Growing fruit trees and shrubs is a rewarding endeavor, offering the joy of homegrown produce while enhancing the biodiversity of your garden. With many dwarf varieties and berry bushes available, even limited spaces can accommodate these plants. As a professional gardener, I’ve often guided clients in cultivating fruit trees and micro-orchards. Before introducing fruit plants into your garden, it’s essential to understand their ideal growing conditions, especially their location. Below is some guidance on fruit trees and shrubs that should not be planted too closely together.
Generally, similar fruit tree and berry varieties thrive together (such as apples with pears or peaches with plums). Some species, however, require a different variety for cross-pollination, a common oversight among novice fruit tree gardeners. Knowing the mature size of a tree or shrub is crucial for selecting the best planting spot: standard trees can reach heights of 20-25 feet or more, whereas some dwarf varieties remain only two feet tall.
Considerations such as sun exposure and soil requirements are also important. Fruit trees typically need full sun. While wild berries (like wild raspberries) can adapt to fruiting at a forest’s edge with dappled sunlight, cultivated berries thrive in full sun. Most fruit trees and berries prefer neutral to slightly acidic soil, but there are exceptions. Blueberries need acidic soil, whereas fig and cherry trees favor slightly alkaline conditions. Additionally, researching potential pests and diseases can help prevent issues; for instance, raspberries are best grown alone due to their susceptibility to root fungal diseases.
Plum Trees and Blueberries
Plum trees are stunning, producing lush spring blossoms and delicious summer fruit in colors ranging from green and red to black. An orchardist I know discovered an unexpected “mystery” plum tree with incredible juicy pink plums. Although plum trees have a relatively short lifespan compared to other orchard trees, older ones still provide valuable wildlife habitats even after they cease fruit production. Due to their small size, plum trees can be incorporated into diverse orchard settings alongside other stone fruits, apple or pear trees, or various berries.
However, it’s best not to plant them near blueberries, which require acidic soil, as plum trees prefer neutral to slightly alkaline conditions. Some orchardists test their soil pH to ensure nutritional needs are met. If your plum trees require more neutral soil, enhance it with wood ash (from untreated wood), crushed eggshells, or lime mixed with shredded bark mulch around the tree base in early spring or mid-autumn. To acidify the soil for blueberries, incorporate peat moss, dried pine needles, and/or coffee grounds into your planting soil. For established plants, apply these amendments as a mulch using shredded pine bark in spring or fall.
Peaches and Cherries
Stone fruits like peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines, and cherries display gorgeous spring blooms and yield delightful summer fruit. While many stone fruits can be grown together, and orchardists often plant plums, peaches, apricots, and/or nectarines in adjacent rows, peaches and cherries aren’t ideal companions. Both trees are heavy feeders, particularly absorbing significant nitrogen, which can lead to competition for soil nutrients. This may disrupt their growth cycles, resulting in low fruit yields and other issues.
Besides avoiding planting peaches and cherries together, it’s crucial to ensure your fruit trees grow in nutrient-rich soil. Methods to boost soil nitrogen include adding aged manure, using nitrogen-rich fertilizers, or planting nitrogen-fixing crops like legumes, grains, or clover. Avoid planting grass in orchard areas, as it can deplete nutrients and water from fruit trees. If you cultivate both peaches and cherries, provide adequate spacing between them. Additionally, apply a light top dressing of aged manure around the tree bases in mid-autumn (keeping it away from the trunk) as their growth cycle winds down.
Honeyberries and Blueberries
Honeyberries (Lonicera caerulea var. edulis), also known as haskaps or blue honeysuckle, are gaining popularity among home fruit growers. Resembling elongated blueberries in color, texture, and taste, they are packed with antioxidants and vitamin C. Honeyberries can grow well with other berry bushes, such as raspberries, currants, or blackberries. However, they shouldn’t be planted near blueberries due to differing soil preferences: blueberries need acidic soil, while honeyberries thrive in neutral or mildly alkaline conditions. Planting these berries together forces them to compete for nutrients.
Gardeners who enjoy growing blueberries often address their specific soil needs by planting them apart from plants that don’t tolerate acidic conditions or by using containers. There are many compact blueberry varieties suited for container growing, making this a viable option. Some smaller blueberry varieties for pots include the cold-hardy ‘Top Hat’ and the ‘Bushel and Berry’ series, such as ‘Pink Icing’ and ‘Sapphire Cascade.’
Crabapples and Figs
Both crabapple and fig trees are beautiful, compact trees suitable for smaller gardens. Some cold-hardy fig varieties, like Chicago and English Brown Turkey, thrive in the same growing zones as crabapples (USDA 4-8) with some winter protection. However, their differing soil needs make it inadvisable to plant them close together. Crabapples prefer acidic soil and can tolerate mildly acidic conditions, while fig trees favor slightly alkaline or neutral soil.
Crabapple and fig trees are also available in semi-dwarf and dwarf forms. Consider the ‘Centennial’ semi-dwarf crabapple or the compact Sargent crabapple. For small fig trees, try the Celeste variety, hardy outdoors in USDA Zones 6-9 with winter protection, or ‘Little Ruby,’ a smaller tree suitable for container growth indoors or outdoors—resolving soil pH issues. With smaller varieties available, you can accommodate both tree types in your garden, providing them with the distinct soil environments they require. Both crabapple and fig trees also adapt well to espalier growing, where branches are trained against a support structure like a wall or fence, allowing fruit growth in limited space.
Red Raspberries with Gooseberries, Boysenberries, or Blackberries
Red raspberries are an excellent crop for those with space. There are many varieties, but two main types: summer-bearing, which produces fruit once, and everbearing, which yields fruit over an extended season (Heritage and September are notable everbearing varieties). Raspberries are relatively easy to maintain—simply cut back canes each fall. Though they tend to spread, I’ve found that pulling up young shoots in spring helps manage them, and I can share plants with other berry enthusiasts. Location is key, as raspberries thrive in sunny, well-drained environments with adequate airflow.
It’s crucial to avoid planting raspberries near related plants like other bramble berries, notably blackberries, gooseberries, and boysenberries, as these can transmit fungal diseases among each other. If you wish to cultivate diverse berries, allow ample space to prevent potential fungal issues. I grow raspberries in a separate area and use stakes to keep the plants upright and accessible. If you notice diseased raspberry canes, cut them back (or remove the entire plant) and dispose of the affected parts in a lawn bag, rather than composting them.
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