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StephanieA starts with ... Hi, I have a good-sized courtyard garden in the inner city; mostly paved but with an outside soil bed. The aspect is northerly but I only get 3-4 hours of full sun because it moves behind my apartment building. I have a mandarin tree in the bed and I'm ready to give up on it. Stink bugs, leaf curl, aphids, caterpillars etc. And then it only gives me about five mandarins a year... and they're awful! In winter I gave it a big prune and now it's top heavy and scrawny around the middle. I was prepared to persist with it just because it was a nice looking tree with good foliage but I've decided it has to go. I'd love to replace it with a less pest-prone tree but am aware that fruit needs lots of sun. Can anyone suggest anything that might give me lovely foliage and even a little bit of fruit? Would be so grateful! thanks Stephanie | About the Author StephanieA Redfern 28th January 2017 2:37pm #UserID: 15476 Posts: 3 View All StephanieA's Edible Fruit Trees |
Pademelon1 says... Hi Stephanie, It sounds like a difficult location for fruit. I think some other, more hardy citrus would perform better, a cumquat or calamondin would survive quite well if given a little care. Otherwise, you could experiment with a cherimoya or loquat, although they grow big and do require full sun to truly flourish. Hope this helps, Pademelon1 | About the Author Pademelon1 PADDINGTON,2021,NSW 30th January 2017 10:52pm #UserID: 11938 Posts: 138 View All Pademelon1's Edible Fruit Trees |
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Julie says... I have found through experience that if a plant, especially a tree, is not in the right environment it will get far more problems, eg pests, than a plant that is in the right place. Sounds like your tree. You may have to rethink the idea of a fruit tree in that location. Sorry to seem negative, but that's how it looks to me. | About the Author Julie Roleystone WA 31st January 2017 4:30pm #UserID: 154 Posts: 1842 View All Julie's Edible Fruit Trees |
brad16 says... Do you like tamarillos? They're not as demanding of daylight hours as most fruit trees. They are also self-pollinating (although reportedly produce more with cross-pollination), so you could easily do with just the one, if space is in high demand. They are well suited to the Sydney climate and are also evergreen trees, so they have year round foliage. Pests aren't are major concern, but they are known to be susceptible to aphids, as you have mentioned they are already a problem. Pest management for tamarillos is similar to tomatoes. If you've grown tomatoes without too much of a problem, then maybe tamarillos could be a good option. It also depends on whether you like them. When I first tried a tamarillo as a child, I didn't care for it much (and I eat just about anything), but I was expecting something totally different and wasn't ready for it. | About the Author brad16 GOROKAN,2263,NSW 31st January 2017 11:57pm #UserID: 14079 Posts: 175 View All brad16's Edible Fruit Trees |
| About the Author StephanieA Redfern 1st February 2017 7:26am #UserID: 15476 Posts: 3 View All StephanieA's Edible Fruit Trees |
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SueBee says... A Loquat could work as they can be de- branched to give high shade and give a nice leafy cover- I use mine as a second shadehouse for cuttings - or it can be multibranched & left low to become a shrubby tree.No real pests and nice eating fruit. A fig also may work in that area and not be too pest prone. | About the Author SueBee SW Vic. 1st February 2017 9:03am #UserID: 15056 Posts: 93 View All SueBee's Edible Fruit Trees |
Julie says... Stephanie, just be aware that Tamarillos are fairly short-lived. They grow easily from seed, so it's no big deal to replace one. Have you thought of blueberries? Some grow to 2m, so more of a shrub than a tree. There are varieties to suit different climates, and you may be able to fit in more than one. Just an idea. | About the Author Julie Roleystone WA 1st February 2017 10:00pm #UserID: 154 Posts: 1842 View All Julie's Edible Fruit Trees |
brad16 says... Would you consider a 'bushtucker' something-or-other? There a many Australian trees that produce edible fruits, berries, seeds etc. and grow in the rainforest understorey. You might have a pretty decent environment for plants like a Walking Stick Palm or a Davidson's Plum. If you were to consider the Davidson's Plum, I would suggest the NSW variety (Davidsonia jerseyana) because it is a smaller tree, and would be more suitable to a courtyard, than the QLD (Davidsonia pruriens). | About the Author brad16 GOROKAN,2263,NSW 2nd February 2017 8:32pm #UserID: 14079 Posts: 175 View All brad16's Edible Fruit Trees |
| About the Author brad16 GOROKAN,2263,NSW 2nd February 2017 9:03pm #UserID: 14079 Posts: 175 View All brad16's Edible Fruit Trees |
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Julie says... SueBee, "e;e;No real pests"e;e; - do you not have Medfly in your area? Loquats are notorious for hosting this pest in between other fruit, eg, citrus and stone fruit. WA gardeners are often advised to remove them for this reason. Re debranching for high shade - good idea if that's what you want in your situation. I did the opposite with mine - I cut out the middle when I planted it to keep it short (so I could reach the fruit). It hasn't grown much above 2 metres, which for me is ideal. I still get more fruit than I can use! I have removed the e; (after SueBee) twice, but it still comes back! | About the Author Julie Roleystone WA 2nd February 2017 9:09pm #UserID: 154 Posts: 1842 View All Julie's Edible Fruit Trees |
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Original Post was last edited: 2nd February 2017 9:15pm | |
SueBee says... Hi Julie,No we have no Medfly here ( Too cold winters I think), and I have two mature Loquats that are pest free (except this year some flying foxes found them) Grr. I use one for high shade and the other is multibranched low as a screen on the roadside of the house I try and keep it to 2.5 metres but it does shoot above each year with new growth and now needs a hard cutback...again. My Brown Turkey fig also has absolutely no pests except birds of course - the Silvereyes love my figs - so we share . | About the Author SueBee SW Vic. 3rd February 2017 9:45am #UserID: 15056 Posts: 93 View All SueBee's Edible Fruit Trees |
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Original Post was last edited: 3rd February 2017 9:46am | |
StephanieA says... Hi everyone ... thanks for your suggestions. I think I'm going to give up on the idea of having a fruit tree in this spot. So disappointed! Just don't think it gets enough sun. Now... any suggestions for something non-fruiting that flowers, brings bees and birds, can cope with four hours or so of sun a day and in winter less, can be kept at a height of two to three metres and has a lovely dense foliage. There's your new challenge!!! | About the Author StephanieA Redfern 6th February 2017 7:55pm #UserID: 15476 Posts: 3 View All StephanieA's Edible Fruit Trees |
| About the Author SueBee SW Vic. 7th February 2017 11:16am #UserID: 15056 Posts: 93 View All SueBee's Edible Fruit Trees |
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| About the Author Pademelon1 PADDINGTON,2021,NSW 8th February 2017 2:08pm #UserID: 11938 Posts: 138 View All Pademelon1's Edible Fruit Trees |
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