When should my tree start producing fruit?

[Ivan]

Hi all,

I planted a grafted tree (of nectarine, peach and plum) in my back yard in approximately March last year. (I'm in Australia).

In Winter the tree lost all its leaves and produced beautiful flowers, and I was happy to see the tree grow at such speed.

It's now approximately 2 meters tall (or 7"), and whilst some of the flowers are still there, some have either fallen or blown off, new leaves are starting to come out, and one of the grafts has neither flowers nor leaves left in it. Perhaps it's still too cold for that particular graft to start putting out leaves yet....

In any case, when should these trees begin to produce fruit? Should I expect something this year? I've never really grown any fruits or vegetables before, so I have no idea what to expect ..... When do fruit normally appear in stone fruit trees?

[Tim Perry]

Ivan, unless there were plenty of insects about to pollinate your tree,

you would have to do it by hand, a very soft paintbrush or coney tail is ideal. You will also have to be sure they get enough water, peaches in particular need quite a lot. I don't know if peach leaf curl is a problem

in Oz, but if it is you will have to spray twice a year. With luck you might get some fruit next year, once the roots have got a

firm hold.