Here is more of what I've learned in 30 years of trying to grow fruit under suboptimal conditions in Tompkins County:
Blackberries I have not done well with these, despite having no trouble growing them in southern Maine earlier in my life. The problem here has been cane hardiness. Blackberries fruit on the previous year's canes (although there are a couple of new primocane-fruiting varieties that I am trying out). Unless these survive the winter, no fruit. This is especially a problem with the thornless varieties, which are marginally hardy in this area. You should have no problem growing them in Ithaca and in protected locations elsewhere. Otherwise easy to grow, the only problem I have had is inadequate rainfall during fruiting. Black Raspberries These are dependably hardy and the cultivated varieties are as good or better than most wild ones, while being considerably larger. Black raspberries are susceptible to wilt and a number of virus diseases. If you get wilt, you generally lose the plant, but not the planting. Plant in well-drained soil. Avoid mulching right up against the base of the plant, and plan on replacing the planting with a new one every few years (10 years seems to be about the max). The virus is apparent in the foliage, which looks mottled. Rogue plants showing signs of virus infection. Infected plants go into a decline that limits their productivity. I compensate for wilt and virus by overplanting. I plant in a staggered row with plants about 2 feet apart. Blacks should be tipped (have the ends of the canes cut off) when they are 2-3 feet tall to make them branch. Prune the branches back in the spring to a foot or so in length and thin to the strongest canes. Mold is a problem for us in a wet year. Not much we can do about that. Wineberries Non-native, these easy-to-grow fruits sport vicious thorns on attractive red canes. Similar in culture to black raspberries, they also resemble them in fruit shape, being a cap berry. The berries are hidden in a protective cover until nearly ripe. Best eaten fresh, the jewel-like red fruits are a bit tart but delicious. Only problem with these is that they are marginally hardy here. No problem in the city, but in other areas they need a protected spot. Will tolerate shade, unlike most fruit, so I grow them on the north side of my garage (in a protected inside corner). Grapes I only grow table grapes, since neither of us drinks wine. I don't spray my grape vines at all, so only the most disease-resistant varieties will do -- especially since, with a valley location, air drainage is suboptimal. If you have a better site (on a side hill, preferably above the lake), you will be able to grow many more varieties with little or no spraying. The easiest white is Ontario. Seeded, but very pleasant. Only good as a fresh-eating grape. Mildew is the only problem, and it is not bad most years. The easiest red is Canadice. Seedless too. Freezes well. Swensen is a seeded red with non slipskin. Complex flavor hints of cherry. My favorite variety. Freezes well also. Reliance is also good, but not quite as dependable as Canadice. Seedless; freezes well. Among the blues, Concord is easiest in my planting. Steuben is also pretty easy, but there will be some rot in a bad year. Same for Concord. We got some rot in the Concords last year, but this is relatively rare. Both these varieties are best for jam and juice, although ok as eating grapes. Concord is unsurpassed for jam and other cooked uses. Not much good frozen. Any grape will stand on the vines after ripening for some considerable time -- many days. Once picked, they will also store in the fridge in open containers for weeks, enabling leisurely consumption or processing. Kiwis There are 2 types of kiwis that grow here -- Actinidia arguta and Actinidia kolomikta. The argutas are very vigorous vines that need sturdy supports and considerable pruning to restrain them. The kolomiktas are much less vigorous and easily managed, with the males sporting attractive variegated foliage. Both kinds have delicious fruits, which look just like the tropical kiwi on the inside, but in miniature. Fruits are a couple of cm long, smooth skinned. The skins are edible, so the fruit is eaten just like a grape. Not much bothers these vines, so they can be grown with no spraying whatsoever. So, what problems are there? They leaf out way too early and have no frost resistance. They often get zapped by frost here in the valley. They revegetate, but the fruit is lost for the year. I got a nice crop of kolomiktas last year only because I covered them (3 times!) to protect them from frost. These would be easy in the city or on a side slope where frost would not be a problem. I highly recommend the kolomiktas to city dwellers with a little room for a trellis or even a little wall space. Much easier than grapes to grow -- but you do need to make space for at least 2 vines since male and female are on separate vines (i.e., they are dioecious). More on bigger trees next time. Joel _______________________________________________ RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: [email protected] http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
