We covered "your own vegetables." in another article, as part of a common cookery budget plan. Now it is a series of fruits. Ideally, you need a garden for the production of good quality fruit, but our theme is to produce fresh fruit for the family, without a garden and limited space. If you followed the guidelines outlined in the “Growing Your Own Vegetables” section, you should have little space to place your production areas for fruit production.
What fruits can we grow in a limited space, without a garden and only in the backyard, accessible as a growing area? If you have enough space for half a dozen containers or a large bare wall where we can add wall boxes and hanging baskets or a trellis, then we are well on the way to producing our own fresh fruit for the family. How much you produce and what kind of, up to you and free space.
What fruits can we grow? You will be surprised!
Here in Spain we can grow almost any kind of fruit in containers. We have weather conditions for excellent harvests, naturally, year-round by selective planting. We have lemon trees “Moon” that produce a new flower every time you take fruit. Most other lemon trees produce the main crop from November to May, and then die off until next year - just like apples and oranges.
However, not all our readers will live in Spain, and not all our visitors will experience the same climate as us. Being born and raised in the northeast of England, I am fully aware of the problems of climate and cultivation. Therefore, I will consider a growing region based on the climate of central England, which should cover most of Europe and the Americas.
Frost resistance is an important factor in the cultivation of fruits and vegetables without protection from the greenhouse. We had just experienced a minus 7 situation in Valencia, and all our factories in the courtyard were destroyed. Most flowers and ornamental plants here do not withstand periods of more than a few hours. Juice freezes in the stems.
However, there are many varieties of plants that are considered “frost resistant”. and that is what we should focus on ensuring survival in the winter months.
In the summer, we need to focus on soft fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, loggias, etc. Black currents, red currents, white currents, and gooseberries can successfully grow in pots or other types of containers. Miniature trees grow in containers — a great way to provide free fruits, such as apples, pears, peaches, and plums, but they take several years to become established and mature fruit-producing trees.
Vegetable apples in pots
With the introduction of dwarf rootstocks, the cultivation of apples in containers became a practical proposition. There are several benefits. The space is obvious. You can grow apples on the balcony, in the patio or in the backyard. You can also grow peaches, lemons, plums, cherries, and pears. Buy your plants at the two-year stage and make sure you buy self-pollinating varieties. Plant in heavy compost and make sure that the pots can easily drain by placing the pots on the bricks. Protect from frost in winter.
Soft fruit
Strawberries are still the most popular fruit that is grown at home in a container system. You can buy special strawberry towers, which will store about a dozen plants and provide you with a cascading display of delicious fruits. The most popular summer fruit varieties. The first step is to buy young healthy plants in late summer or early autumn. Plant no later than mid-September to ensure a good root system before the sunset of winter.
Blackberries, berries, berries, berries and berries are all well suited for the production of fruits for making desserts, cakes and canned goods. There are many cultivable varieties and grow well on a grid attached to a wall, or are trained canes made in a pyramid on a large container.
Black currant is another fruit that is great for pies and jams. They are easy to grow, but you need to know what to do when sowing and reducing time. The reason is that most fruits grow last year. This means that you must help the plant produce a lot of new growth from a level below ground level during the year. To ensure this, plant a root / shooting lead deep beneath the surface and cut a part of the old tree in winter. Each plant gives you 10-15 pounds of fruit every year.
Gooseberry is another good supplier of fruit for pies and jams. They need very little care and just need pruning in the winter to provide plenty of new shoots next season. You can expect up to 12 pounds of fruit from each bush.
The grapes are fine, if you have time and time to care for them. Grapes were widely grown in Roman Britain. But because of climate change, they went into decline as home fruit - if you do not have a greenhouse, of course. New hardy varieties were presented to the extent that British wine is preparing for a return, and new vineyards are being developed in the south of England. If you really want to try growing your own grapes, grow them on a grid on the southern wall and choose a hardy type such as Brandt. A good variety for dessert grapes, which is a late flowering variety (useful in cold areas), is Madeleine Angevine.
Melons are very easy to grow in a growing bag or container, but they need to be maintained because of the weight of the fruit. New varieties, such as "Sweetheart" and? were designed to ripen well in all parts of the UK and in the middle of Europe. Melons grow best in well-rotted manure and are regularly fed and watered.
If you followed the tips and information contained in the first two articles: “Grow your own vegetables” and “Grow your fruits”, your backyard should now look like a jungle - just watch the tigers! To get the most out of your new hobby for growing your own fruits and vegetables, buy yourself a good book on gardening, especially if you find it with dedicated sections on growing containers. When buying plants or seeds, visit a good nursery and explain to the staff what you are doing, and they will help you choose the best plants and seeds for growing containers in outdoor conditions.
Bill Robinson 2011
http://www.billandsheilascookbook.com/budgetcooking.html
