Fruit Plants

Imagine, gorgeous, mouth watering Strawberries, fresh from your own garden! We grow a range of fruit bushes including Strawberries, Gooseberries, Blackcurrants, Raspberries, Rhubarb and Blueberries. They can be planted in amongst existing gardens or given their own patch.

Newsletter Articles

The following plant information about our fruit plants is taken from back issues of our E newsletters. If you are not yet signed up to receive our regular e-newsletters throughout the season, you can subscribe here.

Melons

A mouthwatering taste of summer!

June 2014

This year we are growing 3 types of melon and have a good number of each left. Mid June is the perfect time to plant as by now the soil has warmed up nicely and the transplants will establish well and take off. All melons need a long hot summer to produce – see our tips for more information on growing melons. We try to choose varieties that mature as early as possible, giving you the best possible chance of a harvest. Our Cantaloupe variety is called Sugar Cube and produces an abundance of small 2lb personal size melons with a high sugar taste and deep orange flesh. The Honeydew melons mature to 6-8lbs with a cream / green interior and high sugar taste. As for Watermelons, the variety of choice is called Sweet Favourite and produces red fleshed, 20lb fruits with great taste. If you have a sunny hot spot in your garden, try growing your very own fresh melons this summer!

Our Cantaloupe variety is called Sugar Cube

Rhubarb

Pie, Cake or crisp anyone?

May 2014

Rhubarb Love cooking with rhubarb? Why not try growing some? Rhubarb is a very easy plant to grow which will steadily expand into a larger clump over the years. Plant in a sunny spot in your garden and watch as the leaves emerge and it grows quickly in the spring. Plants will grow quite large so allow about 3 feet between them. Rhubarb loves rotted manure or compost so give it a good dose in the early spring.

Harvest the stalks when they are long and red, cut off the leaves and stew or roast according to your recipe. Rhubarb can also be successfully frozen – just cut raw stems into bite sized pieces, pop in a plastic freezer bag and freeze. After you have harvested some stems, leave the plant to grow over the summer and into the fall. No need to confine rhubarb to the veggie patch – it will grow well in amongst perennials, providing structure and a backdrop to flowering plants. Stop by soon and pick out a rhubarb plant!

Recipes:

Raspberries

A delicious summer treat!

April 2011

Adding to our fruit plant selection this year, we have grown 2 varieties of red raspberries to tempt you. Latham is a very reliable variety which fruits in July. It produces glowing red berries with a wonderfully sweet flavour. After harvest in the summer, cut down to the base all stems (canes) that have fruited, leaving the new growth to produce berries the following year.

Heritage is a vigorous everbearing variety that will produce a summer crop in July and a fall crop in September. In the fall, cut down all fall fruiting canes after frost and they'll be back next year with a bountiful crop. Raspberries should be grown in a sunny location in narrow rows. Canes grow vigorously up and will need to be supported with stakes and string. Raspberries can be eaten fresh, made into jam or try freezing some for winter treats (my family's favourite!) They are one of the best fruits for home gardeners to grow as they do not keep or ship well and are very expensive in stores. Drop by the farm and we'd be happy to help you out with your raspberry patch!

Raspberry Bushes

May 2010

This year, we are excited to be adding a selection of fruit plants to our repertoire. All plants are grown at the farm and it has been quite mouth watering watching our strawberry plants grow! We have Strawberry, Rhubarb, Gooseberry and 2 types of Blueberry available. It's easy to add a few fruit bushes to your garden. They can be grown either in their own patch or popped in amongst flowers and shrubs. Rhubarb is one of the easiest to grow and makes quite a majestic addition to the garden.

Strawberries are also easy - just give them a sunny patch and watch them take off. Gooseberries and Blueberries require a few more considerations when planting and growing, but both will flourish in our area. All our fruit plants can be planted out anytime and we would be glad to offer variety and care advice as you make your choices - maybe even a few recipes too!