Fruit trees, berries, grapes and their cultivation, pruning, health and storage.
Quick answer: Growing pears starts with the rootstock, which sets both size and cold hardiness. Quince A gives a 3–4.5 m (10–15 ft) tree but isn’t reliably winter-hardy in cold regions; OHxF and seedling rootstocks are hardier and reach 4.5–9 m (15–30 ft). Most varieties need a second variety flowering at the same time within…
Quick answer: Plums need full sun, wind shelter and well-drained soil around pH 6–6.5. Most European varieties are self-fertile, though many cold-hardy hybrid plums are not and need a pollinator nearby. Prune only in summer, never in winter, or you risk silver leaf disease. Unlike pears, plums should ripen fully on the tree before picking.
Quick answer: Pick a variety rated for your USDA zone, plant in full sun with well-drained soil, and check whether it needs a pollinator partner before you buy. Prune only in summer, net the tree before fruit ripens to beat the birds, and expect the first real harvest two to five years after planting.
Quick answer: Plant dormant grapevines in early spring in full sun and well-drained soil, ideally against a warm south-facing wall or fence in USDA zones 3–4. Choose a cold-hardy hybrid such as Valiant, Frontenac, or King of North for the coldest zones; save seedless dessert varieties like Reliance or Himrod for zone 5 and up.…
Quick answer: Renovate an overgrown fruit tree gradually, over 3 to 4 years, removing no more than 20–30% of the canopy in any single season. Start with dead, damaged and crossing wood, open up the center, then shorten overlong limbs back to a strong outward-facing side branch. Prune apples and pears in late winter while…
Quick answer: Growing strawberries takes full sun and well-drained soil at pH 5.8–6.2. Set plants with the crown level at the soil line, 45 cm (18 in) apart in rows 90–120 cm (3–4 ft) apart for June-bearers. Pinch off all flowers the first year, renovate within two weeks of harvest, and mulch with 10–15 cm…
Quick answer: Strawberries in containers need at least 20 cm (8 in) of soil depth and 4–5 liters (1–1.3 gal) of potting mix per plant, full sun, and daily watering during flowering and fruiting in warm weather. Use a well-draining potting mix, feed with a potassium-rich liquid fertilizer every two weeks, and protect the pot…
Quick answer: Growing raspberries needs full sun and free-draining soil at pH 5.5–6.5. Set canes 45–60 cm (18–24 in) apart, in rows 1.5–2 m (5–6.5 ft) apart, on wires at 60 and 120 cm (2 and 4 ft). Prune summer-bearing canes after harvest; cut fall-bearing canes to the ground. Expect 1.5 kg per metre (1…
Quick answer: When planting fruit trees, dig a wide, shallow hole about 1.2–1.5 m (4–5 ft) across and only 40 cm (16 in) deep, and backfill with the soil you dug out. Set the graft union 5–10 cm (2–4 in) above the finished soil line. Bare-root trees go in dormant; container trees any time the…