Planting unique edible fruit--advice, suggestions?

Andy Henriksen · April 19, 2005, 11:13:12 AM

From what I found in a few references here, Blueberries have perfect flowers, (usually) meaning they can pollinate themselves, unless there is some physiologic mechanism to prevent them from doing so. Anyone got any further insight on this? I know Pawpaws definately require 2 or more plants to produce. Maybe blueberry is similar?

Paschale · April 19, 2005, 05:50:56 PM

Andy,

Glad to hear that you're passionate about this too! It's pretty fun growing your own fruit, though I don't have tons of experience--or success! My raspberries are doing well, but the blueberries are doing poorly. I'll probably rip them up in favor of somethng easier to grow. I have two different cultivars, and tried to amend the soil, but they look hideous.

Thanks for the recommendation on the book--I'll keep an eye out for that. A book I just picked up recently I'm finding to be really quite helpful. It's called Fruits and Berries for the Home Garden

He's got info on tons of different berries, and a wealth of information. One particularly useful nugget is regarding the incompatibility of gooseberries and white pine trees. :P Apparently gooseberries are carriers of diseases that can afflict pine trees, yet do no harm to the berry plant. White pines can become infected with blister rust, due to having gooseberries nearby. Some states outlaw them in certain localities. This was good to learn, since I have some terrific white pines in my backyard, and was considering planting gooseberries!

What part of the country do you live in, Andy? Wondering if you'll be one of the fortunate ones to have thimbleberries!

I'm beginning to think more traditional too. I like the idea of trying some espalier shaping of some apple trees, as well as grafting different varieties on one plant. The problem I have is simply that I don't have a lot of room on my city lot--otherwise, I'd plant an orchard!

Anyone have any experience with grafting, or espaliering fruit trees?

Corley5 · April 19, 2005, 06:02:01 PM

Are Saskatoons and June Berries the same ??? I haven't had chance to check just wondering if anyone else has

Paschale · April 19, 2005, 06:13:47 PM

Quote from: Corley5 on April 19, 2005, 06:02:01 PM
Are Saskatoons and June Berries the same ??? I haven't had chance to check just wondering if anyone else has

According to my book, Saskatoons are different than the Juneberries. To get all latin on the subject, :P, I guess Saskatoons are Amelanchier alnifolia. They're bushes, whereas the Serviceberry/Juneberry are trees. Hmm...wait a minute. While I'm doing this research, it sounds like they're pretty close cousins. So my book says that Saskatoons are a "relative of the wild shadbush." Then on a gardening website, I found this, talking about the Serviceberry tree, Amelanchier canadensis:

"The Serviceberry tree, Amelanchier canadensis, may also be known as a Juneberry, Shadblow, or Shadbush. This large shrub has erect stems that form multi-stemmed clumps The serviceberries, genus Amelanchier, are deciduous shrubs or small trees that grow in the understory of temperate forests."

They must be pretty closely related--I forget my eighth grade science, but does this mean that the two are the same genus (Amelanchier), but different species? I forget all that stuff... :

The mystery continues... ???

UNCLEBUCK · April 20, 2005, 12:21:24 AM

Well it sounds like some questions been answered but I give ya the grammas canning synopsis as I asked her all about jams and such. Juneberries make excellent jam, Elderberries excellent jam,Highbush excellent jam, Crabapple excellent jam too . Also I planted the saskatoon blueberry 3 years ago and got 2 berries off of it last year but I think it has been developing roots and this year it should climb right up the side of the corn crib I hope . It looks hardy but I planted it on the northwest side of the crib and it should have been more in the sun but its growing . I just tried highbush cranberry jelly and it is the best of the best. Hopefully this year my strawberry patch will explode ,its the jumbos like baseball size . My 2nd year with a asparagus trench so hopefully it will look like the guerneys picture . well maybe ! :D

Paschale · April 20, 2005, 12:42:57 AM

Ever heard of a Medlar?

UNCLEBUCK · April 20, 2005, 12:48:14 AM

Nope that one I never heard of . :P

Paschale · April 20, 2005, 01:02:08 AM

Hey Buck,

Thanks for gettin' the skinny from granny! ;) I appreciate it. I think I'm going to look into the Highbush Cranberry too. I think I'm going to go visit this heirloom apple tree supplier on Thursday, and see what they've got available.

Doc · April 20, 2005, 01:38:26 PM

I think you should look at Buzz post again, and try persimmon. they are fantastic! Now I think everyone should try to eat at least one green though.....makes your mouth draw up till you can't get a drinking straw in it.....

Doc

submarinesailor · April 20, 2005, 01:46:41 PM

Doc,

Is this experience speaking? :D :D :D :D :D

Bruce/subsailor

tnlogger · April 20, 2005, 01:47:08 PM

Doc I gots suckered into that one once didn't think i'd ever get over the ether.

Paschale · April 20, 2005, 01:47:22 PM

Unfortunately, persimmons don't grow this far north. :-\

Buzz mentioned pawpaws too--they just might be OK where I live, since they say they'll make it in southern Michigan, but I might be just a little too far north. What do pawpaws taste like? :P

Andy Henriksen · April 20, 2005, 02:02:54 PM

Hey Paschale,

To answer your earlier question, I'm in Ypsilanti, so not too far from ya. I would think pawpaws could grow in GR. Heck you have a town named Pawpaw just a little south of you.

I haven't really looked into growing thimbleberries here yet - never actually thought about them until you mentioned it. I am quite familiar with them, as I went to school in Houghton, and spent a lot of time in the UP Forests. I've got the same prob as you, though - small city lot.

As for White Pine Blister Rust, there aren't many WP's in my neighborhood, and the current thought is that the fungus can pretty easily move upto 300 m between Ribes and Pines. You step into any woodlot around me and you'll see lots of Ribes, so I guess I'm not so concerned with being the sole cause of an outbreak.

bitternut · April 20, 2005, 06:05:55 PM

Paschale I believe you are mistaken about persimmons growing in your neck of the woods. I have several growing in my yard that I got from a nursery in Michigan called Oikos Tree Crops. They are only about three years old but they had a few fruit on them last fall for the first time. I left them on waiting for them to freeze and they vanished before I got to try one. Oikos has all kinds of strange fruiting plants. If I were you I would give them a try. I have two Paw Paw trees that are doing real well. I got them from Oikos also.

I have also heard about not mixing white pines and gooseberries but have had no problem with mine. I have had gooseberries for at least twenty years and my yard is full of large white pines. I have an almond tree, chineeze chestnuts, eldeberries, hazlenuts and a couple of pecan trees also.

Also I have a small serviceberry tree, black cherry trees and a clump of high bush cranberry.

Sprucegum · April 20, 2005, 09:01:12 PM

Here's a website you might like to take a look at: Littleflowers medicine plants

Sorry, I don't know how to make it into a hyperlink. They have neat info on just about any plant you can name.

I am really looking forward to finding blueberries, cranberries and gooseberries on my new woodlot

Paschale · April 20, 2005, 09:50:27 PM

Quote from: Sprucegum on April 20, 2005, 09:01:12 PM
Here's a website you might like to take a look at: Littleflowers medicine plants

Thanks for the suggestion. When in doubt about hyperlinks, I just cut and paste the whole address into the document.

I did a web search though, and came up with this--are either of these places what you were thinking of? Regardless, they both look really helpful!

Littleflowers medicine plants1

Littleflowers medicine plants2

Sprucegum · April 20, 2005, 09:53:29 PM

Yes that's the place

Buzz-sawyer · April 20, 2005, 10:01:26 PM

Paschale
To answer ya.paw paws are like a cross between a bannana and a pear.utter joy to eat, particular after hicking or hunting for miles...persimons are pure sugar and flavor....they grow in groves like weeds.....but BOTH plants need to pass through the intestines of mammals ie coons possums etc....or can be artificial abraded to get them to grow.

Paschale · April 20, 2005, 10:03:33 PM

That littleflower's medicine plast has a cool "soundtrack." Right now, it's open in a different window, and it sounds like I'm in the woods. 8)

Hey Buzz...I'm a mammal. :D :D

Buzz-sawyer · April 20, 2005, 10:07:24 PM

:D :D :D
apparently you have never seen a pawpawpseed....huge!

Paschale · April 20, 2005, 10:13:36 PM

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

I guess I'll leave it to the possums then!

No paw-paw's for me! ;)

And where the heck did they get that DanG name anyway?

Gunny · April 21, 2005, 08:14:31 AM

Was runniing the daughter to softball practice last night and noticed the incredible abundance of juneberries in full bloom. This might be a banner year--if this weekend's snow storm doesn't wipe them all out! Just run down any area back road and you'll see the brilliance of pure-white petals everywhere! Our picking spots are located for the end of June!

Hope you get enough for the jam.