Help me with a fruitful garden, please

[da_ra]

Ups, being a newbie around, i haven't checked the location, my apologies!

[da_ra]

If anyone else is interested, please feel free to PM me

[veggiechicken]

I diid want a kiwifruit -especially after reading was it VC who couldn't keep hers under control? Apparently her jostaberry bush is the same!

My jostaberry has finally made a small but respectable size after about 5 yrs? So I'm pretty sure the kiwifruit will be a stunty little thing too.

Those who grow kiwifruit, do you need to support them? I was hoping to use one as a bit of a shade in the backyard, but saw somewhere else that it will need support and shade itself? Doesn't seem like the terrorist plant that VC describes. I'm also hoping that this is not a plant that is only sold bare rooted in winter.

Hey Feral, I can't keep anything under control, least of all my garden!
Here's a reminder of the Kiwi fruit issues http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ing_66036.html I would say it needs supporting as it is a vine and does provide a lot of shade beneath it. BUT there is a big difference between our climate - I'm in the wet west of the UK and we do have a lot of rain - (drought orders - not since 1976). Although we have cold spells in the winter, they're not very prolonged. The figs, kiwi, olive tree, grapes all survive outdoors.
There's also a big difference in the amount of land we have - I think I'm fortunate to have half an acre - you have 90 to fill. Half of my garden is overrun by rampant raspberries and other motley fruit bushes, all under 70 year-old apple trees, not to mention the shade of massive oaks and ash. It was a forest garden before they dreamt up the name! And I've been here over 30 years - thats a lot of time for a garden to develop.
Can't tell you whether the fruit bushes will be cheaper in the spring but, if you want to grow summat, it has to be in the ground, so I'd buy what you can afford now, and hope that there'll be bargains later, when you can buy more!

[alldigging]

One blackcurrant will produce many cuttings over time.
Raspberries won't stop spreading once they're in.


Ask on freecycle if people have plants/trees they want rid of. Always worth a try.

[Feral007]

Thanks all digging, the nearest freecycle is 120 kilometres away so it's hard to pick things up.

I'm hoping that a few people I know might have some fruit bushes that I don't know about, and I might be able to get some cuttings.

I will be buying a couple of things this w/e. Trouble is that by the time the next pay day arrives it will be officially spring.

Da ra thank you for the offer of the trees - if I was closer they could certainly have a good home.

I'll have to have a think about what to use for a support for the kiwifruit now.......

[da_ra]

Being so far away, the only option would be to send you a few apricot stones They are actually very easily grown from stone. Last year I picked mine in August, planted them in November and had them growing in March... So, probably better ask freecycles for some tree stones/friut seeds over the post to start with... If you want some from my granny's garden, just let me know

[Feral007]

Oh da ra, the border security on any seed, plant, food coming into our country is really feral! There are even states in our country who are not allowed to have any plantlife, seeds enter their borders.

I'm not sure that apricots will grow here, I think it may be just a tad too cold for them. I love apricots although the kids don't, so I'm sure I looked into it.

Cherries grow, but only against a north facing wall, and only if there are no ate frosts....as if.

I swear I will have more fruit than you can poke a stick at..............eventually!

[veggiechicken]

Oh da ra, the border security on any seed, plant, food coming into our country is really feral! There are even states in our country who are not allowed to have any plantlife, seeds enter their borders.

I remember that! We were driving from QLD down to Tasmania, just enough money for petrol but not for food or anywhere to sleep. We had a loaf of bread and some tomatoes and a pineapple that we'd been given and when we got to the border into NSW, the toms and pineapple were confiscated! If I'd known I would have scoffed them before we got there. So a loaf of stale bread was it for the rest of the day. Happy memories!!