Fruit Trees

[huntinghagen#12]

I have blueberries, blackberries and pawpaws that are maintenance and issue free. I have pears, apples, and plums that are prone to disease, frost issues, and bugs. I have a handful of lemons and limes, but they can't take frost and don't like temps under 40. They're a hassle and a $5 bag of lemons from the grocery store is more than you'll get every year, but they're kind of neat.
Unless you're willing to move citrus in and out a garage, your only citrus option is what Stan McKenzie recommends.

How do those blueberries hold up to the cold? Same for blackberries?

We planted some blueberries in a bigger pot. I can probably move it in and out in the winter when it gets below freezing, but I'd rather just leave it where it is.

[DRDUCK]

What he said and HOW you keep the deer, squirrel's, etc off them?

[theoldblackdog]

How do those blueberries hold up to the cold? Same for blackberries?

We planted some blueberries in a bigger pot. I can probably move it in and out in the winter when it gets below freezing, but I'd rather just leave it where it is.

House we just moved in at Camden has about 5 blueberry bushes planted outside. A few of them are big and a couple are small. The big ones have a ton of blueberries on them, but the little ones not so much. We only covered them once or twice with those late freezes when blooms had already started. It doesn’t get near as cold down here as up there but that’s our experience. Biggest problem is my lab keeps ripping out one of the smaller bushes, rootball and all. Doesn’t chew it up just rips it out and drags it to the yard

[WNM]

I didn't even cover my blooming blueberries this year on the late frost nights, and they are loaded. All in ground. Deer were hard on new growth on some of them, but no issues once established. We try to pick before work in the morning and don't lose too many to birds. I shoot squirrels as I see them near the garden but have never noticed them getting the berries.

I didn't plant all of them, but whoever owned our place years ago planted 4-5 different blueberry varieties. Good for a prolonged harvest vs coming in all at once, and good for a frost that might get some open blooms on one variety but the others are ahead or behind.

Blackberries don't flower until well past any chance of frost for me. No winter kill on the plants themselves or anything like that.

[Catdaddy]

Not a bumper crop after the late frost, but not bad either.

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[Duck Nitz]

A man could grow a banana tree or two..

[Catdaddy]

It won't be long now. They are starting to turn. Not a bumper crop like in the past. Late frosts hurt.

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[murraywader]

Nice!

[Catdaddy]

It's going to be a bumper crop this year. Maybe even limb breaking good.

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[2thDoc]

same here, CD. i cant imagine all them blossoms becoming fruit or i'm in trouble!

[scdiver]

Our limes and lemons are loaded in PI. Put a new blueberry bush in the ground last week. I want to get one of those cold tolerant tangerines that CD has in the ground. MW, we have 3 lemon, a regular lime and key lime all in big planters at the moment so we can move in when it freezes hard. My wife wants to put them in the ground so I will be doing that soon I think.

Anybody run a smudge pot to keep them warm instead of covering?

[2thDoc]

^same. i ended up putting them close to the house. i cover with a sheet if its below 30.
i planted a couple next to my pond in the country. dont do that.

satsuma is a good variety of tangerine that i have at home next to the meyer lemons and limes

[ecu1984]

I have a bunch of blueberry bushes and they produce the sweetest darkest blueberries
Hanging full right now, will post pics tomorrow. The ones in full sun make the largest and the best
Have had them for 20 years in Irmo

Bought raspberry bushes last week but haven't put in the ground yet