Fruit trees in North Vancouver/Upper Highlands

Hello All:

We moved a few months ago to our first home and I would like to know what kind of fruit trees I can plant right beside Grouse Mountain.

We have South West exposure and good sun for this part of the world.

I thought of apples, blue berries and some kind of nuts (if the squirrels permit us).


Thank you for your input.

 

The climate in the Vancouver area is good for most temperate climate fruiting trees.
To name a few...Pears, Peaches, Cherries (sweet & sour), Apricots, Plums, Apples. Most fruit trees are now available on dwarfing rootstocks so their mature size is conveniently smaller for urban gardens.

Nut trees are generally larger trees take many years to start bearing nuts....common ones for Vancouver....Chestnuts, Hazelnuts, Walnuts. More unusual...Pine nuts, Almonds, Pecans

Blueberries are shrubs, as are Blackberries and Raspberries

Figs will even grown in Vancouver

Simon

 

I would be leery of peaches, nectarines and apricots. we tend to get wet springs and sometimes not enough heat in summer to ripen fruit. they need a really well planned and appropriate spot. but if you wanna have fun, give them a try!

 

Thank you for your anwsers. My concern is that we could get too much snow or freezing temperatures.

 

Much colder east of mountains where commercial orchards are a major part of the occupied landscape. Hotter summers attraction there, colder winter not a deterrent. Stone fruits in particular better suited to hot and dry climate than cool and humid.

Apples are easiest orchard fruits, many kinds including those suitable for cool regions. Blueberries grown commercially west of mountains, comparatively easy to grow. Raspberries also frequent in home plantings. All may need protection from birds, rodents or other wildlife when ripening or you may get only a small number of fruits for yourself (squirrels may strip all plums from a small tree not bearing heavily). Deer will browse foliage as well if allowed access.

 

Apples are a sure bet. Plant a few types. I suggest Transparent Apples. Problem free, a heavy fruiter and in my opinion it is the best tasting cooking/canning apple there is. But due to its short storage life it is rarely seen in markets here. A true gardeners treasure.

I havent heard good things about trying to grow any nuts other than hazel nuts/filberts. Again, they are trouble free and produce quite a lot (even after the squirrels and Stellars Jays have their fills!).

 

I grew up on Montroyal west of Highland. We had a very succesfull Italian prune plum.
the difficulty with area is that this sub division was built in mid 1950s and there are many very large evergreens around providing unwanted shade for us gardening types. Moss is the easiest cultivar to grow in this neighborhood !!! :) Peaches work well IF you get a leaf curl resistant variety AND you have a full sun location. If you have a sunny south facing spot up against your house why dont you try lemons? my Meyer lemons are doing well and with a little TLC you can have a great conversation piece!!!
http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showthread.php?p=70022#post70022

Greg

 

Thank you Greg

I have a sunny spot for my trees and I will buy them in the Spring. Worst come to worst I will have plant a tree...and fullfill one of my dreams. Producing fruits I think that is another chapter.

Right now I have a Meyer lemon in my kitchen with no leaves and 3 sad lemons... that are getting yellow. Hope that by the spring they start getting leaves. The branches are not dead. And also I have mandarins in the kitchen which are loosing the leaves too.

Best regards,

Ana Maria

 

What types of mandarin(s) do you have? Is there any fruit on it? I think, given the right location, you will find your meyer lemons will do better outside in the ground. Lots of people have problems with Meyer lemons when grown inside. I currently have 3 Meyers in the ground (other citrus too) I have to protect them about 20 nights a year - depending whether or not they have fruit present.

Greg

 

Hola Greg:

My mandarins have fruits and some blossoms. I usually use them when I do sangria.

The meyers I think will not do outside. It is way too cold. All the plants that I left outside under cover are not doing well. I have one lemon plant I started a couple of years from seed and I do not know if it will survive. I have notice that above Ranger temperature goes down one degree and we are in Skyline.

I have buganvillea outside, under cover, and I do not if it will live.

WHen you talk about protecting them, what do you do.

Best regards,

Ana Maria

 

The meyers do work well enough so long as they are in the ground - not in pots. I place a portable "tomato greenhouse" I bought at Canadian Tire - over the plants. I have a string of the LARGE old style Christmas lights on the plants. I leave the lights on during cold spells or where the temperatures drop below - 1c. Some people use thermostats to have the lights come on and off as required. some also place old quilts or blankets over the plants as well. If there is no fruit on the tree, meyers can handle temperatures to around -6 or -7 or less once they are established. (mind you, my cousins grow meyers in Palm Springs and have more fruit for their labour!!!) I recommend you review the citrus posts - there is some good information. My citrus plants are mostly small. I live Lynn Valley area and all my citrus pulled through our cold spell in November using this protection method.

Greg