Which Fruit Tree Should I Plant?
I realize that most of the country is covered in snow right now, but winter is the time to plan for your garden, so let’s do it!
I have room for one or two fruit trees in my yard. So far I’m growing lemon, orange, nectarine, fig, and cherry trees.
This being bareroot season, I’m thinking about what to plant. Here’s what I’m considering:
APPLE
Pros:
-
Apples are one of my favorite fruits.
They’re versatile: you can use it in savory and sweet dishes.
They’re easy to store: you can freeze, dry, and juice apples.
They grow great where I live.
I never get tired of them.
Cons:
-
Apples are cheap.
Store apples taste as good as homegrown apples.
I often get free apples from friends and neighbors.
It’s a bit of a boring choice.
PLUM
Pros:
- Another favorite fruit of mine.
The fruit tastes better off the tree than in the store.
It’s an expensive fruit, so it would make economic sense to grow.
You can freeze, juice, and dry plums.
The tree grows great here.
Cons:
-
Plums are not very versatile.
Plum trees are messy and can attract pests.
I’m under the impression that plum trees are fussy.
You can only eat so many plums.
WALNUT
Pros:
- It would be nice to have some protein growing in the yard.
Walnuts are expensive.
Walnuts are versatile.
Walnuts are easy to store.
The trees grow great here.
Cons:
-
Walnut trees are huge! I have never seen a dwarf walnut tree, although they may exist.
Walnuts can be messy trees.
MULBERRY
Pros:
-
These trees are delightful! They are really lovely plants.
Mulberries are delicious.
It would be nice to have something different/exotic growing in the yard.
I think mulberries are versatile: you can dry them, freeze them (?), and make wine from them. (Hey, why not?)
Cons:
- Mulberries attract birds. Will I get any berries?
While I know mulberry trees grow here, I don’t know what they need or how fussy they are.
I don’t know that much about mulberries, to be honest.
I just don’t know… Advice?
