Has this ever happened to you? You stroll through your yard and think, “Something’s missing?” Well, that something could be homegrown fruit. Here in the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina, we’re blessed with a ‘Goldilocks climate’, perfect for a wide variety of fruit trees and berry bushes, turning your everyday landscape into an edible landscape and beneficial wildlife habitat.
You might be thinking fruit trees sound like a whole heap of trouble. But with a little know-how and making the right choices, growing your own fruit can be easy and enlightening. Imagine stepping outside to pick a ripe peach or a handful of tasty berries – it’s better than making a trip to the grocery store.
Apples are the classic American fruit. For our neck of the woods, you can’t go wrong with ‘Gala’ for a crisp, sweet early-season variety. ‘Fuji’ offers a wonderful balance of sweet and tart, ripening later in the season. For a classic, all-around good apple, consider ‘Honeycrisp’. Remember, most apple trees need a pollinating partner to produce fruit, so planting two different varieties that bloom around the same time is key. Crabapple trees are excellent pollinators, as they have a longer blooming period to pollinate both early and late-season varieties.
Homegrown peach trees are a joy to grow. Varieties that grow well in the Triad are the ‘Redhaven’, which is a reliable and early-ripening variety that’s a favorite for its flavor and good disease resistance. If you’re looking for a freestone peach (meaning the pit comes out easily), ‘Elberta’ is a good choice, though it ripens a bit later in the season. For something a little different, consider a white-fleshed peach like ‘Belle of Georgia,’ known for its sweetness and low acidity.
Pears often get overlooked, but they are a fantastic addition to edible landscapes. ‘Bartlett’ is a familiar and delicious pear; you could also consider ‘Keiffer.’ These varieties are known for their heat tolerance and resistance to fire blight, a common pear disease. Like apples, most pear varieties benefit from a pollinating partner.
Muscadine grapes are almost synonymous with the South, and for good reason! These tough, heat-loving grapes come in a range of colors and sweetness levels. ‘Triumph’ is the early fruit bronze muscadine, while ‘Carlos’ is a mid-season bronze and self-fertile variety, meaning you only need one vine to get fruit. For a dark-fruited option, ‘Nesbitt’ and ‘Southland’ are popular choices. Concord grapes, with their distinctively sweet and slightly tart flavor, also do well in our climate. They’re wonderful for juice, jams, or just eating fresh off the vine.
Blackberries and raspberries are relatively easy to grow and can provide a large harvest. For blackberries, thornless varieties like ‘Prime Ark’, ‘Apache’, or ‘Ouachita’ are a dream for picking without the threat of getting stuck. When it comes to raspberries, ‘Heritage’ is a reliable everbearing red raspberry that produces a good crop in summer and again in the fall.
When you are planning to grow something new, first, you should consider your space and sunlight. Most fruit trees and berry plants need at least six to eight hours of sunshine a day. Good drainage is also a critical consideration; none of these plants likes waterlogged roots. When you’re selecting your plants, look for healthy signs like vibrant new green growth and well-developed roots.
Planting is also a key step that needs to be right the first time. Dig a hole that’s twice as wide as the root ball and just as deep. Gently loosen any roots that are circling in the shape of the pot before placing the plant in the hole, this will encourage them to reach for new territory. Backfill with the soil you amended with a planting mix of compost and mulch, making sure the bud union (the slightly swollen area at the base of grafted trees) is a couple of inches above the soil line. You will want the top of the root ball above the soil level. Water thoroughly after planting.
Care-wise, regular watering, especially during dry spells, is important, particularly for young plants. A layer of mulch around the base of your fruit trees and berry bushes helps to retain moisture and suppress weeds. Pruning is also essential for maintaining the shape and productivity of your plants, but don’t be intimidated – there are plenty of resources to guide you. There is time in the winter to prune fruit trees. Keep an eye out for any pests or diseases, addressing them promptly if they appear.
Introducing fruit into your landscaping isn’t just about the delicious harvest; it also attracts wildlife and adds interesting changes to your yard throughout the seasons, from the lovely spring blossoms to the colorful fruit hanging on the branches, and fall leaf changes. It’s a chance to connect with nature right outside your door.