Peaches and nectarines are easy to grow. Peaches and nectarines are semi-hardy deciduous woody perennial trees. They grow best where summer is hot and where winter temperatures regularly fall below 45°F. Peaches and nectarines are less hardy than apples; their range is farther south and at lower elevations than apples. Nectarines like slightly warmer conditions.
Olives grow best where summers are long, hot, and humidity is low. They are easy to grow and care for. There are dozens of olive varieties, the fruit varying slightly in size, shape, and flavor. Olives are too bitter to eat raw. They are either cured for table serving or pressed for cooking oil. The
Pears are excellent backyard trees. They produce a fruit sweeter and juicier than most apples; a fruit that easily ripens off the tree. After careful selection and early training, pear trees will require generally less upkeep than other fruiting trees. They live longer than most apple trees and they require less pruning and thinning. European
Ripe persimmon makes a delicious breakfast food or snack, halved and eaten like a melon. Persimmons can also be sliced and used in winter salads or compotes. They can be pureed for sorbets, ice cream, steamed puddings, cookies, and quick bread. Persimmon trees are relatively easy to grow. They are tolerant of most soils as
Grow pineapples in tropical or near-tropical gardens. Pineapples can grow indoors if it is warm and there is plenty of light. The pineapple plant is short and stout. It grows 2 ½ to 5 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide at maturity. It has strap-like leaves that are serrated with needle tips. The
Plums are a diverse group of fruiting trees. Plums can be found in most temperate regions of the world. There is a wide range of tree sizes, forms, colors, and flavors. European plums are blue and widely grown. Japanese plums are red and very popular. Native American plums are small and tart. Damson plums are
Quince fruit looks like a fuzzy-skinned cross between an apple and a squat pear. Quince is an autumn fruit. The quince plant is a large bush, as large as 10 feet tall and 10 feet wide. A ripe quince has a yellow skin with hints of green. The flesh is yellowish-white, with small seeds, like
Raspberries are perhaps the most delicate fruit. This makes them a good choice for home growing and fresh picking. Just harvested raspberries quickly pass from ripe to overripe. It is difficult to find them just right at the market; they should be eaten within a day or two of picking, otherwise, they should be frozen
Strawberries are the earliest fruit to harvest in spring. Strawberries also come to harvest in summer and fall, and in winter as well in many regions—if you plant the right varieties. Strawberries are easy to grow but they do require some attention to ensure a bountiful crop. Choose cultivars that grow well in your region.
As the seasons progress there are several uses for a cold frame. • Start cool-temperature spring vegetable seeds and seedlings in late winter. • Start summer warm-temperature vegetable seeds and seedlings beginning in early- or mid-spring. • Start fall and winter crops under shade cover (replace the frame’s glass or plastic sash with framed shade
