Oh, that sounds like heaven to me. I've got strawberries, mostly the wild type, and some blueberries that are in too much shade to bear well. That's about it as far as fruit; I don't even bother with melons.

Is the spraying a real pain? The reason I haven't tried any fruit trees is the idea of needing to apply chemicals. It seems it's absolutely necessary if you're going to actually get any edible fruit; is that really true, or am I being too pessimistic?

I got fruits too and they incredibly ornamental,

Mahonia bealei (Leatherleaf mahonia)

DITD, yeah, you kinda have to spray on a regular cycle for apples, and I'm already behind. I don't do anything special for the berries. The last couple of years the larger apple trees have been full of fruit, but all of it was wormy or otherwise damaged, because I didn't treat them at all. The apples and pear I bought are all either dwarf or semi-dwarf, while the plums are standard size. All have lots of disease resistance, but you still have to spray for pests. It's a challenge for me, since I keep honeybees, too, and the hives are only about 50 yards from the trees. The smaller trees are a lot easier to maintain.

ego, that's a neat plant. I didn't think they survived above Zone 7. Is is in a protected spot?

narcnh

In the house I grew up in we had apple trees, a pear tree, a cherry tree, blueberry bushes, and raspberry bushes.

We just ignored the apple trees and let the animals have the fruit, but we ate happily from everything else with almost no work.

We sprayed the pear tree and cherry trees with WATER only from a hose, a few times in the growing season. Other than the fact that we had to race the birds to get the cherries, everything was delicious and (mostly) pest free. (BTW, the birds usually did get most of the cherries.)

The raspberries were zero care...just good eating. And the blueberries only required a covering with cheesecloth once the berries were ripening to keep the birds from taking them.

It was all very easy, really, and wonderful.

Patty

Hello,
My husband and I planted a cherry tree 4 years ago.
In the past the birds have eaten all the cherrys, this year we are hoping to outsmart them by using a net. Has anyone had any luck with keeping the birds out by using a tree net?
Thanks ,
Lynn

I have a Reliance Peach that has done quite well for me despite enormous neglect. I don't get fruit every year, but when I do there is nothing that comes close!
Good luck on your fruits.

Sounds heavenly!

I just did some reading, and apparently it's incredibly difficult to have organic apple orchards here in the east. There are many more pests than in the west, because the places that grow apples organically in the west are basically in the middle of deserts.

That's sort of disappointing, as I would love to have my own apple trees someday. :-/

narcnh,
I have it for ..what? 5 years already.
Initially there were 3 small, probably 1' tall plants.
One died after the first winter, another two survived and seems to be prosper.
Initially they were in almost full shade and didn't flowered too much. Now, in their third location with almost full sun in a winter and part sun in a summer they flowering and fruiting perfectly.
Indeed, they are in protected from all winds location.
Interesting thing about this particular mahonia is that foliage last only two years and 'to be dead soon' foliage displays kaleidoscope of red/orange/burgundy colors in early spring and with combination of 'to be alive' dark green foliage creating so much needed colorfull show in very early spring.
I'm trying to grow this particular one into tree form by leaving bare trunks and whorle of leaves on a top, but it will easily resprout from the old wood if need to be pruned.
Friend of mine have it in much more open location and prune it almost every year to 1' due to severe diebacks. By mid-May he has a pretty 2'+ full shrub, but he rarely could see flowers on it.

narcnh,
I have it for ..what? 5 years already.
Initially there were 3 small, probably 1' tall plants.
One died after the first winter, another two survived and seems to be prosper.
Initially they were in almost full shade and didn't flowered too much. Now, in their third location with almost full sun in a winter and part sun in a summer they flowering and fruiting perfectly.
Indeed, they are in protected from all winds location.
Interesting thing about this particular mahonia is that foliage last only two years and 'to be dead soon' foliage displays kaleidoscope of red/orange/burgundy colors in early spring and with combination of 'to be alive' dark green foliage creating so much needed colorfull show in very early spring.
I'm trying to grow this particular one into tree form by leaving bare trunks and whorle of leaves on a top, but it will easily resprout from the old wood if need to be pruned.
Friend of mine have it in much more open location and prune it almost every year to 1' due to severe diebacks. By mid-May he has a pretty 2'+ full shrub, but he rarely could see flowers on it.

I have fruit too: wormy and cat-faced. I have 4 apple trees that are now too big for me to prune and spray myself. I planted apples because I wanted to eat them! Does anyone know of a tree service in the Boston area that will prune and spray(organic) for me?