By Marianne Baril
Who hasn't dreamed of growing their own fruit in their backyard? Apples, pears, plums, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, hazelnuts, hardy kiwis... fresh fruit all summer long, grown without pesticides or chemicals. With family or as a couple, rediscover the joy of gardening like our ancestors did. But where to start?
Soil: The vast majority of fruit trees require well-draining soil so that water does not accumulate on the surface. Prioritize these areas for your plantings (blackcurrants can tolerate slightly heavier soils).
Sunshine (minimum 6 hours of sun per day) is an important factor in the success of all your fruit trees (hardy kiwi, blackcurrant, gooseberry and currant also thrive in slightly shady spots).
For balconies and small plots: in addition to small fruit shrubs, there are also small fruit trees such as dwarf apple trees, "chums" (a cross between a plum tree and a cherry tree) which allow you to have a wide variety of fruits with little space. For balconies, it is possible to grow in "Smart Pot" type pots which promote excellent plant growth without the effect of spiraling the roots as is the case in the majority of plastic pots. The diversity of cultivable fruits is then great: Blueberries, strawberries, redcurrants, hardy kiwis, currants, blackcurrants, haskap berries, grape vines, ... even columnar apple trees, resistant to common apple tree diseases* and well adapted to our northern climate.
Choose disease-resistant varieties to enjoy growing your fruit trees in an ecological way with as little maintenance as possible.
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