Unique Fruits for Home Landscapes - University Of Maryland...Olympic, Shenseiki, 20th Century,...

Unique Fruits for Home LandscapesLuke Gustafson [email protected]

Outline

• Why• How

• Site selection• Soil preparation• Planting

• What• Ideal species for

southern Maryland

Why Fruits

• Enjoy fresh flavors• Reduce soil disturbance vs. annual

crops• Grow color throughout the seasons• Get more from your landscape

• Multi-season color• Have your landscape and eat it, too!

Why these “unique” fruits?

• Eat unique & delicious fruits not available in grocery stores

• Grow plants better adapted to Maryland climate

• Reduce use of pesticides

vs

Planning ahead

• Do I have the…• Space? • Time?

• Prep, planting, maintenance• What’s practical for me?

• Start planning one year before planting• Sourcing

• Mail order bare-root or “plug” size plants for best selection

Site Selection

• Full sun to part shade (at least 6 hrs)• Access to water • Protection from wildlife• How much can you maintain?• Best to start small

Google Maps

Use legend to find scale:

20 ft

Soil Testing

• Macronutrients:• Nitrogen, potassium, calcium, magnesium,

phosphorous, sulfur• pH – determines nutrient availability

• pH 6.5 is ideal for most crops EXCEPT blueberry

• Amend BEFORE planting• Test every 3 years• $10-15 per sample

John & Jane Doe

pHPKCa

Mg

Picking cultivars

• Select well-adapted, cultivars with resistance to most common diseases

• Buy high quality plants “certified”, “registered”

• Go for bare-root plants since they will catch up to container-grown plants

• Check if more than one is required to pollination

Pollination

• Most fruits require beepollinators to produce

• Native bees (bumble bees, mason bees, carpenter bees, & more)

• European honey bees

• Avoid or reduce pesticide use and don’t spray when flowers are open

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Water and fertilizer

• Regular watering throughout the year is essential

• Shallow-root small fruit plants are especially vulnerable to drought stress

• Use fertilizers according to soil test recommendations

• Be careful not to over-fertilize

Weed Control

• Maintain weed-free zone around young plants

• Keep mulch away from trunks and crowns

• Apply coarse wood chip mulch• Avoid herbicides on trunks

More mulch, please! Ideally, the weed-free zone should be 5-6’ in diameter

Arborist Wood Chip Mulch

Wildlife issues

Deer scat Vole feeding

Pruning Control size and shapeInvigorate- stimulate new fruiting woodImprove air circulation and increase sunlight interception

Overgrown apple tree

• Native range: Eastern US• Habitat: Full sun to part

shade, well-drained moist soil• Habit: shrub (4-6’ tall & wide)• Bloom: late April – mid May,

white• Diseases: none serious • Landscape use: rain garden,

border, naturalized garden• Alternative to: privet, winged

euonymus/burning bush, viburnum

Aronia (Aronia melanocarpa)


• Fruit: Blueberry-sized, tart, ripen in August

• highest antioxidant content of any temperate fruit

• Uses: Juice & preserves• ‘Viking’ (7 feet) and ‘Nero’ (5

feet) are most common varieties for fruit production

• Note: self-fertile, excellent fall color, fruits attract birds, very high antioxidant content

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis)

• Native range: Eastern & central US • Habitat: Full sun to shade, mesic to

wet soil• Habit: Medium shrub (5-10’),

suckers readily• Bloom: Late May-early June• Diseases: leaf spots• Landscape use: rain garden,

naturalized garden

Spring of Year 2

August of Year 2

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra)

• Maroon foliage cultivars for ornamental use

Boonesboro, MDCatonsville, MD


• Fruit: Blueberry-sized, ripen August to September

• Uses: Juice, preserves, tea (flowers)

• Note: yields best with cross pollination

• Fruits can be popular with birds• Easy to grow from cuttings!• Prune like knockout roses

Beach Plum (Prunus maritima)

• Native range: eastern seaboard (ME to VA)

• Habitat: Sun, moist to dry soil• Habit: shrub (up to 10’)• Bloom: Late April – early May• Diseases: no serious issues• Landscape use: hedge,

naturalized bed• Native to: Eastern seaboard


Wild beach plum at Cape HenlopenState Park, Lews, DE

Year 1May 1, 2017

Year 3March 26, 2019

Year 4April 17, 2020


Year 3Oct, 2020


Cornell University


• Fruit: dime to quarter-sized, ripens in August, sweet flesh & tart skin

Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)

• Native range: Eastern US• Several species native to MD • Habitat: Sun to part shade, well

drained soil, drought tolerant• Habit: Medium shrub to tree up to

25’• Bloom: April – May, white • Diseases: rust diseases & others • Landscape use: specimen,

naturalized garden • Alternative to: ‘Bradford’

callery pear


• Fruit: Blueberry-sized, sweet with hint of cherry, ripen early to mid June

• Uses: Fresh eating, preserves, juice

• Note: fall color, fruits attract birds• Common in ornamental

landscapes• Readily available from

local nurseries


• Commercially grown in Alberta & British Columbia

• Juneberry (Amelanchier alnifolia) are most compact and fruitful

• Self-fruiting

Asian pear (Pyrus serotina)

• Native range: East Asia• Habitat: Full sun, somewhat

tolerant of heavy soil (depending on rootstock)

• Habit: tree (up to 25 ft)• Bloom: April• Diseases: fireblight, rust

diseases & more• Landscape use: fruit tree

Asian pear (Pyrus serotina)

• Fruit: Crisp like an apple but juicy like a pear, hints of butterscotch

• Bears in 3-4 years (grafted)• Uses: Fresh eating• Cultivars: Atago, Hosui,

Olympic, Shenseiki, 20th Century, Shinko

American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)

• Native range: Eastern US• Habitat: Sun, moist to dry soil• Habit: tree (up to 60 ft)• Bloom: Spring to summer, inconspicuous• Diseases: root rots, leaf spots• Landscape use: naturalized area• Note: glossy leaves turn yellow/orange in

fall, unique bark pattern


• Native range: Eastern US• Habitat: Sun, moist to dry soil• Habit: tree (up to 60 ft)• Bloom: late May – early June• Diseases: root rots, leaf spots• Landscape use: naturalized

area• Note: glossy leaves turn

yellow/orange in fall, unique bark pattern, slow to leaf out in spring & early to loose leaves in fall


• Fruit: Quarter to half dollar-sized, orange, very sweet, ripen late Oct-Nov, persist after leaf drop

• Bears in 3-4 years (grafted)• Uses: Fresh eating, dried,

preserves• Astringent fruit eaten only when

completely ripe & very soft but does NOT require frost to ripen

• Trees are dioecious• Cultivars available by mail order

Asian persimmon (Diospyros kaki)

• Native range: East Asia• Habitat: Sun, moist to dry soil• Habit: tree (up to 25 ft)• Bloom: Spring to summer,

inconspicuous• Diseases: root rots, leaf spots• Landscape use: specimen• Note: glossy leaves turn

yellow/orange in fall


• Fruit: Tomato-sized, orange, very sweet, ripen Sept-Nov, fruits often persist after leaf drop

• Bears in 3-4 years (grafted)• Uses: Fresh eating, dried,

preserves• Non-astringent (eat like apple)

and astringent varieties (eat only when soft)

• Grafted trees available from some local nurseries – some are not hardy in So. MD

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)

• Native range: Eastern US • Habitat: Full to part sun, moist

well drained soil• Habit: pyramidal tree in

full sun (25’)• Bloom: March – May, 1-2”

reddish-purple blooms • Diseases: No serious disease

issues, avoided by deer (acetogenins)

• Landscape use: specimen, rain gardens, naturalized garden, forest edge

Photo credit: Ron Powell


Photo credit: Ron Powell


• Fruit: 1/3 lb – 1 lb, creamy texture, mango/banana flavor

• Bears in 3-4 years (grafted)• Uses: Fresh eating, frozen• Note: need two varieties to fruit• Custard apple family – related

to Annona, soursop, guanabana• Developed varieties (grafted)

have larger fruit, more consistent flavor, fewer seeds

• Available from increasing number of nurseries


• Challenges: • 5+ years for

tree fruit to bear good crop

• Short shelf life

Key Points

• Fruits can…• Provide fresh, healthy food• Provide food & habitat for pollinators and birds• Be beautiful landscape plants!

Resources

•Home and Garden Information Centerhttp://www.extension.umd.edu/hgic

– Here you will find factsheets, photos, and videos. You can also subscribe to the free monthly e-newsletter.

– We answer gardening questions 24/7…just click “Ask Maryland’s Garden Experts”

– Maryland Grows blog– YouTube channel

•Maryland Master Gardener Programhttp://www.extension.umd.edu/mg

– Consider becoming a trained MG volunteer!

http://www.extension.umd.edu/hgic

http://www.extension.umd.edu/mg

Luke Gustafson9501 Crain Highway, #1, Bel Alton, MD 20611

301-539-3047 / [email protected]

Questions?

Unique Fruits for Home Landscapes - University Of Maryland...Olympic, Shenseiki, 20th Century,...

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