Nestof3 Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 We have a small raised bed. We are not huge gardeners and don't have much space. We like cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini. I was thinking of trying a fruit this year -- like blueberries or something. We're zone 7. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catalinakel Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 I'd plant an apricot tree.nothing better than fresh apricots. except maybe fresh cherries.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peek a Boo Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 i know little about zones, but I'd pick black berries :) there was a mulberry tree in NY down the street from us --lay a sheet on the ground and shake a branch! yum :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelli in TN Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 We did a bed of blueberries and strawberries. By the time the blueberries get big enough to actually block the strawberries, the strawberry plants will have lived their lives fully and be ready to pull up. So says the lady at the nursery, anyway. We keep going out there looking for fruit even though we KNOW we won't get fruit until next year!!! I guess we are hoping to defy the laws of nature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted April 19, 2009 Author Share Posted April 19, 2009 I'd plant an apricot tree.nothing better than fresh apricots. except maybe fresh cherries.... Thanks (and also Peek) We have no room for a tree -- I'm thinking of shrubs and vines. :crying: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted April 19, 2009 Author Share Posted April 19, 2009 We did a bed of blueberries and strawberries. By the time the blueberries get big enough to actually block the strawberries, the strawberry plants will have lived their lives fully and be ready to pull up. So says the lady at the nursery, anyway. We keep going out there looking for fruit even though we KNOW we won't get fruit until next year!!! I guess we are hoping to defy the laws of nature. Hmmm -- sounds nice. Now, I saw "annual" strawberries at Home Depot today. That made no sense to me as I thought strawberries were perennials and produced more the second year. (your statement confirms this). :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peek a Boo Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 Thanks (and also Peek) We have no room for a tree -- I'm thinking of shrubs and vines. :crying: is there a church nearby that would let you plant a fruit tree? Maybe it could be part of a community garden for their outreach/ food pantry? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted April 19, 2009 Author Share Posted April 19, 2009 is there a church nearby that would let you plant a fruit tree? Maybe it could be part of a community garden for their outreach/ food pantry? Hmmm. I never thought about that. I might consider asking our neighbor (she's very nice -- who is renting, but we have a good relationship with the owner), if she would allow us to plant a fruit tree on her property. It's right next to our driveway. She's not a gardening kind of person, but I'm sure she would like the extra fruit. We could offer to pay for the tree. The owner was there today landscaping the front with some shrubs, a crepe myrtle and some liriope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacie Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 (edited) I have a blueberry hedge along my fence, which is wonderful! We plant rabbiteye varieties, and you generally need at least two varieties. Berries of any kind are always nice to grow...raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, etc. Cantaloupe are also nice and very easy to grow. Mine are musk melons if I remember correctly, but they look like cantaloupe to me :) We bought heirloom seeds several years ago and haven't needed to buy any since I harvest seeds and fruit. What about planting annual strawberries or watermelon spring harvest, then use the space for pumpkins in the summer for fall harvest? Edited April 19, 2009 by Stacie I *can* spell, for crying out loud! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 Watermelon? What about hanging containers for strawberries? A good friend uses that technique to keep the squirrels from getting to the fruit before she does. Oh, and a few blueberry bushes! For sure! Raspberries? They spread, though. I think I'm having trouble narrowing it down! Good luck choosing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 Bananas.. I love bananas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 They grow great here, are native to the area, and produce for the whole summer. But I'm in zone 4 at 7000' so I take what little I can get. I'd go to the local nursery - not hardware store - and ask about their fruits to see what grows in abundance and for the longest season. Something that is native to the area would be a great choice. What about grapes? I think they grow just about everywhere and can grow against a fence or porch rail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 I have a blueberry hedge along my fence, which is wonderful! Does it fill in like a regular hedge? Do you know how long blueberry bushes are supposed to live? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 We have a small raised bed. We are not huge gardeners and don't have much space. We like cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini. I was thinking of trying a fruit this year -- like blueberries or something. Tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini are all fruit :D Bill (it's true) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 Can you do that thing I can't remember the name of where you train your fruit tree to grow flat along the wall of your house or fence? My aunt has done that and it worked well. Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 Can you do that thing I can't remember the name of where you train your fruit tree to grow flat along the wall of your house or fence? My aunt has done that and it worked well. Rosie "Espalier" is the term you're looking for, and this is a beautiful way to grow fruit trees. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keptwoman Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 I was going to suggest espalier too. You can espalier stone fruit and citrus. A lemon tree would be very handy. We have an apricot tree (not espalier) and the fruit from it is so much better than what you buy from the store. We went through the 2 buckets of fruit in not much more than a week!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamaof2andtwins Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 We have strawberries in a raised bed, but the first year you grow the plant and pick off the blossoms. The second year you get the fruit. Now, you don't have to do that, but it is better for establishing the plant, and that is what we do. We also have raspberries that were given to us. Last year we didn't get much from them. I am hoping they do better this year as it will be their second year planted here. Lastly, I would like to put blueberries in a hedgerow. The current bushes are dying off. My neighbor told me that some nurseryman told the former owners that it had something to do with the black walnut tree that was planted nearby. Apparently, plants have a hard time growing and staying alive in this location. We will see. Any of those would be fine. I also have a neighbor that has grapes. Jennie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted April 19, 2009 Author Share Posted April 19, 2009 Tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini are all fruit :D Bill (it's true) Yeah, yeah. :001_tt2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet in Toronto Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 Yep...raspberries. I inherited some bushes when we bought a house in Zone 5A (Ottawa, Canada) and they were a variety that gave fruit all summer long. With the price of raspberries, this was a huge treat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 either blueberries or strawberries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy in MD Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 .........Lastly, I would like to put blueberries in a hedgerow. The current bushes are dying off. My neighbor told me that some nurseryman told the former owners that it had something to do with the black walnut tree that was planted nearby. Apparently, plants have a hard time growing and staying alive in this location. We will see. Any of those would be fine. I also have a neighbor that has grapes. Jennie Some trees poison-off any competitors. As I recall, black walnuts are one of them. But I'd keep the tree rather than worry about berries.:001_smile: And my favorite grapes are Concord grapes. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama2Three Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 We are in zone 7 (no. VA), and we have a small patch of thornless blackberry bushes. I would love to do blueberries, but I have read/been told that it's too warm here for them to thrive. We have 2 original blackberry plantings and 2 that have propagated from them. We dug them up from a neighbor's patch and transplanted the roots and a little part of plant in our yard against a fence. The first year we got just a couple berries, but now we get berries for several weeks in the summer. I can't say the yield for sure because DC pick them as soon as they are ripe. :) They are very easy to care for -- in late winter I cut off the old vines at the base of the plant (old vines don't bear fruit). During the year if a new vine gets tramped or run over by the mower, I'll trim that, too. In the spring (now) I'll lay a fresh layer of compost around the base -- but that's about the extent of care. Knock on wood, the plants haven't had any bugs or critters bother them (we live in the suburbs, but a nasty groundhog comes and eats most of the rest of our garden :glare:). Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HRAAB Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 We are in zone 7, and our raspberries have done very well. They will spread, so you need to watch that. We have everbearing strawberries, so we get two crops. You can plant your strawberries in a tower sort of thing (saw one at Lowe's yesterday). When we had limited space, we planted grapes along the fence around our garden. Also, I have grown cantaloupes on a trellis; I made a type of sling out of old pantyhose to hold the weight of the melon. Worked great. Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCMom Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 We are in Zone 7 (though closer to 7A) so I'll give it a whirl. Also, I would recommend searching the Garden Web forums for more suggestions. -Strawberries are good but they do run. I tell my kids that strawberries are forever. ;) Once they are there you're stuck with them. My kids are too kindhearted to dig the runners up even if they take over another part of their personal beds, lol. -I personally would not plant any kind of tree or blackberries/raspberries. They might shade the bed too much. Plus our blackberries are out of control here what with all the rain! Again, these things are more or less forever... -Pumpkins, even the smaller ones, have looong vines. Wee Be Little is the smallest vine I ever remember having. We have borer issues so we cannot have them now, but they do take up a huge amount of room and if you trellis, need a big trellis. And again you might get a shading effect. I've heard Bushkins have a shorter vine, though. -Melons, again may have long vines. Middle dd chose almost all tiny varieties of plants, for her area, sort of a theme, so she is doing two melons that might work for you. Pepino and Sakata Sweet. We always do Minnesota Midget Cantelope, which are very small also. The vines however, are never a short as the book says, lol. -Blueberries, maybe. I have some that are small and would work in a raised bed, actually would be better in one 'cause of the better drainage.:glare: We have two new fruits we're trying this year.. Ground Cherry Physalis pruinosa- 1-3 feet, growing as an annual (while secretly hoping it overwinters), these are supposed to have a huge yield Hardy Kiwi Actinidia arguta- Cute, tiny, non-fuzzy kiwi that needs a trellis. We found a guy at the farmer's market with them and his are thriving. Anyway, happy gardening! Georgia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 Strawberries are perennial but I am certainly not surprised that they were mislabeled at Home Depot. Home Depot can be okay for plants for those who know something about gardening. I did get a columbine there recently that is doing great. However, at the same time that I was getting my columbine, they were also selling plants that need warm weather. Well just this last week we had temperatures down in the mid 30's and then lots of cold rain. Probably not what the tender annuals needed but that was what was being sold. I was complaining to dh about it because I consider it a very deceptive practice and he said that they probably ship all the plants for all areas at the same time so while those plants would have been great in Florida now, they weren't great in NoVA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 (edited) Mangoes. I'm a total mango junkie. :) Duh, I just realized that you said zone 7. Scratch mangoes then unless you're going to grow the dwarf one in a greehouse or something. If I lived up north, I'd LOVE to have a cherry tree. Bing cherries are so good. I wish they grew down here. :) Good luck to you. :) Edited April 20, 2009 by Ibbygirl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekanamom Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 I grow dwarf fruit trees in pots... lemon, orange, tangerine, and cherry. I also grow dwarf blueberries in pots. They are all fairly new (less than one year old) and I can't tell you how well they will produce yet. But they take up very little room and I did get a couple tangerines in January. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marylou Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 They grow upright and produce tons of yummy berries! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueridge Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 You can have great success with 'vertical gardening', to stand up right at the end of your raised bed. The Square Foot Gardener says to get a few simple items at a hardware store like 6' electrical conduit pipe, elbow connectors, a 4' pipe, and some trellis netting, and make a simple frame for your climbers to climb. The most luscious French melons (Charentais) will climb right up and provide so much sweet fruit in a very small space. You could also sit some strawberry plants beneath the trellis so the vines would shade them in the summer. Have fun~ Ginger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 strawberries if you don't mind waiting a year for fruit or watermelon if you want some this year (my dad plants a yellow seedless variety of watermelon that is soooooo sweet). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Atl Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Blueberries! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 an apple tree. you get so many apples for so many years and they can be used for so many different things. you can get dwarf varieties if there is a space issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuntieM Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Well, if there were any chance it would actually grow here, I would plant a mango tree. I luuuuv mangoes. Second choice would be avocado. Mmmm, cheap guacamole! But, alas, that would not grow here, either. So I guess I would go with an apple tree. All the kids like to eat apples and there could never be too much apple sauce or too many apple pies in our home. Of course, we'd have to find a Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla ice cream bush to plant alongside the apple tree...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.