PRAIRIE GARDENERS GO-TO FRUIT

ifelong gardeners Janet Melrose and Sheryl Normandeau tackle the tasty topic of fruit in the seventh book in the Guides for the Prairie Gardener series.

Strawberries, blueberries, saskatoons, pears, plums, apricots, cherries, currants, kiwi . . . There are lots of great reasons to grow your own. There’s the unparalleled taste of fresh produce to consider, and the opportunity to help reduce ever-rising grocery bills. Then there’s the ornamental appeal (think grape vines and apple blossoms).

Whether you’re growing an orchard in a rural area, planting a couple of currant bushes or haskaps in a small urban yard, or a container of squash on a balcony, you’ll find help and inspiration here.

Janet and Sheryl answer your questions on things like

Placement for sun- and shade-loving plants
Pollination, propagation, and grafting
Mulching, hilling, trellises, and those oh-so-fancy espaliers
Troubleshooting pesky spots, scales, worms, flies, and other killjoys
Preventing weather damage and prepping your plants for winter
Harvesting and storage methods