A friend offered me there opportunity to help plan a new backyard orchard.
They have room for about 20 trees.
I made a list of things I would plant in priority order. Some of this is based on my experience. Much is based on what I’ve read here.
I did not include grapes or kiwi because i doubt they want to build a trellis.
I’ve listed the type and variety plus my notes about growing.
Any feedback would be welcome:
| 1 | Black Raspberry | Jewel | Any variety will be good. Trellis and prune to keep them under control. Canes are biannual. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Yellow Raspberry | Anne | Trellis and prune to keep them under control. Canes are biannual |
| 3 | Asian Pear | Korean giant or New World | KG is often noted online as best Asian pear. Not available at whiffletree or silvercreek last year so probably replace with New World which is a decendant. I like the idea of Asian pears. They are noted as fairly easy to grow and they are expensive in store. They are good off the tree. |
| 4 | European Pear | Harrow Delight | Harrow Diammond is apparently good tasting and good disease resistance. Pears are generally easier to grow than apples here. Euro Pears will crosspollinate with Asian pears. |
| 5 | Apple | Gala | If this is your favourite apple, grow it. |
| 6 | Apple | Liberty | Tastes like mac, really good disease resistance. I have one of these and it’s doing well. |
| 7 | Haskap | Aurora | Need 2 varieties to pollinate. I have this and it’s good. Haskap taste a bit like blueberries but are easier to grow here. |
| 8 | Haskap | Indigo Gem | Need 2 varieties to pollinate. I have this and it’s good. Haskap taste a bit like blueberries but are easier to grow here. |
| 9 | Red Raspberry | Take your pick | Trellis and prune to keep them under control. Canes are biannual |
| 10 | White or Pink Currant | Any | These will grow in a shady spot. Gooseberry Sawfly can be bad but that’s the only challenge I’ve had. Kids seem to like them. |
| 11 | Gooseberry | Poormans | These will grow in a shady spot. Gooseberry Sawfly can be bad but that’s the only challenge I’ve had. Kids seem to like them. Could replace with other variety. |
| 12 | Shrub Cherry | Juliet or Romeo | Shrub cherries are easier to grow than trees here. This variety is apparently between a sweet and sour cherry for taste. Protect from rabbits. |
| 13 | Apple | Crimson Crisp | gets very good taste reviews. |
| 14 | Mullberry | Illinois everbearing | I have a friend with a mullberry in Kitchener. They are a bit messy, but taste really good (like a raspberry) and have very few issues. Birds love them. |
| 15 | Plum (American Hybrid) | South Dakota | all stoneftuit are challenging because of black knot, plum curculio and other bugs… American plums are supposed to be the most disease resistant stone fruit but may be a pollination challenge. This variety is noted as a good pollinator. Alternatively: European plums offer a wide variety and can be self fertile. |
| 16 | Plum (American Hybrid) | Purple Heart | The description of this looks good to me. You need 2 for pollination. could substitue this with any American hybrid. |
| 17 | Asian Pear | chojuro | in Asian pear blog, this is one noted as good. could replace with another… i like the idea of Asian pears. they are noted as fairly easy to grow and they are expensive in store. |
| 18 | European Pear | Bonne Louise de Jersey | no real comment, could replace with any pear. note that Euro pears need to be picked before they are ripe or they will get mushy… but pears are generally considered reliably easy to grow. |
| 19 | Sweet Cherry | Stella | self fertile sweet cherry. Scott has this. tree does well. First fruit this year tasted good. |
| 20 | Sour Cherry | Montmorency | most popular sour cherry. apparently sour cherries are easier to grow than sweet. |
| 21 | Persimmon (American) | Mohler | bit of a gamble but you’ll never get one of these in a store because they don’t ship well. Shouldn’t have bug or disease problems. Cold hardieness may be a risk, but should be fine. |
| 22 | Pear European | Green Gage | Could replace with any Euro Plum that is self fertile. Plum Curculio, Black Knot, late frosts will probably all be challenges at some point. |
| 23 | Peach | Harrow Diamond | We are at the north end of Peach range. This variety is one of the most winter hardy and disease resistant. Bugs (esp Plum Curculio) and early frost will be a challenge. Could swap for Reliance which fruits mid-August |
| 24 | Apple | Pink Pearl | pink flesh, reputably good tasting, early apple. |
| 25 | Apple | Chestnut | crab apples help pollinate others and they are more reliable than regular apples. This one apparently tastes good. |
| 26 | Apple | Nova EasyGrow | really good disease resistance, similar to Cortland |
| 27 | Sour Shrub Cherry | Carmine Jewel | This shrub cherry seems to be very productive - sour, so mostly for cooking |
| 28 | Sweet Cherry | Hedelfingen | Needs another sweet cherry to pollinate. . . . could swap for several varieties or a sour cherry. |
| 29 | Apricot | Take your pick | We are at the north end of Appricot range. Bugs (esp Plum Curculio) and early frost will be a challenge. |
| 30 | European Pear | Take your pick of Perry Pears | want to make Perry? if so, get a Perry pear. |
| 31 | Apple | spartan | pink flowers, I like these in the store. |
| 32 | Apple | Take your pick of Cider variety | If you want to make cider, pick a cider apple. |
| 33 | Asian pear | shinko | Gets some good reviews online |
