Learn how to grow and care for fruit trees with fruit tree care educator Susan Poizner of OrchardPeople.com. Discover how to create permaculture plantings, food forests, and forest gardens in both urban and rural settings. Meet experts on all aspects of comprehensive fruit tree care, including pruning, pest and disease prevention, fruit tree grafting and budding, and soil management.
Show host Susan Poizner, creator of the fruit tree education website OrchardPeople.com, is an award-winning author of three fruit tree care books and an ISA Certified Arborist. This podcast is the winner of the 2021 GardenComm Silver Award of Achievement for Broadcast Media: Radio Program Overall. Learn more and access archived episodes at https://podcast.orchardpeople.com/.
Learn more about Susan's books and courses at https://learn.orchardpeople.com/books.
Site
RSS
Apple
Data updated on 28/10/2026
Recent rankings
Latest chart positions across Apple Podcasts and Spotify rankings.
Shared links between episodes and podcasts
Links found in episode descriptions and other podcasts that share them.
What are perry pears, and why are these unusual fruit trees worth preserving?
In this episode of the Orchard People podcast, Susan visits Gloucestershire, England, to discover the centuries-old tradition of perry making.
Her guide is Phil Kester of 99 Pines, a volunteer organization working to preserve rare perry pear varieties and the knowledge needed to harvest and process them.
Together with volunteer Mark Jordan, Susan explores historic pear orchards, helps harvest the fruit, and learns how traditional perry is made.
In this episode, you'll learn:
What makes perry pears different from ordinary eating pears.
Why rare varieties like Gin pear, Hendre Huffcap, and Blakeney Red are worth preserving.
How to recognize when perry pears are ready to harvest.
How panking poles are used to collect ripe fruit.
What scratting, maceration, pressing, and fermentation involve.
Why making perry can be more challenging than making apple cider.
How volunteers are keeping historic orchards and local traditions alive.
Along the way, Susan discovers that preserving fruit trees is about more than keeping rare varieties growing. It's also about sharing knowledge, building relationships, and creating opportunities for future generations to participate.
Why do some fruit trees thrive while others struggle? with Derek Barbe and Chrisina Balint
Episode 129
Tuesday, September 29, 2026 • Duration 22:22
Explore what soil biology can reveal about fruit tree health - and how compost, mulch, root-zone conditions, observation, and ongoing care can help fruit trees thrive.
Susan visits two community orchards in Peterborough, Ontario, with Christina Balint of GreenUP, where trees planted around roughly the same time are growing very differently. With soil microscopy expert Derek Barbe, they investigate what might be happening beneath the trees.
Resources from our guests:
Christina Balint | GreenUP
The orchards featured in this episode are part of a larger network of community orchards cared for by volunteers with support from GreenUP and community partners.
For those interested in going deeper, Derek also recommends this resource featuring Dr. Elaine Ingham, founder of the Soil Food Web School:
Classic Episode: Vertical Mulching with Dr. Glynn Percival
Episode 128
Tuesday, June 30, 2026 • Duration 28:12
We often think about watering, pruning, and fertilizing when a fruit tree struggles.
In this Classic Episode, Dr. Glynn Percival explores another possibility: compacted soil. Learn what vertical mulching is, when it may help, and why healthy roots begin with healthy soil.
Dr. Glynn Percival is a Senior Arboricultural Research Manager at Bartlett Tree Experts in the UK.
You can download Glynn's PowerPoint presentation referred to in the show by clicking here.
🎧 Audio Podcast:Download the podcast and listen on your favorite app after it airs.
🌐 Read the article linked to the show "" and find the video and podcast links there too!
Classic Episode: Grow Fruit Trees Fast with John Cline
Episode 127
Tuesday, May 26, 2026 • Duration 40:48
In this classic Orchard People podcast episode, explore why some fruit trees grow vigorously while others struggle for years before producing fruit, with fruit tree physiologist John Cline about the science behind fruit tree growth, productivity, and early fruiting.
Together, they explore how rootstocks, pruning, branch training, soil conditions, sunlight, watering, and tree genetics all influence how quickly fruit trees establish and produce harvests.
This conversation originally helped inspire Susan’s book Grow Fruit Trees Fast and remains one of Orchard People’s foundational discussions on young fruit tree care.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
• The difference between vigor and precocity • Why some fruit tree varieties grow faster than others • How rootstocks affect tree size and productivity • Why branch bending can encourage earlier fruiting • When pruning stimulates growth — and when it delays harvests • How soil, sunlight, and irrigation influence tree health • Common mistakes that slow young fruit trees down
Learn how watering and feeding fruit trees work together with arborist, author, and educator Casey Clapp on this episode of the Orchard People Radio Show.
Casey is the co-host of Completely Arbortrary and an arborist based in Portland, Oregon.
🎧 Audio Podcast:Download the podcast and listen on your favorite app after it airs.
🌐 Article: Read the article linked to the show "" and find the video and podcast links there too!
How to Read a Soil Test for Fruit Trees (and What to Try Next) with Ariel Agenbroad
Episode 125
Tuesday, March 31, 2026 • Duration 51:20
What do all those numbers on a soil test actually mean?
In this episode of the Orchard People podcast, Susan Poizner speaks with soil educator Ariel Agenbroad about how to read a soil test for fruit trees and how to interpret results like pH, organic matter, nitrogen, and electrical conductivity.
Extension Professor Ariel Agenbroad has been working with urban farmers, gardeners and community members for over 18 years through University of Idaho Extension. Her love of plants, people and the natural world shape her programs and her approach to education. She is currently involved with a community orchard at Spaulding Ranch, a one of a kind historic agricultural park owned by the City of Boise.
Together, they explore how soil tests can guide your decisions—without overcorrecting or rushing to “fix” your soil.
🎧 Audio Podcast:Download the podcast and listen on your favorite app after it airs.
Evaluate Your Soil Before Planting Fruit Trees with Ariel Agenbroad
Episode 124
Tuesday, February 24, 2026 • Duration 24:59
Learn how to evaluate your soil before planting fruit trees with Ariel Agenbroad, Area extension educator in community food systems and small farms at the University of Idaho Extension, Boise, Idaho, on this episode of the Orchard People Radio Podcast.
How to Grow Fruit Trees Organically: Start Here (Orchard People Podcast Trailer)
Episode 1
Thursday, January 1, 2026 • Duration 02:13
How do you grow healthy, productive fruit trees — without guesswork? In this trailer, Susan Poizner introduces the Orchard People Podcast and explains how the show helps home growers, gardeners, and orchardists understand their trees and grow organic fruit trees with confidence.
For over 10 years, Susan has interviewed leading experts and orchardists from around the world, sharing practical, science-based advice on pruning, watering, soil care, pest and disease prevention, choosing varieties, and more. This teaser will show you what the podcast is all about and where to begin.
New episodes will appear from time to time, but the real treasure is the evergreen library — packed with conversations you can return to again and again as your trees grow.
Listen, learn, and enjoy your fruit trees.
Sign up for updates: OrchardPeople.com/sign-up
Explore more resources: OrchardPeople.com
Best Fruit Trees To Grow with James Kaechele
Episode 123
Tuesday, December 30, 2025 • Duration 59:31
Learn how to choose the right fruit trees for real communities in real climates with James Kaechele, an ISA Certified Master Arborist and Program Arborist at the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation (FTPF). FTPF is a nonprofit organization that plants orchards across the United States and around the world.
Also, consider joining Susan's Book Development Team if you are passionate about fruit trees and would love to help shape her new books.
The show airs on the last Tuesday of every month on RealityRadio101 at 1:00 PM ET! While it’s no longer live, you can still watch or listen anytime—and catch the recorded podcast anytime afterward.
🎧 Audio Podcast:Download the podcast and listen on your favorite app after it airs.
Fruit Tree Garden Tour UK: Exploring Sustainable Gardening, Espalier, Regenerative Orchard & Community Farming
Episode 122
Tuesday, November 25, 2025 • Duration 36:12
Join Susan on a "live tour" and explore how fruit tree heritage and culture continue to thrive in the United Kingdom, in this episode of the Orchard People Radio Show.
This journey will show you how fruit trees are ingrained into the culture and history:
Also, consider joining Susan's Book Development Team if you are passionate about fruit trees. Gain access to audio diaries, ask questions, and an early copy when it's ready!
✍️ Do you want to learn to grow organic fruit trees successfully? Sign up for OrchardPeople.com's free monthly newsletter at https://orchardpeople.com/sign-up/
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON GROWING FRUIT TREES THAT THRIVE:
These show notes may contain affiliate links to products. We may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!
✍️ Do you want to learn to grow organic fruit trees successfully? Sign up for OrchardPeople.com's free monthly newsletter at https://orchardpeople.com/sign-up/
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON GROWING FRUIT TREES THAT THRIVE:
These show notes may contain affiliate links to products. We may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!
✍️ Do you want to learn to grow organic fruit trees successfully? Sign up for OrchardPeople.com's free monthly newsletter at https://orchardpeople.com/sign-up/
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON GROWING FRUIT TREES THAT THRIVE:
These show notes may contain affiliate links to products. We may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!
Fertilizing Fruit Trees: Why Water Matters More Than You Think
---------------------
✍️ Do you want to learn to grow organic fruit trees successfully? Sign up for OrchardPeople.com's free monthly newsletter at https://orchardpeople.com/sign-up/
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON GROWING FRUIT TREES THAT THRIVE:
These show notes may contain affiliate links to products. We may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!
✍️ Do you want to learn to grow organic fruit trees successfully? Sign up for OrchardPeople.com's free monthly newsletter at https://orchardpeople.com/sign-up/
These show notes may contain affiliate links to products. We may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!
✍️ Do you want to learn to grow organic fruit trees successfully? Sign up for OrchardPeople.com's free monthly newsletter at https://orchardpeople.com/sign-up/
These show notes may contain affiliate links to products. We may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!
✍️ Do you want to learn to grow organic fruit trees successfully? Sign up for OrchardPeople.com's free monthly newsletter at https://orchardpeople.com/sign-up/
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON GROWING FRUIT TREES THAT THRIVE:
These show notes may contain affiliate links to products. We may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!
(00:00) - Introduction and the Best Fruit Tree Question
(00:25) - Meet James Kaechele from the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation
(00:53) - Understanding the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation
(04:55) - The Importance of Staggering the Harvest
(07:06) - Disease-Resistant Fruit Trees
(10:04) - Case Study: Warm Climate Planting
(12:11) - Selecting Trees Based on Hardiness Zones and Chill Hours
(19:22) - Implementing the Planting Plan
(26:06) - Recommended Cultivars for Warm Climates
(28:54) - Self-Pollinating Persimmons
(30:06) - Cold Hardy Apples in Wisconsin
(35:06) - Challenges of Urban Planting
(36:02) - Preparing for Tree Planting
(38:55) - International Tree Planting Projects
(40:05) - Fruit Trees in Peru
(45:07) - Climate Change and Tree Selection
(46:35) - Mulching and Pollinator Gardens
(51:08) - Community Impact of Fruit Trees
(55:23) - Farewell and Future Plans
The show airs on the last Tuesday of every month on RealityRadio101 at 1:00 PM ET! While it’s no longer live, you can still watch or listen anytime—and catch the recorded podcast anytime afterward.
✍️ Do you want to learn to grow organic fruit trees successfully? Sign up for OrchardPeople.com's free monthly newsletter at https://orchardpeople.com/sign-up/
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON GROWING FRUIT TREES THAT THRIVE:
These show notes may contain affiliate links to products. We may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!
(00:00) - Introduction to the UK's Fruit Tree Heritage
(01:27) - Exploring Wisley RHS Garden
(04:46) - Holistic Fruit Tree Growing at Wisley
(07:48) - Chiltern Heritage Orchards: A Regenerative Approach
(13:31) - The Artistic Fruit Trees of The Newt in Somerset
(24:06) - Community and Connection at Highbridge Community Farm
(33:52) - Conclusion and Invitation to Join the Book Development Team
Related Shows Based on Content Similarities
Discover shows related to Orchard People, based on actual content similarities. Explore podcasts with similar topics, themes, and formats, backed by real data.
