Fruiting bush suggestion needed

So I have a spot open between my two cherry trees and an Asian Pear tree. It’s uncovered yet not too far from the trees. But it does get full sun. I’ve had a compost pile in that spot for years and the soil is a bit too good. It also drains well. What fruiting bush would you suggest for zone 9B?

A blueberry would work there, and also Evergreen Huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum).

If you get a blueberry make sure that it’s a variety that does not require lots of acidity, because the plants you already have planted do not like lots of acidity.

Nothing else comes to mind for your climate. It’s too hot for lingonberry, upright raspberry and upright blackberries get too large.

Throw some watermelon seeds into that pile (I know. Not a bush).

Or you could try Violette de Bordeaux, a naturally dwarfed fig variety.

Or you could grow Red Silk, a naturally dwarfed pomegranate.

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They naturally grow slower than standards, but here (zone 9-10) in 5 years they are only 3/4 the size of a standard.

Great idea :slight_smile:

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Vinod,

I know you’ve struggled with blueberries in raised beds dying on you in the Bay Area-- likely cuz of your alkaline water.

Have you tried some or the more alkaline tolerant varieties? Sunshine Blue? Legacy?

Is no one else around you growing blueberries? I hope you find a way.

Feijoa, pomegranate, bush cherry (e.g., Juliet). Both feijoa and pomegranate can be maintained to any form you want, they take pruning very well. Not sure about bush cherry in this regard but probably too.

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A good choice out here.

A great idea. I haven’t had great luck with growing watermelons either but worth a try with a low cost of investment!

Another great suggestion, thanks!

With thorns, I’d never make it to the my other trees!

Actually, I think it its also the blistering heat in summer here and me not being able to water frequently enough. We may not get much beyond 90F on most days but the sun is intense with no cloud cover and fries anything sensitive to it.

I’m not sure if Red Silk pomegranates get thorns. I don’t see any on mine.

You should be fine growing blueberries in full sun there. Almost all my blues are in full sun and we see 110 degrees every summer. A few tips, water around 11 am every day, this cools soil and roots. Mulch heavily, use DWN blueberry mix, 1 part acidic soil mix, 1 part peat moss, 1 part pine bark. Mix in large handful of soil sulfer and cottonseed meal. I would only plant in container or raised bed even better. Use the drip coils that evenly disperse water around entire plant. Every spring add handful of soil sulfer to help get your acidity back from high ph water. I fertilize early spring and after plant has fruited out. If having a heat wave I sometimes need to water twice a day when temps are around 105. Some really good varieties include Sweetcrisp, pearl, legacy, oneil, and southmoon.

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I would go to a local nursery and get their advise since where you live might be different than another area that is Zone 9B like Florida for instance, humidity might be different but I’m no expert. Also let them know you don’t plan on watering much so you don’t buy a plant that needs a lot of water during fruiting.