Deer love kiwi vines.
1 Like
Well I am 1.5-2 zones colder than you. You can read some of my writups at: My Backyard planting experience (so far) - Zone 4a/b Quebec, Canada. Slowing catching up but life has been busy.
You do not say what space they have to grow, what fruit/flavors they like and if they want just bushes or also trees.
If they like Jam then Black currants are a must. At least 1 Titania, 1 Tiben. If missing one or other or want a 3rd then Ben Sarek. I don’t boil to make it set, I just boil to dissolve the sugar then can right away. Nice and juicy.
If they have well drained, slightly acidic soil then Blueberries (but they will need to net). Get 2-3 with staggered ripeing times. If not well drained or acidic soil then Haskasps. Aurora #1 for fresh eating. Boreal Beast #2 for fresh. Then Tundra for baking and jams.
Small trellis or pergola go for 2 grapes. Sommerset for an awesome early seedless then Concord is hard to go wrong with for a later variety (but is super vigorus and grows like crazy).
A bit of space and don’t mind mowing runners then Elderberries are great. I ignore the fruit (currants are better to my taste) BUT I harvest the flowers to make an AMAZING cordial that I can to keep all year to add to my sodastream water. Nice thing with flowers is NO bug/bird predation. Cut them back each winter to get 1 big cane with a single flower or let get a bit bigger and let flower also in 2nd year before cutting.
Raspberries are awesome. With SWD arriving do not do everbearing. Just plant june/july bearing and get 3 varieties (early, mid, late for long season).
DO NOT plant stone fruit if you do not spray. I loose 100% to plum curilico.
Strawberries get hammered by slugs, bugs and crows so I removed.
Then I personally would add 1 apple and 1 pear and then turn it into a franken tree. Bud118 and OHxF87 and prune hard to keep at 10-12 feet tall. The extra vigor of non dwarfing rootstock will help it survive a bad winter and bounce back if it gets borer or other disease attacks. Pick a disease resistant vigorus variety (like liberty) for the main trunk then multigraft. I would go early to late (Norkent, Wynochee early, Macfree, Crimson Crisp, Northern Spy, Goldrush). That will give you fruit from end august into nearly november. Not all are disease resistant but are awesome for fresh eating or Pies (Northern Spy - YUM).
Pears I do not have a bunch of experience yet. Only tasted Lucious, Northbrite and Krazyula). Really impressed by Northbrite as it held on the tree for weeks while remaining crisp and delicious. Keeps well too. No hassles of picking early then allowing slow ripening. Again I would multigraft for a prolongued season. I should have 50+ apples to taste for first time this year and about 15 pears so follow my posts.
3 Likes