Blossoms in spring, baskets in fall
Trees and bushes chosen to handle wet springs and still deliver a real harvest.
Disease-resistant apple and plum varieties do best here — scab and brown rot both love our damp springs, so resistance matters more than it does in drier climates.
Blueberries are practically native here given our naturally acidic soil. Raspberries and currants round out a productive berry row with minimal fuss.
Strawberries in a raised bed stay well clear of slugs and drain better than our native clay ever would.
Dormant oil spray in late winter, mason bees released at bloom, and thinning fruit in early summer are the three jobs that matter most.
Pollination Notes
Many fruit trees blossom before honeybees are reliably active in our cool, wet early spring — mason bees fill that gap and are worth keeping alongside any fruit planting.