Spring 2008

Fruits and berries are easy and rewarding to grow. Try planting them in shrub borders, as specimen plants or as ground covers among your annuals and perennials. Please note, many berry plants and fruit trees need more than one plant located within 100 ft for cross pollination. If the variety is ‘self-fertile’ or ‘self-pollinating’ no other plant is required for fruit production.

Blackberry (Rubus)
Grow best in full sun, fertile, well-drained soil with regular watering. These factors will influence the size and flavor of berries. Roots are perennial, canes are biennial, growing the first year, flowering and fruiting the second. Cut out canes after they finish fruiting. Self-fertilizing.
   Chester – heavy bearing, large very sweet fruit - thornless - hardy, disease resistant - ripens in July – 6-8’
Blueberry (Vaccinium)
Ground Cover Varieties – Moist, fertile, acidic, well-drained soil. White flowers in spring, fruit in summer, red fall foliage, red stems in winter. Self-pollinating. Cut back to 2” every 3-4 years to rejuvenate.
   Tophat - compact, sweet pea-sized berries – glossy foliage - 1’h x 2’w
Hedge Varieties – Produces over 2-months. Growing two or more varieties increases yields and prolongs the picking season. Benefits from light pruning of old branches, thinning center of bush in late winter. Provides year round seasonal interest.
   Berkley – medium, powder-blue, mild mid-season fruit – 6’x 6’
   Blue Crop - large flavorful fruit – mid-season - tall, erect – 6’x 6’
   Blue Ray – large, great tasting, mid-season fruit – hardy, upright – 4-6’
   Jersey – high yielding – late season small, dark berries - upright - 6-7’
   North Country – lots of sweet, mild berries – freeze well - 2’w x 2’h
   Northland – small, delicious fruit – early – spreading - 4’h x 4’w
   North Sky – sweet, delectable berries – dwarf, low grower –2’w x 2’h
   Patriot – consistent, massive yields –large, tasty berries - compact, rounded habit – deep green foliage - best early producer - 4’h x 4’w
   Rubel – small, dark fruit, intense flavor  – excellent for baking – late  summer – compact, rounded habit – 6’x 6’
Currant (Ribes)
Multi-stemmed, thornless. Moist, fertile, acidic, well-drained soil. Shallow rooted, mulch well. Fertilize in early spring. Cut stems older than 3 years old to the ground during dormant season. Early spring clusters of blooms produce summer fruit. Plant two varieties for pollination.
Gooseberry (Ribes)
Same culture as Currants
   Hinnomaki Red – high yields of larger, tasty, bright red fruit in early summer – fresh eating or cooking
Grapes (Vitis)
Hardy and self-pollinating. Grapes are produced on smooth barked year old wood. Pruning limits the amount of potential fruiting wood, limiting the amount of fruit produced and improving its quality.
   Canadice Red - seedless red - spicy flavor - easy to grow - ripen early
   Concord – cold hardy, productive, flavorful deep blue grapes
   Himrod – seedless golden-yellow sweet juicy fruit - wine and desserts
   Reliance – vigorous sweet, seedless red – mid-season - disease resistant
   Venus – large, sweet tasting, purple fruit – disease resistant
Raspberry (Rubus)
Self-fertile. Need winter cold and a slowly warming spring. Slightly acid, well-drained soil. Water need is greatest during flowering and fruiting. Fertilize at bloom time. Fruit yearly on 2 year old canes. Cut canes to the ground after fruiting. Full sun for at least 6 hours.
   Boyne - very hardy – early ripening
   Chester – hardy thornless blackberry – very sweet – 4’w x 5’h
   Heritage – flavorful red fruit mid-July and early September – thornless
   Jewel – large, black flavorful fruit - excellent yields – disease resistant
   Latham – sweet, juicy red berries – winter hardy – 4’w x 5’h
   Reveille – large, flavorful red fruit – hardy, vigorous – midseason
   Royalty – full-size, sweet, juicy dark red berries – vigorous - 4’w x 5’h
Rhubarb
   McDonald – heavy yields of red stalks - one of the best rhubarbs for  heat resistance to the stress of our local summer heat
Strawberry
Plant with the crown above soil level. Topmost roots should be ½” below soil level. Mulching deters weeds, conserves moisture and keeps berries clean. One inch of water per week during the growing season and even more when fruiting. Everbearing plants prefer consistent light fertilization. Replace plants as they decline, usually after three years.
   Berri Basket - compact, bushy variety that grows well in containers – everbearing - large, deep red, full flavored strawberries until frost – matures 30 days after flowering - compact, bushy plant - space 1’ - part of the Patio Collection
   Ft. Laramie – high yields - large sweet fruit – cold hardy – everbearing
   Other Varieties in Herb, Perennial and Annual Section

 FRUIT TREES

Sabellico’s offers fruit trees that are considered semi-dwarf and could reach 15 feet. All fruit bearing trees prefer full sun for best flowering and fruit production.  Some are self-pollinating while others need another tree for pollination.

Apple (Malus domestica)
Prefers well-drained loam with a pH of 6 to 7.  Needs full sun for good flavor and color. Prune annually for good air circulation and growth.
   Cortland – bright red, medium – crisp, slightly tart all-purpose apple – developed right here in NYS - ripens late September -5-7’
   Empire – cross between MacIntosh and Red Delicious - rich, red fruit - ripens in late September
   Fuji - sweet, tart, juicy – mid-season blossoms– ripens in October
   Granny Smith - green cooking apple - tart, crisp, juicy - outstanding  shelf life - ripens late fall - needs pollinator
   Honeycrisp – sweet and tart, juicy apple – stores well and retains crispness - late season
   Liberty – disease resistant – crisp, slightly tart – 5-7’
   Macoun – extra sweet, mildly tart, juicy – mid-season bloom
   McIntosh – old fashioned favorite - sweet, tart, juicy with thin skin - excellent for applesauce, cider and cooking - very hardy - mid-season – self-fertile
   Red Delicious –  sweet and juicy – fire-blight and cedar-apple rust resistant – mid-season bloom
   Royal Gala – red skin, sweet, crisp flesh – mid-season bloom
   Yellow Delicious - crisp, extra-juicy flavor with tender skin - good in storage - hand eating, sauces, pies, apple butter
Cherry (Prunus)
   Bing – large, sweet, dark fruit – very popular cherry - pollinate with Stella or Black Tartarian
   Black Tartarian– tender, juicy, purple-black fruit – good pollinator
   North Star – tart, bright red fruit – self-pollinator – dwarf - 6-9’
   Stella – sweet, black heart shaped fruit –self-pollinating - hardy, vigorous - good pollinator – 15’ x 15’
Peach (Prunus) Self-pollinating
   Elberta - large firm, blushed with red freestone peaches late August - resistant to brown rot
    Frost – mid-sized round fruits - used as a substitute for flowering cherry trees due to its bright pink flowers - peach-leaf curl resistant
   Hale Haven - fragrant pink flowers
   Red Haven – heavy yields of medium sized golden fruit – hardy - cold and leaf spot tolerant
   Reliance – greenish, yellow with a blush of red - soft, juicy fruit – hardy – self-fertile – 10-12’
Pear (Pyrus)
Showy white spring flowers, deep green leaves and covered with fruit in summer and fall. Two cultivars needed for cross-pollination. 12-15’.
   Bartlett – large juicy, highly flavored golden fruits – bears at a young age
   Bosc – large smooth-textured fruits - tender, juicy  fruit in early October  – vigorous and high yields
   D’Anjou - superb flavor - deep skin color - mid-late season - good keeper
   Moonglow—soft, red blush - excellent for eating or canning - peak flavor when fruit is yellow-green then store in cool spot for one  week - disease resistant - good pollinator for other varieties
   Red Bartlett – large, red-skinned pears - juicy, tasty fresh or preserved - dependable producer
Plum (Prunus)
Moist, slightly acid, well-drained soil. Some spraying, pruning and fertilizing  needed for good quality fruit. Most need cross-pollination.
   Burbank - medium sized fruits - bright red, mottled with yellow skin and deep yellow flesh - good flavor - early to mid season - low growing, flat topped, drooping habit
   Mount Royal – tender, juicy blue fruit - excellent fresh, in jams and preserves - ripens in late August – semi-dwarf – self- fertile
   Shiro - Japanese - medium sized - juicy, dark yellow plums in mid-July - vigorous, hardy, dependable - needs pollinator
   STD Stanley (NEW) – dependable, decorative, profuse – fragrant flowers – prune type plum – purple skin, yellow flesh – sweet whether dried or fresh – 5-7