Other Fruits

[williams111]

I am certainly interested in growing fruit for the deer and other critters, but I am interested in growing some for myself as well. I was just wondering what "other" fruit you all grow for yourself that you really enjoy or stands out. I understand this will be specific to your zone. I have done apple/pear grafting the last 3 years and have a decent success rate with those so I am open to grafting other things as well.

I am debating growing some peaches, but according to Iowa state, "Peaches are not reliably cold hardy in most parts of Iowa. It is possible to grow ‘Reliance’ (yellow flesh, freestone) and ‘Polly’ (white flesh, clingstone) in the southern one-third of Iowa. Growing peaches in Iowa is challenging. Cold winter temperatures may destroy the flower buds on peach trees. A late frost or freeze in spring can damage or destroy the flowers. As a result, peach trees often bear few, if any, fruit. Gardeners in southern Iowa can anticipate a good crop about once every 3 or 4 years. Peaches are also short-lived in Iowa, often dying within 8 to 10 years. " This is discouraging to hear about peaches here in Iowa. I am debating just growing some from seed rather than finding rootstock/scion since I wont have much to lose at that point.

I have also been researching honeyberries/haskap which sounds almost like a cold hardy blueberry that is loaded with more antioxidants and vitamins then any other fruit according to a data sheet I came across.

Anyone else have any other suggestions? I know the list is long, but I am looking for standouts here as I dont have a ton of area I want to devote to this.

Thanks!

 

[cavey]

Medlar and Persimmon I would love to find a zone 4 hardy tree or two of each, pretty sure you could grow them.

 

[Mortenson]

I planted 3 Contender peach trees from Turkey Creek, going into their 3rd year and are growing great. Would've had a decent crop this year but consecutive nights that dipped to 25ish during blooms thinned it badly. They tasted phenomenal. I think Contender might be the hardiest. I'm near I80. I'll plant a few more within a few years.

 

[H20fwler]

We also have peaches, cherries, American plums. Putting in persimmons this spring.

Peaches do great in my area for 10-12 years, then die overnight.
They don't produce fruit until around year seven....don't know why they always die here but are pretty cool and tasty when fruiting.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Maybe look into serviceberry - also known as Juneberry (for when they ripen) - shadbush & saskatoon. Height varies with variety, but some only get to about 5 or 6 ft. tall. They produce a berry that looks much like a blueberry, and tastes very much like a blueberry. They grow well in a variety of soils, but prefer loamy soil. They evidently can take the cold since SLN grows 9 different varieties in zone 3. Some varieties come from Saskatoon Saskatchewan - it's plenty cold there! Check out SLN's (St. Lawrence Nursery's) website and look for Juneberries. They have good info there.

 

[Native Hunter]

Here is a list you can get some ideas from. Some of these are easier and/or better than others:

Persimmon
Blackberry
Blueberry
Raspberry
Paw Paw
Serviceberry
Chestnuts
Chinkapins
Hazelnuts
Japanese Dogwood
Domestic Cherries
Named Cultivars of Dwarf Bush Cherries ( Prunus fruticosa x prunus cerasus )
Grapes

 

[Prof.Kent]

I am certainly interested in growing fruit for the deer and other critters, but I am interested in growing some for myself as well. I was just wondering what "other" fruit you all grow for yourself that you really enjoy or stands out. I understand this will be specific to your zone. I have done apple/pear grafting the last 3 years and have a decent success rate with those so I am open to grafting other things as well.

I am debating growing some peaches, but according to Iowa state, "Peaches are not reliably cold hardy in most parts of Iowa. It is possible to grow ‘Reliance’ (yellow flesh, freestone) and ‘Polly’ (white flesh, clingstone) in the southern one-third of Iowa. Growing peaches in Iowa is challenging. Cold winter temperatures may destroy the flower buds on peach trees. A late frost or freeze in spring can damage or destroy the flowers. As a result, peach trees often bear few, if any, fruit. Gardeners in southern Iowa can anticipate a good crop about once every 3 or 4 years. Peaches are also short-lived in Iowa, often dying within 8 to 10 years. " This is discouraging to hear about peaches here in Iowa. I am debating just growing some from seed rather than finding rootstock/scion since I wont have much to lose at that point.

I have also been researching honeyberries/haskap which sounds almost like a cold hardy blueberry that is loaded with more antioxidants and vitamins then any other fruit according to a data sheet I came across.

Anyone else have any other suggestions? I know the list is long, but I am looking for standouts here as I dont have a ton of area I want to devote to this.

Thanks!

Don't forget to plant hedge row of hazelnut to encourage lots of chipmonks and squirrels to inhabit your orchards and steal your fruit. It works for me.

 

[yoderjac]

I am certainly interested in growing fruit for the deer and other critters, but I am interested in growing some for myself as well. I was just wondering what "other" fruit you all grow for yourself that you really enjoy or stands out. I understand this will be specific to your zone. I have done apple/pear grafting the last 3 years and have a decent success rate with those so I am open to grafting other things as well.

I am debating growing some peaches, but according to Iowa state, "Peaches are not reliably cold hardy in most parts of Iowa. It is possible to grow ‘Reliance’ (yellow flesh, freestone) and ‘Polly’ (white flesh, clingstone) in the southern one-third of Iowa. Growing peaches in Iowa is challenging. Cold winter temperatures may destroy the flower buds on peach trees. A late frost or freeze in spring can damage or destroy the flowers. As a result, peach trees often bear few, if any, fruit. Gardeners in southern Iowa can anticipate a good crop about once every 3 or 4 years. Peaches are also short-lived in Iowa, often dying within 8 to 10 years. " This is discouraging to hear about peaches here in Iowa. I am debating just growing some from seed rather than finding rootstock/scion since I wont have much to lose at that point.

I have also been researching honeyberries/haskap which sounds almost like a cold hardy blueberry that is loaded with more antioxidants and vitamins then any other fruit according to a data sheet I came across.

Anyone else have any other suggestions? I know the list is long, but I am looking for standouts here as I dont have a ton of area I want to devote to this.

Thanks!

I've been experimenting with Jujube, specifically tigertooth which is a self-fertile variety. It is not a fast fruit producer. I'd liken it to American persimmon in terms of time to produce fruit. If you search the forum you will find threads with my experience for them. Now that my trees are producing, they produce heavily and consistently. They drop during the season. I've watched turkey fly up to knock them down and then fight over them. They are very sweet. Some call them Chinese dates because you can dry them and they have high sugar content. The fruit is red when ripe and about the size of my little finger.

I chose it for deer because it is very low maintenance and I've had no disease issues. It does not need pruned to produce well. This makes it a great wildlife tree. The fruit is very tasty. These trees have done pretty well in my area.

I have many of the fruit trees others have mentioned, but you don't find too many guys using Jujube for deer.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Trinktrink]

I grow in zone 4-5 blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, serviceberries, nannyberries, plums, and contender peach. I would like to try growing some black chokeberries because they are high in antioxidants, was also looking at the honey berries too but not sure on them yet.

I also would love to try growing pawpaws but not sure if they will survive. Anyone have any experience growing pawpaws in a colder climate?

 

[yoderjac]

I grow in zone 4-5 blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, serviceberries, nannyberries, plums, and contender peach. I would like to try growing some black chokeberries because they are high in antioxidants, was also looking at the honey berries too but not sure on them yet.

I also would love to try growing pawpaws but not sure if they will survive. Anyone have any experience growing pawpaws in a colder climate?

No experience in growing them in a colder climate, but pawpaw are extremely slow growers for me. in 7A I still have not seen any fruit. I started mine from seed. They are native to my area. They are a bit tricky to grow. They supposedly fruit best in full sun, but they are very photo-sensitive when they are young. So, if you do direct seeding you have to rig up some kind of artificial shading for the first couple years. I grew mine in the rootmaker container system, so I could control sun exposure for the first several years before planting them in the field.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Trinktrink]

Thanks Jack, it sounds like they may not be worth the hassle

 

[The Fishman]

I am surprised that no one has mentioned mulberries. They are my new favorite fruit.

 

[Teeder]

We have mulberry, raspberry, blackberry, blueberries, peaches and next year should have a good crop of Elderberries. Our reliance peaches were hit hard with frosts this past spring and I still had to thin the fruit.

 

[b116757]

Plums,
different blackberry verities,
mulberries,
Dewberries

I’ve had peach’s and gave up on them between the parasite’s and short lived trees not worth the effort for me anyway.

 

[williams111]

Medlar and Persimmon I would love to find a zone 4 hardy tree or two of each, pretty sure you could grow them.

I should of stated what I do have planted;
Apple
Pear
Persimmons
Hazelnuts American and a European Variety
A variety of oaks
Chestnuts
Native American Plum
Native Elderberry
Native Mulberry

Can you elaborate on Medlar? I’ve never heard of it until you mentioned it and I searched it, sounds interesting.

 

[williams111]

I planted 3 Contender peach trees from Turkey Creek, going into their 3rd year and are growing great. Would've had a decent crop this year but consecutive nights that dipped to 25ish during blooms thinned it badly. They tasted phenomenal. I think Contender might be the hardiest. I'm near I80. I'll plant a few more within a few years.

View attachment 39894

I have been looking at those and the other variety I see listed to be hardy is Reliance. I’m about 40 minutes north of I80. Are these trees grafted I’m assuming? If so what RS is preferred for our area? I read that peach seedlings will resemble the mother tree closely?

 

[williams111]

We also have peaches, cherries, American plums. Putting in persimmons this spring.

Peaches do great in my area for 10-12 years, then die overnight.
They don't produce fruit until around year seven....don't know why they always die here but are pretty cool and tasty when fruiting.

What varieties of peaches are you growing? I have read this as well, that they are short lived.

 

[Mortenson]

Believe mine are on Lovell rootstock.

Nobody mention apricots?

I need to get some raspberries growing this year.

 

[b116757]

I've been experimenting with Jujube, specifically tigertooth which is a self-fertile variety. It is not a fast fruit producer. I'd liken it to American persimmon in terms of time to produce fruit. If you search the forum you will find threads with my experience for them. Now that my trees are producing, they produce heavily and consistently. They drop during the season. I've watched turkey fly up to knock them down and then fight over them. They are very sweet. Some call them Chinese dates because you can dry them and they have high sugar content. The fruit is red when ripe and about the size of my little finger.

I chose it for deer because it is very low maintenance and I've had no disease issues. It does not need pruned to produce well. This makes it a great wildlife tree. The fruit is very tasty. These trees have done pretty well in my area.

I have many of the fruit trees others have mentioned, but you don't find too many guys using Jujube for deer.

Thanks,

Jack

I’ve wondered about Jujube myself thanks for sharing.

 

[williams111]

Here is a list you can get some ideas from. Some of these are easier and/or better than others:

Persimmon
Blackberry
Blueberry
Raspberry
Paw Paw
Serviceberry
Chestnuts
Chinkapins
Hazelnuts
Japanese Dogwood
Domestic Cherries
Named Cultivars of Dwarf Bush Cherries ( Prunus fruticosa x prunus cerasus )
Grapes

I forgot, I do have 2 varieties of blackberries growing in my yard that have done surprisingly well. I also have 2 varieties of raspberries. They do well but it seems the jap Beatles get most of them.
I did start some pawpaws from seed last year too. They only made it a couple inches this year but I’m excited to see how they do. With any luck they’ll come to life this spring.
And I got some Allegheny chinkapin from the wildlife group this fall. They’re potted up and I’m hoping they emerge come spring as well. Thanks for the suggestions!