Which fruits grow the best in Portland area? (Gresham, Beaverton: living in, shop)

[pdxex]

Portland is great for growing stuff!
When I lived there, every kind of nut, cherries, plums, every kind of berry, rhubarb!
Gown in my yard as a kid! Trees 70-80 years old!
I can't imagine what the problem is, Portland is very good for growing! Keep at it!

[psichick]

When thinking about fruit, look into which varieties will do well in your zone. For example, I know almonds and cherries, depending on the variety, can do well in zones 5-9. I was thinking I want a Rainier Cherry tree and then found out how temperamental they can be (aka hard to grow). But then again, you can be like this idiot (me) and growing avocados and plumerias. LOL

Assuming you're in zone 8b, which is most of Portland, here's a link to what fruit and nut trees will grow here:
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/fruit-t...e-8-36475.html
https://dengarden.com/gardening/Frui...diness-Zone-8B

Maybe try the garden boards here on C-D and ask about Zone 8b. If you're not sure, you can go here to find out your zone:
http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/

[StealthRabbit]

Here you go... visit their Arboretum (Clackamas college ) and attend their events

Home - Home Orchard Society

take Master gardener course (OSU extension)

I was a commercial fruit grower in nearby Vancouver WA. And helped propigate the orchard at FT Vancouver. And the HOS arboretum.

Fruits in PNW we_t side are very challenging.
*Blueberries are easiest, and least disease prone
Grapes and Raspberries next.
Prunes and plums next ez. (Portland was prune capital in 1920s)

Some apples and pears are scab free (most are not)
Peaches bloom too early (frost) and stone fruits have trunk bleeding issues (including cherries). Which are heart breaking due to rain causing splits / mold due to a short rain at harvest time.

I have had success with all, but with great effort and adequate years of disappointments.

Veggie gardens are superb, as long as you plan correctly (not plant too early)

Yr round gardens are possible too.

[Dwayne Lassiter]

I gather that your question is less what is good to grow in Portland, but why can't you succeed in growing things that ought to grow well in Portland. That's mainly a matter of horticultural expertise. We can point to you a host of fruit that grows great in Portland, but if you don't have the methodology right, none of them will succeed in practice. For every fruit tree owner that grows fruit fantastically and productively, I can point to someone else growing the same thing who is tearing their hair out with frustration.

To those ideas already presented, I should add that Clackamas Community College offers a nice course on orchard care and management. Chris Konieczka teaches that, and he's great. They go visit local orchards and do hands-on activities on those.

[pdxex]

Ok, I guess it's good to study up.But all we did growing up was plant, fertilize, water, tie up, cut back (berries),and that's about it!

[oregonwoodsmoke]

There is a web site for the Home Orchard Society, which is a Portland group of home fruit growers. They have a forum and will help newcomers and amateurs, even though the group consists of pretty well advanced gardeners. If you have fruit questions about the PNW, they will help.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Originally Posted by pdxex

Ok, I guess it's good to study up.But all we did growing up was plant, fertilize, water, tie up, cut back (berries),and that's about it!

For fruit in the PNW, it is mostly an issue of knowing which varieties to plant. Just because you can buy it in a local store, that does not mean it will grow here. The variety must like the weather and most fruit trees need a pollinator.

Also knowing what pests. If you want apples, you just about have to spray for coddling moth.

[Yankeemama]

Originally Posted by Dwayne Lassiter

I gather that your question is less what is good to grow in Portland, but why can't you succeed in growing things that ought to grow well in Portland. That's mainly a matter of horticultural expertise. We can point to you a host of fruit that grows great in Portland, but if you don't have the methodology right, none of them will succeed in practice. For every fruit tree owner that grows fruit fantastically and productively, I can point to someone else growing the same thing who is tearing their hair out with frustration.

To those ideas already presented, I should add that Clackamas Community College offers a nice course on orchard care and management. Chris Konieczka teaches that, and he's great. They go visit local orchards and do hands-on activities on those.

That's good to know there are community college classes as fruit trees can be spendy so it would be helpful to get as much info before trying to grow fruit in a yard. I know that Portland Nurseries guarantees their trees and they tend to be very helpful. I would consider visiting Cornell Nursery as well, if it's not too out of the way.

[Nurse Bishop]

There are many fruits in Portland. Fruits do great here. They do even better in California. California is home to many fruits and nuts.

[texasdiver]

Cherries: I grew up on a cherry orchard in the Willamette Valley north of Eugene. Still have family that grows cherries commercially north of Salem. We grew Royal Anne cherries which were picked somewhat green for maraschino cherry production. Cousins are now growing Lambert Cherries commercially near Amity with success. If it were me, i'd plant Lamberts. Similar to Bing but they seem to do better in this area.

Apples: We had Macintosh and Gravenstein apples. There are dozens of varieties that do well in this area. Depends if you want them for cider, pies, or fresh eating. Lots of new varieties out there today. If it were me, i'd try the new Cosmic Crisp variety: Washington Apple Growers Sink Their Teeth Into The New Cosmic Crisp : The Salt : NPR

Prunes: Prunes have gone out of style somewhat but this region was a huge producer of prunes 75-100 years ago.

Strawberries and Blueberries are both grown commercially in the Willamette Valley. I used to pick strawberries as a kid back in the 70s before agricultural work like that shifted to immigrant labor. Blueberries require a lot of soil amendments and bird protection.

Pears and Peaches are a bit tougher due to frost. That's more of a thing down towards Medford.

Blackberries, Marionberries, and rasberries all grow fabulously

Grapes grow well, depending on the variety as is evidenced by all the wineries in the area.