Q: I’m trying to find out about growing fruit trees such as peaches and plums. I have no experience with either. Can you give me any help or any links that may be able to help me?

A: I strongly support growing fruits in a landscape but success with growing peaches or plums is difficult for a beginner. They are both very susceptible to diseases and must be sprayed regularly to combat pests. For this reason, I don’t recommend that they be planted near your home or close to a play area. Pruning is also a yearly chore.

Blueberries, muscadines and blackberries are much easier fruits with which to start learning. Even a dwarf apple tree would be a better bet than a peach or plum in your yard.

You can find excellent guides on growing backyard fruits at UGA.

If you simply insist on growing peaches and plums, you can use the UGA homeowner spray guide