Trying to figure out what to do with this stretch that is pretty shaded in Denver, zone 6a, 5200 ft elevation. Slightly alkaline soil, clay loam that doesn’t do a great job of draining. I checked the sun today every half hour and looks like we have about 2.5 hours of sun in March, hoping for another hour or so by June (its a new house so we’re doing some guessing). 3.5 ft by about 25 ft on the East side of the house. We are heavily focused on edible landscaping and hoping to create a bit of a hedge here.
We’re thinking of trying some well trellised/pruned blackberries, thinking of Triple Crown. Has anyone had success in a similar spot? I know we’ll get reduced yield in part shade but hoping for a healthy hedge and some produce. Or any suggestions of an alternative variety? Just can’t sucker under the fence or our neighbors will hate us, and don’t want thorns next to the sidewalk. We also considered red currants in the deeper shade to the Nothern end, though I worry they’ll overrun the sidewalk.
Elsewhere we already have planted serviceberry, apple, hawthorn, barberry, native golden currants, gooseberry, honeyberry, elderberry, sand cherry, wild plum, rhubarb, alpine strawberry, and sumac. Ideally we’d like to add something new!!
Blackberries or other brambles could work here for sure. I am not a fan of the triple crown blackberries I have. They just aren’t tasty. They have big seeds that are bitter. But they produce very well in the shade in my yard under a pear and maple in the shade between my shed and fence. I would suggest another blackberry like loganberry or Columbia star for flavor and thornlessness.
Other potential options could be black currants, grapes, huckleberries, or even espaliered or cordoned fruit trees like pears, European plums, tart cherries, bush cherries, medlar, quince, pawpaw, apricots or more apples.
Black raspberries are really tasty and don’t walk as much as red raspberries. However, the black ones are very thorny so may not be best in a skinny walkway.
Have you considered building a raised bed and doing blueberries or red raspberries? If it is raised enough you may be able to stop the red raspberries from running or you could acidify the soil independently for blueberries.
Dogwood cherries grow slow but do well in shade. I have a hedge in very low light. Low branching stays if you prune them. You need to prune yearly to promote maximum branching.
I would recommend considering a persimmon tree that could be espaliered against your fence. Many already overproduce so having shade may make that challenge lesser.
For something new you might try a early ripening kiwiberry. (arguta)
If been reasonably happy with those in a shady spot.
It is also valuable to know in what period of the year there is shadow. Some spots are full sun in August, but full shade in November. Due to the sun being higher in the sky in August.
An earlier ripening apple would do great in such a spot. but a winter apple wont.
Generally more sun during fruit ripening is important for sweet fruits. Shade during ripening will lead to less sweet fruits.
For cooking fruits this can be less of a problem. Since you add sugar anyway. Thus cultivars that ripen earlier or are suited for the kitchen are good contenders.
Thank you so much for the info! That’s good to know about Triple Crown, I’ll definitely look at the other options you mentioned! I would love to try espaliered fruit trees but the pre-shaped ones I’ve found locally are limited to apples and we were hoping for something that would fill in a little faster. My hubby is getting impatient for all out other trees and shrubs to mature! Just got them in last spring so we have some waiting to do.
I have triple crown between my garage and fence, similar space as you have. It is great. Triple crown turns black before it is fully ripe for me, got to let it sit a day or so after it turns black or it won’t taste great.
Thanks! Do you have a favorite variety that might stay smaller? We already have a Saskatoon cultivar (Standing Ovation) elsewhere in the yard and are excited for it to mature. I think we might get a small harvest this year. I worried that our might be too bug for the space though, even with the narrow formation.
Thanks for the advice!!That tool looks really helpful, I’ll check it out! I’m also going to keep an eye on the sun over the next month or two while we decide and see how it changes as we move towards summer.
I did see artic/hardy kiwi as a choice and was considering it but was a little concerned about keeping the vining under control. Most of the trellis options I saw had it going across the top of an arbor, is it also possible to train horizonally across a lower trellis (about fence height) and will it trek to climb into the neighbors yard?
Luckily we like tart fruits, we always just eat currants fresh. A lot of what we planted is new to us so it will be an adventure.
yes you can trellis it horizontally. But it will likely vine all over the place.
Some of the (i think japanese) self pollinating varieties have the lowest vigor. So would be easier to keep in check. But it is a bit of a “monster” plant imo. Strawberry’s might also do okay. if had plants on the north side of my house do quite well. But i might be in an easier climate for strawberry’s than you are. A single bearing late ripening variety probably will do best for you.
Are you referring to Arctic kiwi or Hardy kiwi? I know Hardy kiwi is a very vigorous grower but have heard Arctic kiwi is a slower grower. Either way a male and female are needed.
I don’t know a lot about them, just saw them on a list of shade plants. I didn’t realize there was much difference but that’s good to know! I’ll do more research on arctic kiwi. Now leaning towards doing a mix of shrubs now. Maybe a regent serviceberry, erect blackberry (favorite thornless varieties?), and red or black currant. We’ll have to keep things well pruned but I think it will be fun to have a fruit wall.
Arctic can be more ornamental, prefers more shade, produces less (Hardy can make 150 lb /vine) and isn’t on my state invasive list. I’m excited to see ours grow.
Fun fact as I go down a rabbit hole of shrubs, my native “golden” currant is a black currant! Ribes aureum. I don’t know how I missed that in my initial research! So maybe we’ll just add red currant along the walkway along with a mix of other shrubs.
Focus in our backyard was mostly Colorado native plants so we got some mysteries to try out. Whatever fruit we don’t like, I’m sure the birds will like and will host some cool arthopods. We tend to like sour/tart fruits anyway.
