prunus persica
Chosen to replace a poor performing nectarine that died last summer.
Growing conditions similar for both of these trees.
Nectarine Goldmine has a Low-medium chill requirement. Peach Elberta has a High chill requirement. The Peach has been planted in a more exposed site at the end of the bed and should receive more chilling there.
Water Requirements:
Peaches and Nectarines do not like to dry out at any time and require heavy water just prior to ripening.
Drip irrigation is recommended and will be supplied with 2 drippers per tree 30cms from the trunk. These will be moved out as the trees grow to the dripline.