Not enough people grow too much! My brother lives in the Czech Republic (Czechia anyone?) and every year people take their surplus to the local distillery to be made into Slivovice (plum) or apple alcohol. He brought us a bottle of his apple stuff (Jablkovice, c is pronounced ts) and it was lovely, like drinking apply silk, but alcoholic
No, never too much fruit! I used to grow 15 different apple varieties as cordons on about 40' of trellis. That way we got a wide selection, and of course not all cropped really well every year, but we always had enough to eat and juice. Our only large apple tree was an ancient Bramley and when it did its bi-annual bumper crop, we just gave them away and even stored them for the blackbirds later in the winter. Perhaps you could grow your apples as step-overs if you can't fit in espaliers?
Currants & gooseberries should be fine in a border, and you'll find the birds helping themselves to these anyway if they aren't netted, but blueberries are usually best in a large container as they need ericaceous compost - unless you have that type of soil anyway.
I have loads too! All mixed in the borders. I try to train the bushes on a small leg and have between 4 and 6 arms evenly spaced (i use medium bamboo canes for initial training). They look good and are easier to net and harvest. If you choose carefully, you can also have a good succession, so istead of ordering a pack of 3 say invicta goosberries, you could get an early yellow, late yellow and a red variety. So less glut and more variety.
Good luck with you garden overhaul. I hope we get to see some pictures!
The first question is of course; do you like the fruit you're planting? If not unless it's for the wildlife consider planting something you and your family will actually eat.
Personally I think the more the better choice; but pick carefully to try and spread out your season rather than have a harvest that lasts three weeks but puts you off blackberries for life.
I have a pear tree, plum tree, rhubarb, red currants, blackberries, strawberries, more herbs than I ever care to cook with... and plans for a vegetable garden that will be host to a LOT more. For me I'd fill ever square inch with fruit and vegetables. But that could just be the Yorkshire value for money talking!
The only reason I can think of for not having huge amounts of fruit plants is that most are deciduous and look bare in winter, so you might prefer to have some evergreens instead. Regarding apples, near Guildford (I think) there is a company that makes cider from garden apples. I think you can swap your apples for some cider. Otherwise take excess fruit into work, you will be popular.
Rosemary makes a nice bush, you can get prostrate forms, although mine are 1m tall, so much for being prostrate.
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Not enough people grow too much! My brother lives in the Czech Republic (Czechia anyone?) and every year people take their surplus to the local distillery to be made into Slivovice (plum) or apple alcohol. He brought us a bottle of his apple stuff (Jablkovice, c is pronounced ts) and it was lovely, like drinking apply silk, but alcoholic
I bought a fruit press last year and turn excess fruit into juice and cider
No, never too much fruit! I used to grow 15 different apple varieties as cordons on about 40' of trellis. That way we got a wide selection, and of course not all cropped really well every year, but we always had enough to eat and juice. Our only large apple tree was an ancient Bramley and when it did its bi-annual bumper crop, we just gave them away and even stored them for the blackbirds later in the winter. Perhaps you could grow your apples as step-overs if you can't fit in espaliers?
Currants & gooseberries should be fine in a border, and you'll find the birds helping themselves to these anyway if they aren't netted, but blueberries are usually best in a large container as they need ericaceous compost - unless you have that type of soil anyway.
Last edited: 19 May 2016 19:18:40
You need to net the blueberries the blackbirds like them do it before they are ripe:)
I have loads too! All mixed in the borders. I try to train the bushes on a small leg and have between 4 and 6 arms evenly spaced (i use medium bamboo canes for initial training). They look good and are easier to net and harvest. If you choose carefully, you can also have a good succession, so istead of ordering a pack of 3 say invicta goosberries, you could get an early yellow, late yellow and a red variety. So less glut and more variety.
Good luck with you garden overhaul. I hope we get to see some pictures!
Think laterally too, fruit can be turned into ice creams and sauces as well as jams and curds that will last till next years crop is ready.
The first question is of course; do you like the fruit you're planting? If not unless it's for the wildlife consider planting something you and your family will actually eat.
Personally I think the more the better choice; but pick carefully to try and spread out your season rather than have a harvest that lasts three weeks but puts you off blackberries for life.
I have a pear tree, plum tree, rhubarb, red currants, blackberries, strawberries, more herbs than I ever care to cook with... and plans for a vegetable garden that will be host to a LOT more. For me I'd fill ever square inch with fruit and vegetables. But that could just be the Yorkshire value for money talking!
The only reason I can think of for not having huge amounts of fruit plants is that most are deciduous and look bare in winter, so you might prefer to have some evergreens instead. Regarding apples, near Guildford (I think) there is a company that makes cider from garden apples. I think you can swap your apples for some cider. Otherwise take excess fruit into work, you will be popular.
Rosemary makes a nice bush, you can get prostrate forms, although mine are 1m tall, so much for being prostrate.
I have a lot of fruit bushes,all the surplus goes in the freezer and I make mixed fruit compote or for my breakfast and puddings.?