Unique Fruits for Home LandscapesLuke Gustafson [email protected]
Outline
• Why• How
• Site selection• Soil preparation• Planting
• What• Ideal species for
southern Maryland
Why Fruits
• Enjoy fresh flavors• Reduce soil disturbance vs. annual
crops• Grow color throughout the seasons• Get more from your landscape
• Multi-season color• Have your landscape and eat it, too!
Why Fruits
• Enjoy fresh flavors• Reduce soil disturbance vs. annual
crops• Grow color throughout the seasons• Get more from your landscape
• Multi-season color• Have your landscape and eat it, too!
Why these “unique” fruits?
• Eat unique & delicious fruits not available in grocery stores
• Grow plants better adapted to Maryland climate
• Reduce use of pesticides
vs
Planning ahead
• Do I have the…• Space? • Time?
• Prep, planting, maintenance• What’s practical for me?
• Start planning one year before planting• Sourcing
• Mail order bare-root or “plug” size plants for best selection
Site Selection
• Full sun to part shade (at least 6 hrs)• Access to water • Protection from wildlife• How much can you maintain?• Best to start small
Google Maps
Use legend to find scale:
20 ft
Soil Testing
• Macronutrients:• Nitrogen, potassium, calcium, magnesium,
phosphorous, sulfur• pH – determines nutrient availability
• pH 6.5 is ideal for most crops EXCEPT blueberry
• Amend BEFORE planting• Test every 3 years• $10-15 per sample
John & Jane Doe
pHPKCa
Mg
Picking cultivars
• Select well-adapted, cultivars with resistance to most common diseases
• Buy high quality plants “certified”, “registered”
• Go for bare-root plants since they will catch up to container-grown plants
• Check if more than one is required to pollination
Pollination
• Most fruits require beepollinators to produce
• Native bees (bumble bees, mason bees, carpenter bees, & more)
• European honey bees
• Avoid or reduce pesticide use and don’t spray when flowers are open
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Water and fertilizer
• Regular watering throughout the year is essential
• Shallow-root small fruit plants are especially vulnerable to drought stress
• Use fertilizers according to soil test recommendations
• Be careful not to over-fertilize
Weed Control
• Maintain weed-free zone around young plants
• Keep mulch away from trunks and crowns
• Apply coarse wood chip mulch• Avoid herbicides on trunks
More mulch, please! Ideally, the weed-free zone should be 5-6’ in diameter
Arborist Wood Chip Mulch
Wildlife issues
Deer scat Vole feeding
Pruning Control size and shapeInvigorate- stimulate new fruiting woodImprove air circulation and increase sunlight interception
Overgrown apple tree
• Native range: Eastern US• Habitat: Full sun to part
shade, well-drained moist soil• Habit: shrub (4-6’ tall & wide)• Bloom: late April – mid May,
white• Diseases: none serious • Landscape use: rain garden,
border, naturalized garden• Alternative to: privet, winged
euonymus/burning bush, viburnum
Aronia (Aronia melanocarpa)
Aronia (Aronia melanocarpa)
Aronia (Aronia melanocarpa)
• Fruit: Blueberry-sized, tart, ripen in August
• highest antioxidant content of any temperate fruit
• Uses: Juice & preserves• ‘Viking’ (7 feet) and ‘Nero’ (5
feet) are most common varieties for fruit production
• Note: self-fertile, excellent fall color, fruits attract birds, very high antioxidant content
Elderberry (Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis)
• Native range: Eastern & central US • Habitat: Full sun to shade, mesic to
wet soil• Habit: Medium shrub (5-10’),
suckers readily• Bloom: Late May-early June• Diseases: leaf spots• Landscape use: rain garden,
naturalized garden
Elderberry (Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis)
Spring of Year 2
August of Year 2
Elderberry (Sambucus nigra)
• Maroon foliage cultivars for ornamental use
Boonesboro, MDCatonsville, MD
Elderberry (Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis)
• Fruit: Blueberry-sized, ripen August to September
• Uses: Juice, preserves, tea (flowers)
• Note: yields best with cross pollination
• Fruits can be popular with birds• Easy to grow from cuttings!• Prune like knockout roses
Beach Plum (Prunus maritima)
• Native range: eastern seaboard (ME to VA)
• Habitat: Sun, moist to dry soil• Habit: shrub (up to 10’)• Bloom: Late April – early May• Diseases: no serious issues• Landscape use: hedge,
naturalized bed• Native to: Eastern seaboard
Beach Plum (Prunus maritima)
Wild beach plum at Cape HenlopenState Park, Lews, DE
Year 1May 1, 2017
Year 3March 26, 2019
Year 4April 17, 2020
Beach Plum (Prunus maritima)
Year 3Oct, 2020
Beach Plum (Prunus maritima)
Cornell University
Beach Plum (Prunus maritima)
• Fruit: dime to quarter-sized, ripens in August, sweet flesh & tart skin
Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)
• Native range: Eastern US• Several species native to MD • Habitat: Sun to part shade, well
drained soil, drought tolerant• Habit: Medium shrub to tree up to
25’• Bloom: April – May, white • Diseases: rust diseases & others • Landscape use: specimen,
naturalized garden • Alternative to: ‘Bradford’
callery pear
Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)
Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)
Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)
• Fruit: Blueberry-sized, sweet with hint of cherry, ripen early to mid June
• Uses: Fresh eating, preserves, juice
• Note: fall color, fruits attract birds• Common in ornamental
landscapes• Readily available from
local nurseries
Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)
• Commercially grown in Alberta & British Columbia
• Juneberry (Amelanchier alnifolia) are most compact and fruitful
• Self-fruiting
Asian pear (Pyrus serotina)
• Native range: East Asia• Habitat: Full sun, somewhat
tolerant of heavy soil (depending on rootstock)
• Habit: tree (up to 25 ft)• Bloom: April• Diseases: fireblight, rust
diseases & more• Landscape use: fruit tree
Asian pear (Pyrus serotina)
• Fruit: Crisp like an apple but juicy like a pear, hints of butterscotch
• Bears in 3-4 years (grafted)• Uses: Fresh eating• Cultivars: Atago, Hosui,
Olympic, Shenseiki, 20th Century, Shinko
American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)
• Native range: Eastern US• Habitat: Sun, moist to dry soil• Habit: tree (up to 60 ft)• Bloom: Spring to summer, inconspicuous• Diseases: root rots, leaf spots• Landscape use: naturalized area• Note: glossy leaves turn yellow/orange in
fall, unique bark pattern
American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)
• Native range: Eastern US• Habitat: Sun, moist to dry soil• Habit: tree (up to 60 ft)• Bloom: late May – early June• Diseases: root rots, leaf spots• Landscape use: naturalized
area• Note: glossy leaves turn
yellow/orange in fall, unique bark pattern, slow to leaf out in spring & early to loose leaves in fall
American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)
• Fruit: Quarter to half dollar-sized, orange, very sweet, ripen late Oct-Nov, persist after leaf drop
• Bears in 3-4 years (grafted)• Uses: Fresh eating, dried,
preserves• Astringent fruit eaten only when
completely ripe & very soft but does NOT require frost to ripen
• Trees are dioecious• Cultivars available by mail order
American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)
Asian persimmon (Diospyros kaki)
• Native range: East Asia• Habitat: Sun, moist to dry soil• Habit: tree (up to 25 ft)• Bloom: Spring to summer,
inconspicuous• Diseases: root rots, leaf spots• Landscape use: specimen• Note: glossy leaves turn
yellow/orange in fall
Asian persimmon (Diospyros kaki)
• Fruit: Tomato-sized, orange, very sweet, ripen Sept-Nov, fruits often persist after leaf drop
• Bears in 3-4 years (grafted)• Uses: Fresh eating, dried,
preserves• Non-astringent (eat like apple)
and astringent varieties (eat only when soft)
• Grafted trees available from some local nurseries – some are not hardy in So. MD
Asian persimmon (Diospyros kaki)
Asian persimmon (Diospyros kaki)
Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)
• Native range: Eastern US • Habitat: Full to part sun, moist
well drained soil• Habit: pyramidal tree in
full sun (25’)• Bloom: March – May, 1-2”
reddish-purple blooms • Diseases: No serious disease
issues, avoided by deer (acetogenins)
• Landscape use: specimen, rain gardens, naturalized garden, forest edge
Photo credit: Ron Powell
Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)
Photo credit: Ron Powell
Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)
• Fruit: 1/3 lb – 1 lb, creamy texture, mango/banana flavor
• Bears in 3-4 years (grafted)• Uses: Fresh eating, frozen• Note: need two varieties to fruit• Custard apple family – related
to Annona, soursop, guanabana• Developed varieties (grafted)
have larger fruit, more consistent flavor, fewer seeds
• Available from increasing number of nurseries
Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)
• Challenges: • 5+ years for
tree fruit to bear good crop
• Short shelf life
Key Points
• Fruits can…• Provide fresh, healthy food• Provide food & habitat for pollinators and birds• Be beautiful landscape plants!
Resources
•Home and Garden Information Centerhttp://www.extension.umd.edu/hgic
– Here you will find factsheets, photos, and videos. You can also subscribe to the free monthly e-newsletter.
– We answer gardening questions 24/7…just click “Ask Maryland’s Garden Experts”
– Maryland Grows blog– YouTube channel
•Maryland Master Gardener Programhttp://www.extension.umd.edu/mg
– Consider becoming a trained MG volunteer!
Luke Gustafson9501 Crain Highway, #1, Bel Alton, MD 20611
301-539-3047 / [email protected]
Questions?