Understanding sun needs

General Fruit Growing
1

I’m doing a little layout/planning for fruit trees, and my sun is varied quite a bit, so I could use some guidance. I have areas that get (equinox/solstice) 6h/11h, 6h/8h, 5h/7h, 5h/6h, 4h/8h of Colorado (pretty intense) sun (hopefully the sun seeker app is reliable).

Do I have the below fruits in the right order, in terms of relative direct sun needed?

E. Pears
A. Pears
Peaches
J. & Hybrid Plums
E. Plums
Apple
Various Berries
Cherries (sour to start out)

A couple questions:

  • Are there any of these that are more sensitive needing early/late sun or shade?
  • Any of these with special Early/Mid/Late season sun or shade needs?
  • Which of the above would produce reasonably in the sun zones I listed?

Thanks!

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2

I think peaches and J plums would benefit most from high sun hrs. Then the pears, apples, E plums, and cherries. Berries the least.

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3

Ok, thanks - that is helpful! I think I hear that typically 6 hours of sun is needed for OK fruit production, up through harvest, to get the sugars up. Does that sound about right? I’m counting on the intensity of the Colorado sun to ‘up my numbers’ a little.

4

I always think we can take 40% less sun than everyone else says things need.

5

In my experience the less sun, the less fruit. Whatever it is. Except for those not needing full sun, mostly berries. But I don’t grow everything so I’m sure some exceptions.

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