Hi there everyone, I have recently decided to transform my 7 acre property on Porcher Island into a small hobby farm. Porcher Island is located about 30 km SW of Prince Rupert so we are dealing with a temperate climate that is very wt all year round and has cool summers (Averages around 15C). Some people on the island have fruit trees in their yards so I know it is possible to get a decent yield out there but I was just curious what types of fruits trees and varieties you think could grow and maybe even thrive out there. I was thinking of Apples and Prune Plums as I've seen those grow quite well out there but I don't know the varieties (Yellow translucent apples is one of them I think). I would also be very curious to know if there were any other types of fruit that could possibly be grown out there. Thanks in advance, I'm just gathering ideas for now and land preparation will follow when I figure out what I'm doing.
Make sure to look for varieties bred / selected for the coast, but you likely already know that. I'll have to let others with experience step in to let you know what works for them. Good luck with your project, sounds like fun (and work)!
For edible nuts, worth considering Monkey-puzzle Araucaria araucana - one of the very few nut crops that is happy with the cool summers of oceanic climates. A very long wait for the first crop, though.
Yeah I think I'm interested in growing Apple, Plum and Pear trees. I'm just more curious on varieties that exist that will still ripen in the cool and wet summers we have here. I have been able to find info on Vancouver and Washington but frankly we don't receive the temperatures that you guys do so.
You've very low summer temperatures...i would plant raspberry, blueberry, ribes and other small fruits. Try local Pear and Apple trees, but choose early cultivars, suited for your area.
Hi, I think you may want to contact these folks, if the organization still exists: Fruit Tree Map Prince Rupert Fruit Tree Map
I'm in terrace so we have a bit more options for fruit (less rain, warmer summers, cooler winters) However, you still lots of options in your chosen fruits. Lots of apples and pears prefer cool summers...(your main criteria being disease resistance and early/mid season (ie september...before the monsoons ;) and many european plums/ possibly japanese too (just research as most like heat). I second the small fruits (ie summer raspberries, blackberries, currants, blueberries) I recommend doing a drainage test and soil sampling (costs like 50-75$...but then you know where your soil is and where it needs improvement. As far a varieties i would recommend reading up on these sites and going from there, lots of good heritage varieties as well as newer disease resistant ones...really the climate of western washington/southern bc is close enough that varieties that do well on the coast there should do well where you are...the closest us in the north can get. Picking the Perfect Apple Tree Small Fruit Horticulture Research & Extension Program | Mount Vernon Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center Western Washington Tree Fruit & Alternative Fruits | Washington State University Extension
In Juneau, about 400 miles north of you, we have great success with Yellow Transparent Apples, (late blooming, early ripening), but enthusiasts grow many more including Wealthy, Williams Pride, Discovery, and many of the newer columnar types. We also enjoy Mt Royal Plums, Montmorency Cherries, and a plethora of Gooseberries, Currants, and the newer Bush form Cherries like Romeo, Juliette, and an unidentified local Cherry believed to have been brought here by Bohemian miners, This is obtained from root sprouts growing in the lawns under existing trees
Thanks for all your replies everyone. I have spent the fall and winter preparing the land and I’m ready to purchase some trees to put in. Does anyone know of any nurseries that will ship trees with Canada post or something similar to Prince Rupert?
I got some shipped from le coteau, shipping gets fairly pricey enure you get a proper quote(i recommend getting them to head trees off at desired height to make them shorter=less freight) i'm sure some other nurseries ship as well check the resource list
for just apple tree i recommend appleluscious on saltspring island...not sure which varieties they have left at this point they use b118 as a rootstock (75%-90% seedling size) some people prefer high density dwarf and semi dwarf it that you then look elsewhere. they do ship bare root whips (2nd year) apple trees
Oh dear, @PorcherHomestead, you couldn't have waited until next week to ask this? :) They're not on the Resource page yet, but @Carlin listed several places in this posting in this resource discussion thread posting: Outdoor Gardening in the Pac NW Resources Discussion I will update the Resource page soon. Maybe tomorrow. Some of them will also be in the Fruit and Nut Tree Nurseries resource (at least one is already there).
Hi Carlin, I am new to Terrace and curious if you know a good source for purchasing fruit trees? Also wondering if you or anyone may know of a fruit tree program of any kind running in town? Cheers, Shannon
Hi Shannon, There are various gardening groups on facebook, Charles Clause of Riverbend Farm sells apple tree whips and teaches workshops on pruning/tree care, other options are skeena valley nursery in Kitwanga (I haven't used but hear the prices are good), spotted horse nursery is a local favourite but fairly pricy, and then theres the big box stores (walmart, canadian tire, home hardware etc.). I don't know of any fruit tree program in town...there are lots of fruit trees in town, many are not cared for properly and go to waste/help disease/pest cycles unfortunately. Personally i didn't have much luck in town for the varieties and oddball fruit i was looking for so I bought barerroot down south had it shipped up....was pretty expensive though