Yesterday while Lucy and I were outside playing with the baby chicks I happened to notice one of our pear espalier trees was in full bloom. Our second espalier pear tree looks to be about a week behind as there are no flowers yet.
The 5 way apple espalier apple tree we planted earlier this spring is just now starting to produce leaves. I always think it’s a little odd when trees planted at the same time {like the pear trees} “wake up” at different times when they were planted right next to each other and growing under the same conditions.
The Italian plum tree I snuck in the front yard {shhh} last year is starting to bloom as well. I doubt we’ll get any plums this year, but it still fun to watch the blossoms open up and keep an eye out for bees.
The raspberry patch is coming along nicely as well. We moved the canes in place last fall after the HH built a raspberry trellis in the garden.
And our 9 blueberry plants? They are coming along nicely too. I was surprised at how many berries we were able to harvest last year… I’m hoping for double this year.
And finally the strawberry plants. No signs of berry blossoms yet… but my fingers are crossed for a late June harvest.
Do you have any perennial fruits growing in your garden?
If so, what kind? Anyone growing grapes? I’ve always wanted to try those.
~Mavis
Alison says
I put reliance grapes in this year on the arbor my father in law built me. I have to protect them from deer until they are above browsing height. I am also adding black currants to my yard this year.
Paula says
I have a four-way cherry (used to be a five-way cherry until my lawnmowing son ran into it!) and it is starting to bloom. The rainier cherry branch is first. My Italian prune plum is in full bloom. It is about five years old, and is starting to produce for free. The raspberries are leafing out and growing fast. The strawberry bed isn’t blooming and still needs to be weeded! My two blueberry bushes are in bloom. The rhubarb is leafing out and getting big!
Ursula says
We’ve got strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, pear, apple, quince, and fig.
Strawberries (everbearing “Seascape”): put in in 2014, fruited first year, had their first big harvest last year. We’ve still got some in the freezer.
Blueberries (“Chandler” and “Patriot”): Put in in 2013, fruited first year but haven’t had a big harvest yet. One of them put up some lovely long shoots this year, so I’m hoping we’ll get our first big harvest this year.
Raspberries (“Tulameen”, “Cascade Gold”): Put in 2013, fruited first and well in 2014. 2015 was a really light harvest and I think the placement (under a leaky gutter) may be challenging our canes. If this year isn’t a good year, I might move them to another location.
Pear (espaliered “Shinseiki”, “Chojuro” asian and “D’anjou” european): Put in 2015 and bore 10 pears first year. This year it’s covered with blossoms and I’m hoping for 20+ pears.
Apple (espaliered “Spartan”, “Honeycrisp” and “Akane”): Put in 2016, about a month ago, and yet somehow one of the tiers is putting up buds. I’d be pleasantly shocked if it produces this year.
Quince (“Ekmek”): Put in 2016. Just leafing out now, so I assume we won’t get fruit this year, but who knows.
Fig (“Olympian”): Put in 2016. Just a wee thing, so I don’t imagine we’ll get a crop for a couple of years; that said, this is supposed to be a two-crop variety even in the PNW, so fingers crossed.
Aaaaand that’s the novel I’m writing about my perennial fruit plantings. 🙂
Cody says
What type of blueberries do you have and how many?
sclindah says
We have turned our whole yard (just under an acre) into a food forest with many different varieties of blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries (trying variities for South Carolina) and even some kiwi vines. We also have several fruit trees and fruited bushes such as figs, cherries and bush plums, goumi berries and even jujubi. It’s fun to experiment and have all of this fruit around. Last year we were able to make a lot of grape juice which is heavenly!
Pat says
West Linn Oregon
We are planting 7 blueberries tomorrow. Patriot, chandlers, bluecrop and one I can’t remember. Your writing on blueberries inspired us this year. We have one older blueberry we’ve had for years. Last year we had tons of berries from it!! I wish I knew how to identify it, it’s a keeper!! Just starting to see blossoms on my strawberries!! What an exciting time of the year!!
Linda says
It was 6 degrees here (upstate NY) at 5:00 a.m. this morning, so nothing is in bloom here. We also had our biggest snowfall of the winter yesterday.
Mavis, I wish you’d write about your espaliered trees. Do you buy them already espaliered, or is that something you did? I have full grown apple and pear trees, but would love to add some espaliered trees along my garden fence.
Love your sites. Thank you for all the info you share.
Mavis Butterfield says
Linda the espalier trees were already grafted and ready to plant when we bought them. We installed a few at our last place the spring before we moved so I didn’t get to harvest any fruit.
We planted the 2 pear trees last spring and the apple tree this year. I LOVE how they look!! 🙂
Phyllis says
We have strawberries, blueberries, rhubarb, and a quince bush that was in the yard when we moved in. But last year I tried Garden Huckleberries and they were so successful that this year I’m planting Litchi berries and Naranjilla berries…annuals that are related to peppers and eggplant.
Pat Gilmer says
Where do you live?? I’ve always wanted to grow huckleberries. I love in Portland Oregon area.
Pat
Hazel says
I’m in the uk and I have strawberries, a few new raspberry plants, currants (red, white, black and pink), gooseberries (red and green), Japanese wine berry, apples, plum, an elderly greengage, pear, medlar, morello cherry espaliered against the north facing fence, elderberries, a fig tree in a half barrel and a spindly cherry plum. I’m planning a quince and I have an arctic kiwi on order. Next year I’m putting a grape in the rather dilapidated Greenhouse we inherited with the house last year. I’ll replace all but one of the missing panes and plant the vine outside, going back into the greenhouse via the missing pane.
Sounds a lot when it’s written down! I think I calculated my garden is about 1/8 acre??