"Garden Fruit at your fingertips!"
 If you have enough space, grow a few smaller trees or fruit bushes on the edge of your plot just for the birds, then NET the rest!
Gone are the days when you had to grow a full blown apple tree in your garden - with modern genetic technology, we can grow 'custom-made' trees in the garden. Whether you agree with this or not, the fact remains that you can take advantage of it! There will be a few restrictions on your fruit growing. For example, it's unlikely you'll be able to grow mangoes in Scotland, however with greenhouses and other equipment available, I guess anything's possible! Go with the flow and ask around. What grows well in your region? Which garden fruits are other local gardeners growing? And just as importantly, which fruits do you and your family like to eat?
Traditional tree fruits such as cherries, apples, pears and plums can all be grown in a back garden - some can even be grown in large containers. Fruit trees can be shaped and adapted to suit even the smallest of spaces, and your garden centre or local tree nursery will be able to advise you on hybrid varieties already modified to grow along a fence or as a fan shape over a trellis. You can also buy 'dwarf' varieties - which are much easier to handle in a smaller garden.Garden fruit trees often have to be netted to protect the fruit from birds, and growing smaller trees makes this operation a lot easier. NB: Always use a wildlife friendly net to avoid damage to the birds wings. Nature Hills have a variety of fruit trees available (US)
When you buy fruit canes or shrubs check on cutting instructions. Some fruits grow on the new year's growth of wood, others will fruit on branches that are at least 2 years old. Raspberries can be very successfully grown by planting cuttings. When you cut back your raspberry canes, or you see someone else doing theirs :-), grab the cuttings and push into your soil firming down so they don't blow over. Place them quite close together - not all of them may survive. Later in the year pull out any canes that are not shooting and discard them. If you have a good success rate with your raspberry canes, you may find you have an overcrowding problem. Thin out every other cane, trying to leave the healthiest and strongest looking plants in the ground. If you buy your canes directly from a nursery or garden centre, they should all be fine, and you can plant them further apart. Find out more about growing raspberries on this page.. Growing Raspberries Grapes are a 'vine'. A trailing grape vine over a garden arbor or along a trellis is worth trying out if you have the space. Ask around before growing grapes in your region. They can be very disappointing if the conditions aren't right. Find out more about growing grapes on this page.. Growing Grapes
Gooseberries grow on low-growing shrubs, often with huge spiky thorns, but the fruits are delicious! Blackcurrants, redcurrants, and most other currants tend to grow on small-medium sized shrubs. They need a little looking after but should reward you with pounds of currants in early summer. Then there are strawberries, probably one of the most well-known of the garden fruits. Strawberries are fairly hardy and can produce multiple crops throughout the year, depending on the variety. More about growing strawberries on this page Growing Strawberries More about berries on this page: Growing Berries  Garden fruits are an excellent way to a healthy diet. We should eat five portions of fresh fruit and veg every day and growing your own organic fruit will certainly help you maintain a healthy diet! Push the good health factor up a notch and grow some good-for-you fats. Nuts provide tons of good stuff! Find out more about growing nuts on this page...... Growing Nuts Happy Gardening! Grow Your Own Winter Food: A good diet incorporating plenty of fresh garden fruits and vegetables is a must if you want to stay fit and healthy and keep the bugs at bay during the cold winter months. Growing your own winter food is just one way of ensuring you get the freshest, tastiest produce packed with goodness straight from the garden to the kitchen table. This easy-to-follow self-sufficiency book shows you how to grow your own fruit and vegetables for winter use and includes facts on each fruit, vegetable or herb as well as nutritional value, recipe ideas and storage suggestions.  Grow Your Own Winter Food is perfect for those with limited gardening experience, with gardens big or small who are looking to become more self-sufficient. Order it now direct from the publisher... Grow Your Own Winter Food Grow It, Cook It!: Many crops, including herbs, can be produced in a relatively small space with a little pre-planning and organizing: in containers, on a balcony, and indoors. Herbs are perfect for enhancing the flavour of cooking, treating minor ailments, and preventing colds and flu. Your own back garden will not only produce the best food on the planet for you and your loved ones, it is also economical, environmentally friendly and more fun than shopping. Gardening is more than a hobby; it's a way of life. .  This book provides all the information you need to keep your family and friends healthy, fit and enjoying life to the full. Order it now direct from the publisher... Grow It, Cook It! Grow Your Own Pharmacy: If, like me, you want to be able to eat the best food on the planet, grow your own!  • Clear instructions on planning, planting, growing and harvesting the fruits, vegetables and herbs required for a healthy vitamin intake. • Recipes and menus to help incorporate the fruit and vegetables into your daily diet. Grow Your Own Pharmacy Herbs and Spices: Some herbs grow vigorously, some are tender and need special growing conditions, some are annuals, some perennials, some you can grow indoors, all can be grown in pots or directly into the ground. There are also certain spices, such as chillies, that can be grown in temperate climates.  This clear and concise directory of herbs and spices provides all the essential information to help you grow a selection of these flavour-enhancing foods in small or large spaces. Ideas for which herbs and spices go best with which foods also accompany each description, so that you can really enliven your repertoire of recipes. Order it now direct from the publisher... Herbs and Spices Granny's Book Of Good Old Fashioned Common Sense is packed full of great ideas and tips. Granny brings traditional home-making up to date with cooking, gardening, needlecrafts and even games to play with the kids...Click on the link below to order your copy.  Cooking doesn’t have to be a chore and preparing nourishing home cooked meals for the family will certainly keep them away from the goodie shelf. Gardening encourages physical exercise and a good healthy dollop of fresh air. And you can get the kids involved too. Before the days of computer games and electronic pets, children used to have fun without rummaging about in the fridge every five minutes. Enjoy a few rainy-day games and crafts of yesteryear with today’s kids. They’ll love it and so will you! Granny's Book Of Good Old Fashioned Common Sense Back To Gardening Back to Flower and Garden Tips Homepage Click here to subscribe to "Creative Gardening" - Your FREE monthly ezine! www.flower-and-garden-tips.com/gardenfruit.html |
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