Full size, or dwarf?

Do you grow fruit trees on dwarf rootstock? Or fruit trees on full size rootstock?

I understand that some people are growing fruit trees on full size rootstock so that the trees have stronger more vigorous roots, that also can stand up to gophers better. And they are pruned very intensely to keep them small.

Any thoughts? Opinions?

Well that is a new one on me. Gophers will go after large trees too. But yes you can prune 'standard' size trees to keep them smaller if you like, both citrus and deciduous fruit trees can be grown this way. (some trees my be difficult to find in dwarf) It takes a little extra pruning, maybe one or two extra 'nips' in spring and summer to keep the trees from getting too large. For most you can keep them to around 6' to 8' if you want, perhaps smaller with more vigorus pruning. If you have gophers, before you plant I would suggest useing a chicken wire cage (or any other method) to try to discourage them. It may not be 'fool proof' but this method usually goes a long way to stop them. Why invest $30 or more to risk it to gophers? I have seen them take down trees as large as 12' tall and several years old.

Gophers love fruit tree roots. Once a family of gophers is established in a grove, they will destroy the roots of a tree a day. In the Redlands-Yucaipa-Mentone (CA) area, growers raised cats with six-toes on the rear paws, set them loose in the orchards and didn't feed them much. In addition, there was a whole lot of gas injection and strychnine going on.

Boy where can I get one of those cats?! I'm constantly battling with gophers. I use chicken wire, "hardware cloth" (fine welded wire mesh), electric wire, traps, and poison feeders.

I sort of gassed myself out once with those things you light and put down the hole so I'm a little wary of those now.

Oops, I didn't mean one of those suicide gas bombs. Instead, there are licensed contractors who have equipment to pump a methane mixture into a gopher complex, and then ignite it. Any varmits in there are dead and other gophers won't use a hole with ash in it. The contractor usually comes back in 1 week and puts strychnine in any new mounds -- or the orchard owner does it on their own.

I love your cartoon - it's exactly what I think about when someone says gopher!