growing fruit
in the mid-atlantic
ben kessler
selection
How much space?
How much direct sunlight per day, and what time of day?
How cold are winters?
What kind of soil?
How much time can I devote to care & maintenance?
Where are my habitual paths? Other animals'?
What do my family, my neighbors, and I like to eat?
Do I want to eat toxic chemicals? (No.)
choose the right tree for the proper place
asian persimmon
Height: 10' 15' Spread: 12' 15'
Fruits in Autumn
Very Productive
Fast Growing Tree
Frost-Tolerant
Few Pests, Fewer Diseases
Self Fertile
Cultivars: Jiro, Wase Fuyu, Hachiya, Gwang Yang, Tam Kam,
Saijo
fig
Height: 6' 15' Spread: 10' 15'
Fruits in Summer
Very Productive
Fast Growing Shrub
Succeptible to Frost(Site against South-facing wall)
Self-Fertile
Cultivars: Hardy Chicago, Celeste, English Brown Turkey
pomegranate
Height: 5' 10' Spread: 6' 12'
Fruits in Autumn
Very Productive
Fast Growing Shrub
Self Fertile
Cultivars: Salavatsky, Russian, Austin, Nana Dwarf Black
Height: 10' 15'Spread: 10' 13'
Fruits in Autumn
Native to Eastern US
Fast Growing Shrub
Thicketing
Shade-Tolerant
Not Self Fertile
Cultivars: Wild, Select, Mango, Susquehanna, Rappahannock
pawpaw
elderberry
Height: 6' 10' Spread: 10' 12'
Blooms in Spring, Fruits in Summer
Medicinal Fruits & Flowers
Fast Growing Shrub
Shade-Tolerant
Not Self Fertile:Sambucus nigraSambucus canadensis
Cultivars: Johns, Adams, Black Lace, Cut-Leaf
mulberry
Height: 6' 40' Spread: 10' 30'
Fruits in Early Summer
Very Productive
Fast Growing Tree
Few Pests, Fewer Diseases
Self Fertile
Cultivars: Pakistan, Girardi, Collier, Shangri-La
apple
Height: 10' 20' Spread: 10' 15'
Fruits in Autumn
Needs Full Sun
Long-Lived Tree
(Many) Not Self Fertile
Good Cultivars: AR Black, Liberty, Enterprise, Goldrush
Bad Cultivars: Fuji, Delicious, Pink Lady, (anything you would
find in a supermarket)
siting
SE sun preferable to SW
Protection from Frost Wind (usually NW)
Enough room to walk around mature canopy
Plant 'trap crops' like bush cherries outside orchard to draw
away birds
Plant multiple trees in a Circular or Hexagonal pattern instead
of Rows
Keep clear paths to trunk for harvesting and pruning
pick the proper place for the right tree
planting
Plant around First or Last Frost
Dig hole as deep as root ball,but 2 3 times as wide
Keep the Root Crown above the soil line
Add no amendments to the hole,only native soil
Top dress with 1 compost out to mature canopy line
Always mulch!3- 5 deep, to mature canopy line
Keep mulch least a hand's breadth from the trunk
Water well for first 2 weeks
roots before fruits
companion plants
Beneficial Insect AttractorsBee BalmQueen Ann's LaceAnise
HyssopCilantroUmbels & Composites
Mineral & Nutrient
AccumulatorsComfreyChicoryDandelionLegumes
Living MulchesNasturtiumVetchCloverYarrowChamomile
don't plant a tree, plant a garden
blueberry
Height: 3' 6' Spread: 4' 6'
Fruits in Summer
Very Productive
Fast Growing Bush
Southern Highbush Rabbit-eye
Some Self Fertile
Requires high organic material and low pH:Amend soil with rotted
pine mulch
Cultivars: Sunshine, Yadkin, Tifblue, Lenoir, O'Neal, Star
goumi
Height: 5' 8' Spread: 6' 8'
Fruits in Summer
Very Productive
Fast Growing Shrub
Nitrogen-fixing
Self Fertile
Not the same as Autumn Olive (Eleagnus umbellata)
goji
Height: 3' 6' Spread: 6' 8'
Fruits in Summer
Very Productive
Vining Shrub
Partial Shade Tolerant
Self Fertile
Prefers Alkaline Soils
honeyberry
Height: 3' 6' Spread: 4' 5'
Fruits in Spring
Fast Growing Bush
Not Self Fertile:Lonicera kamtschaticaLonicera caerulea
Very hardy
Cultivars: Berry Blue, Bluebird,Blue Moon, Blue Velvet
aronia
Height: 4' 6' Spread: 5' 6'
Fruits in Summer
Vivid Fall Foliage
Very Disease Resistant
Fast Growing Bush
Self Fertile
Cultivars: Viking, Nero
pruning
Prune during dormant season
Bloom Early, Prune Late
Take Out:Dead, Damaged & DecayedCrossing & Weak
Limbs
Clean Your Tools Between Cuts
Take no more than 1/3 of limbs
Remove all pruned material
the kindest cut
forest gardening
Permaculture
No plant grows alone in the wild
We are living in uncertain times
Biodiversity = Flexibility & Resilience
Multi-species plantings are much more productive than
monocultures
Healthy Ecosystems are Beautiful
We are planting the old-growth forests of the future, today
putting it all together
forest gardens
steal these books
Gaia's Garden Toby HemenwayAttracting Native Pollinators Xerces
SocietyBotany in a Day Thomas ElpelThe Apple Grower Michael
PhillipsEdible Forest Gardens Dave Jacke &Eric Tonesmeier
eat your lawn, feed your soul
cvillefoodscapes.com
Sarah Frazer, Ben Kessler, Cake Namdol & Lauren Samay
