I’m currently planning for what I tended to plant for the comming year. I was curious as to what advice other people might have for the plants I’m looking at. I live in Richmond VA, just about on top of the 7a/7b line. My front yard is something of a frost pocket, and it hits in the 90s for a sustained period in the summer. I’m mostly interested in fruit (or vegetables) that are significantly superior to what you can buy in the grocery store, or that you can’t find for sale. I’ve got a significant arrangement of berries already.
Apples: I was going to plant EMLA 27 dwarfs of Karmijn and Rubinette, some kind of Cox, and an Ashmead’s. Maybe a Goldrush, too.
Fig: was considering a Flanders. I think it is hot enough here for it to work, but I’m not really sure.
Cherry: Thinking about the Raintree 4x1, which would be some combo of Glacier, Emperor, Francis, Lapins, Early Burlat, & Montmorency. Also thinking about trying Nugent, which is supposedly birdproof since they never turn red.
Peaches: I’d like to plant a peach tree since I heard peaches benefit from being home grown almost as much as tomatoes, but I have no idea what to get.
Berries: I’m considering getting some of Raintree’s fieldberries & nagoon berries to edge my berry bed, but I have no idea if they would be worth the trouble. I’m also thinking of buying some Lipstick strawberries for my heavily shaded back yard in hopes it would colonize the yard before the damn ivy comes back.
Apricots/Plums/Pears: I’ve never been impressed by any of these that I’ve eaten, but they were all store bought.
I don’t suppose anybody has a favored red/pink/white currant for areas with heavy mildew pressure? Also, are any of the more exotic stuff (Goumis, Aronia, Honeyberry, Seaberry, Serviceberry/Saskatoon) any good?