Not a good idea to walk through a plant nursery when you’re out of planting space. Yes I did and a great deal was right in front of me and before I knew it they were in my truck heading home. How could I resist 2 smaller Legacy blueberry plants that were only $10. Most Southern Highbush aren’t suggested for my area but you never know how they will do until you try them. I left 1 berry cluster on each plant because I didn’t want to wait a year to let them fruit as I should. I hope these plants ripen this early each year. This would give me some snacking berries before my rabbit eyes ripen.
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There is always room for more. Why bother with those landscaping plants or flowers you may have. Don’t fruits actually look better? I bet those blueberries would look great in a flower bed.
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They sure can. I’ve had several opportunities to suggest blueberry bushes to people, offering that the red foliage in autumn will produce a enjoyable contrast with the surrounding landscaping.
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Hey Bill, did you know the red blueberry foliage in fall makes an enjoyable contrast with surrounding foliage?
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Thanks. Good tip
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Thanks
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Contrary to popular belief, studies suggest that subliminal messages are not powerful enough to function as a form of mind control or to force behavior change. I’m thinking about added a few fruit plants to my front yard.
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My theory is that we are attracted to bright flowers because of our instinct to seek out ripe fruit. Why settle for a symbol that only feeds our eyes?
I think the suggestion is a false conclusion that has been refuted by thousands of advertising campaigns financed by what must add up to billions of dollars for over a century now.
Years ago there was a best selling book called "The Hidden Persuaders) I think. Advertisers use a lot of researched methods that use subliminal messaging to attract consumers. When someone is convinced to make a purchase they wouldn’t otherwise by such persuasions it is a form of successful mind control that changes consumer behavior. I think it is so affective that it has contributed hugely to suicidal dietary decisions that have contributed to the global epidemic of obesity and diabetes. A meal at Macdonald’s equals happiness in the company of beautiful people.
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(shuddering) Not for me. I can’t stand mickeyD’s food. But I am the exception, not the rule.
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I’m not sure that I’m never influenced by these repeated efforts on TV but I would like to think that I’m mostly not.
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If I pass by a fast food place on an empty stomach the fast food places are more tempting. I try to remind myself that stopping doesn’t do anything for me toward eating a healthy diet.
As much as I enjoy my fruit trees I try to separate my front yard landscaping from my backyard orchard. It’s tempting not to merge the two.
Most of the rest of the world has a different idea about fruit trees and often incorporate them into formal gardens, often as espaliers, of course, but not necessarily. Dwarf fruit trees in particular can function in formal landscapes and do not require very much pruning to sustain attractive shapes.
The best fast-food is tree ripened fruit off the tree.
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I wish I could landscape with fruit plants! Or really landscape more easily….Deer are crazy and I’d have to have a crazy fence to keep them out of everything.
And I definitely have to stop myself buying extra plants I see “just to try”. Especially sale plants. I barely have time to maintain the ones I have- but so many tempting fruit plants and trees! And I’m already trying 3 new things this year (kiwi, muscadine, strawberries).
Also, I really admire people with nice yards around here! Stuff grows like crazy and the weeds take over so quickly - I think many give up if they can’t pay for help.
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When I filled up my backyard with fruit trees, I expanded to my side yards (both sides 
). Once those spaces are filled, I’ve moved on to the front yard.
After several years, I admit I like seeing an open front yard that my view won’t be blocked by the trees.
Also, my planting in the front yard is not aesthetically pleasing. I have carefully chosen trees that do not need spraying like jujubes. Still, I removed one of the three already.
Will not add any more fruit trees in my front yard.
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One of my most appreciative clients is a couple, one of whom was the 2nd in command under Ralph Lauren. Physical beauty is an obsession of both of them. They don’t have a huge property like some of my Greenwich CT customers… not their thing. What they have is a beautiful home with tons of wood craftsmanship inside and a very well maintained French style garden landscape- Lots of boxwoods, climbing roses on beautiful arbors, a linden alle along the main entrance, Etc. I was brought there to manage apple trees that they had planted against a tall rock wall that was built between the tennis court and the swimming pool. I manage the apple trees more attentively than if it was a 150’ long row of espaliers and prune them 3 times a year to keep them looking formal, symmetrical but free form. The rootstocks are too vigorous for their 10’ spacing but they ae about the most productive apple trees you will ever see partially because of the attentive pruning.
Any serious hobbyist could use fruit trees in the same way they are used there. It just isn’t in the mind-set of most middle class Americans because we tend to buy our fruit from farmers and food is relatively cheap in this country (maybe not so much these days) European hort schools teach fruit tree care, but places like Cornell and even UC Davis only teach about commercial fruit production. Maybe Davis has a class on back yard home orchards, I don’t know. But Americans tend to treat their own fruit trees like their red-headed stepdaughters. .
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I’m sure my preference is not even close to being what the majority of fruit growers prefer. The one place I have wavered at is around my back deck. We wanted more blueberries so I added 6 more. I do all my front landscaping and enjoy doing it. I’m not an artist but I do share some of their tendencies. I have a long way to go getting it to look like I want it. The hardest thing an artist has to do is to know when to stop and sign it. My small back yard orchard is completely different to me in that my career in management pushes organization and production. Both areas are enjoyable to me but I have different goals for each. The nice thing is that we all can do things like we want to. The saying You be You.
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