Fruits for shade?

[crazy_red]

Hi All,

I have an unused corner that is in fairly heavy shade.

I don't suppose there are any fruits which would tolerate this and still give a reasonable crop are there?

Thanks,

Red x

[FB.]

Most fruits will manage to grow in partial shade, but the amount of direct sunlight determines the fruitfulness.
Earlier-maturing fruits would be a better choice, since they will have more time to ripen in the reduced amount of sun, before autumn arrives.
Alpine strawberries are OK in total shade, although yield is only about half of what you'd get in a sunny spot. A lot of the fruits are on elevated stems, so the slugs can't get at them quite so easily and you don't need to use straw to keep them off the ground. Birds don't take too many, either.
If you grew a fruit tree, bush, minarette or cordon, it might be tall enough for the canopy to reach the sunlight. With it's roots in shade (ground remains moist) and the canopy in sun, it'd probably grow quite strongly - so a fairly dwarfing rootstock might be desirable.
Many of the old Scottish varieties of apples are generally quite content in less than ideal conditions and cool, shadier areas.
I have a James Grieve that spent some years struggling to grow in a hot, sunny position. I then moved it to a spot under a larger tree, where it was shaded from mid-day sun and it's now happy.

[crazy_red]

Hi FB,

Would a 'standard' work, in that case?

Can you grow fruit bushes and trees as standards?

After your comments, I was wondering about a standard tree or bush with maybe an underplanting of alpine strawberries? x

Red

[Nicos]

The lotties next to mine have early strawberries under cover - to protect from frost, but allow the plants to grow under the trees before they have a full shade with their leaves. Also blackberries , raspberries and gooseberries.
All seem to produce stonks of fruit.
Might be the warmer soil though????

[Two_Sheds]

Heavy shade?
Probably best to use that spot for water butts, compost bins, or a comfrey bed instead.

[Nicos]

Heavy shade?
Probably best to use that spot for water butts, compost bins, or a comfrey bed instead.

I'd go with that 2sheds...

[FB.]

Heavy shade?
Probably best to use that spot for water butts, compost bins, or a comfrey bed instead.

Yes, my worst growing spots have water butts, composters, a working area and the like.

[lainey lou]

Non technically a fruit but rhubarb can tollerate some shade.

[FB.]

Hi FB,

Would a 'standard' work, in that case?

Can you grow fruit bushes and trees as standards?

After your comments, I was wondering about a standard tree or bush with maybe an underplanting of alpine strawberries? x

Red

Yes, a standard tree would work.
Plums and pears tend to be erratic in their fruit production because their early flowers often get damaged by frost. Apples flower a few weeks later and often avoid the worst frosts - some flower in very late May or early June, when there is no risk of frost (Crawley Beauty, Court Pendu Plat).


But are you sure that you want a standard?
They are difficult to reach to pick and prune and they take a long time to be productive. They can grow very large where water is plentful (such as where the ground is shaded).

Different rootstocks control the approximate mature size (height and spread) of an apple tree:, so you can choose roughly how big you'd like it to get:

M27: 4-5ft
M9: 6-7ft
M26: 8-10ft
MM106: 10-13ft
MM111: 12-15ft
M25: 15-20ft

Certain fruit varieties grow less strongly, while others grow very strongly, which can interact with the rootstock size estimation.
For example, to use an extreme example, the cook's favourite "Bramley" tends to grow a couple of rootstock size classes larger, while the late-flowering "Court Pendu Plat" tends to be a couple of rootstock size classes smaller. In other words, a Court Pendu Plat on M25 rootstock would be about as strong-growing as Bramley on M9 - and both would end up about the size of an average variety on MM106. Bramley on M25 rootstock could grow to a massive size; 30ft or more.
These are some of the exceptions to the rule, but worthy of mention.

Growing just one variety can mean little or no fruit, since most fruits need a "pollination partner" (a different variety of the same fruit that flowers at the same time).

Rather than grow one standard tree, I would look at growing either a couple of "bushes" (about 6-12ft high), or growing several varietes as upright colmun shapes; "minarette/cordon" - with height of 5-8ft and spread of 2ft.
By growing several varieties, you have a longer season and better pollination.

Upright column shaped fruit plants will allow more light and water to get to the alpines that you plan to plant underneath.

But if you go for fruit, remember that most of the well-known shop-bought fruits depend on heavy chemical sprays just to survive. Consider some of the older varieties that had to be more disease resistant.

For example, if you like Cox's Orange Pippin apples (which are easily attacked by many diseases), you should look at one of it's many offspring that have more disease resistance (Ellison's Orange, Kidd's Orange, Tydeman's Orange to name just a few)

[Flummery]

Rasps are a forest fruit. Forests are shady. I'd go for them.

[elizajay]

Morello cherries grown on north facing walls. See Dobies - Cherry Crown Morello
Ideal for a north facing wall!
A very good 'sour' cherry, producing large red fruit that is excellent for cooking in pies and jam. It makes an attractive spreading tree with beautiful spring blossom, and is very cold tolerant - one of the few trees that will thrive on a north facing wall! Pick from late July.
Given that cherries are such a well loved fruit, it's surprising that they are not more widely grown in our gardens. Perhaps people are put off by childhood memories of giant, unmanageable trees; if so then think again! Gisela 5 rootstock - the latest commercial cherry rootstock and quickly becoming the world standard - gives a very productive tree with good fruit size, but compact growth so it can be grown in a small space, either free-standing or trained against a wall or fence.
Buy any two cherry trees and SAVE £4.00 (if ordering 4 trees you also get £4.00 off the 4th tree).

1 Tree
Delivery: Mid February/March

£18.95 Code: 479525

[crazy_red]

Thank you everyone for all the helpful advice and suggestions.

It has given me a lot to think about.

The corner in question is one of the few actual bits of soil in the garden, so I really need to plant it if possible.

Being at the junction of two small raised beds behind a shed doesn't help much either - not the most accessible of spots

Until I started looking up some of the varieties people suggested, I didn't realise just how expensive fruit trees and bushes actually were! I love the idea of minarettes and they would be ideal but unfortunately I am working without any capital - the cost of one tree would just about blow the whole of my teensy budget, which is a bit of a glum realisation

Packet of alpine strawberry seeds it is then, until I win the lottery

Red

[Flummery]

Look out for offers in Aldi and suchlike when Spring comes. Sometimes you can get good and very cheap fruit bushes. Keep watching the Grapevine - someone always shouts when they see them!