berries or trees?

[canesisters]

I want to add fruit to my little farm. Probably next summer since this summer is focused on improving the veggi garden and expanding the chicken pen.

I've never paid all that much attention to the threads here about fruit - because I didn't have any.
So! Before I go back searching through dozens and dozens of threads.....

What is the best place to start when adding fruit to the garden??? Berries or trees?
Something fairly low maintenance.
Zone 7a
Soil is mostly clay-x and tends toward acidic (was a pine forest before being cleared) - naturally grows buttercups by the millions. Can start now prepping soil for next summer's addition of plants.

 

[digitS']

Personally, I think that the best starting place is to do a local, scoping out of fruit production.

It might be a little boring to have the same as what is available by the box just up the road. Nevertheless, it's disheartening to invest in fruit trees that are poorly suited for local soil and climate. Years of tending young trees may be followed by seasons of crop loss from too early blooming and late freezes and season after season of battling diseases because the tree is outside its best range.

I finally took one peach tree out of the yard. It won't surprise me to feel the need to do that with the new one, DW just had to have. One or two good harvests out of 10 or so years of care doesn't feel right! Besides, apricot trees all but grow entirely on their own around here! We enjoyed the fruit of one in a vacant lot near our home for years.

Now, having said that. Some trees are overlooked and not just our local apricots. French plums fit in here. I know that this is true with hazelnut, also. Every time I see one, which is very seldom, it's doing just fine.

Steve

 

[catjac1975]

Raspberries and blackberries, thornless are easy and prolific.

 

[Nyboy]

A great starter fruit tree is mulberry. They are easy to grow don't need spraying. There are many varieties hardy different zones. I am in zone 5 and grow Illinois Everbearing. The berries are very sweet the reason you don't see mulberries for sale is they travel poorly. Another plus to the tree is their leafs are one of the most nutrient rich foods great for animal feed. They can be messy trees so give thought to where you plant. Keep away from parking area and patios. This tree is almost fool proof. bad side is deer know how good leaves are. Figs is another EZ fruit tree

 

[Todd Ziegler]

Most berries will produce as soon as the 2nd year with the 3rd year being full production However if you want fruit trees you may want to start this year because it could be 4 full years, not including the planting year, before you get any fruit. I would recommend doing both. For example; if you want good apples you will need two trees to help pollinate and if you start with a 2-3 year old tree, you may get some fruit by 2021. If you also plant raspberries or blackberries this year too, depending on how many you plant, you can expect enough fruit next year for a decent treat or enough for 6 jars of jam. Depending completely on how many you plant. With the 3rd year being full protection. However you won't see full production from your apples until 2023 with dwarf trees. By then you will be up to your neck in whatever berry you plant.

 

[Nyboy]

You need to decide what size tree you want. Dwarf, semi dwarf or standard size. Dwarf trees produce the soonest. Standard will produce a lot more fruit but you need a ladder to get to it. Question is what fruit do you enjoy eating?

 

[Todd Ziegler]

You need to decide what size tree you want. Dwarf, semi dwarf or standard size. Dwarf trees produce the soonest. Standard will produce a lot more fruit but you need a ladder to get to it. Question is what fruit do you enjoy eating?

Very good advice!

 

[baymule]

Why not both? Plant your fruit trees with berry trellis in between.

 

[Carol Dee]

Blueberries do not mind acidic soil. We even mulch with pine bark!
The thornless raspberries are great and quick to produce.

 

[valley ranch]

What DigitS posted makes good sense ~ don't listen to him ~ plant Tillton Apricots for sure, you have some cold winters I'd think ~ plumb & peaches ~ they like cold winters ``` Yeh ~ scope out what others have ~ but only those that have the fruit listed above ~ Virgina ~ Let me see what kind of weather your have there ```