Now that I have some dirt that I own, albeit not much, I’d like to plant some fruit. My family eats like a ■■■■■ of fruit bats, so I’m hoping we can save a few dollars, and grow our own stuff.
I know that blueberries do fine around here, and I can get cuttings from a friend who has some blueberry bushes in Summerville that grow quite well.
I’m thinking of setting up a trellis and growing some dark colored table grapes, if anyone can suggest a variety.
What sort of front-yard tree, bush, etc would you suggest? I have a small front yard, I currently have two bradford pears that are going in my buddy’s fireplace in a few weeks. I’d like to replace them with one or two fruit trees of some sort.
I was thinking of plum or similar, but I don’t know how bad they attract yellow jackets and such.
There will be one catalpa tree in the back yard. Maybe two.
Plums will grow well, but will take over like chinaberries if you aren’t careful. Peaches also do well and are pretty easy and the tree doesn’t get too big. Pears are my favorite and the favorite of all the deer in my neck of the woods. Also figs do extremely well and will be a favorite for the kids to climb when the tree gets bigger.
Do the peaches and plumbs tend to draw wasps and yellow jackets as much as the figs do? Gonna be three younguns playing under the trees. That’s not going to stop me necessarily but I don’t want to turn the front yard into a wasp hive lol.
… The Cross of Christ is the anvil upon which the hammer of evil wore itself out.
Only if you let them get over ripe on the trees. Those bees are just eating anyway, they won’t bother you.
We have figs, pears (Moon Glow variety soft pears) peaches, grapes (Sweet Jenny variety), and 50 blueberry bushes. I got those from Ti-Ti nursery in Tifton. Don’t remember the varieties, got a mix, but they all grow good, Japanese plum also does very good. Don’t have any regular plum.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
Pretty much what everyone else said. For keeping a pear tree appealing as a yard tree pick a lot of the pears off early as a pear tree tends to destroy it’s self if it gets over burdened with fruit. For longevity my experience on peaches are replant them every 8-10 years as they just don’t last long. For blueberries use some live oak leafs for mulch as they like acidic soil, I also had good luck using miracle grow (muracid) labeled for acid loving plants.
I’ve planted several chinkapin trees, pretty tree/bush and I love the nuts.
If your going to plant a yard tree, might as well have one that gives you more than shade.
Exactly, Fred, I definitely prefer something that ears it’s keep lol.
So for a front yard, and a tree that is a good mix of shade and modest size (ie, not a fall-over hazard), would y’all say peach, pear, or plumb? I could be swayed in either way, but in the front yard, it would be nice to have something that looks nice as well.
… The Cross of Christ is the anvil upon which the hammer of evil wore itself out.
Ty Ty GA. havent been there since my college days in Valdosta! MY ex girlfriends parents in valdosta had a naval orange tree that looked awesome and put off the best oranges i ever had.
I’d rather be a free man in my grave than living as a puppet or a slave.
One of my neighbors has blue berries and the birds love them.
16’ Bonito 65 Johnson
The secret to getting penty of blue berries is planting enough for you and them. Also having a resident Mocking Bird to help run off the other birds helps.
Watching all the varieties of birds raiding your blue berries is worth loosing a lot to them.
I have a fenced in back yard, but that won’t go too far in keeping varmints out lol. I found a pile of deer crap in my back yard the other day, 20 feet from both my house and garage, and there’s no way he didn’t get in without jumping the fence.
… The Cross of Christ is the anvil upon which the hammer of evil wore itself out.
Best advice,get the soil sampled and visit your local nursery to see what is recommended.
When you plant a tree/bush and you expect fruit and it does not produce is very aggravating.
I was told by a DNR guy several years ago that if I wanted to keep deer out of the garden to make my fence atleast 12’ high. I made it 13’ high and haven’t had a deer in the garden since. Wish I could say the same about squirrels and racoons. I agree on a soil test and possibly give your local Clemson extension office a call. They should be able to help with critters, pests, planting suggestions, soil samples, etc.
Best advice,get the soil sampled and visit your local nursery to see what is recommended.
When you plant a tree/bush and you expect fruit and it does not produce is very aggravating.
Double D.
^^
what double D said.
I’m not sure what area you are in, but pretty much every plant my brother in law planted died. He’s in a Charleston cluster sub division that was marsh/swamp filled in. His soil was crazy high on the Ph scale. Never know what the contractors used for fill. After a good dose of sulfer and then a thick cover layer of mulch from Bee’s Ferry his lawn is great and his plants are surviving.
