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I think if we get a lot of input from everyone here, this could be a super valuable resource for figuring out which fruit trees and berries will grow best in your area.

You are in the right spot if you are in a Dry Climate Hardiness Zone 6- dry (not humid) and little precipitation(source)

If you think you are not in the right spot or you want to check your climate zone and hardiness zone for sure, click on the main thread to find out and get additional information Fruit Trees and Berries that Grow Best in Your Area Naturally and it will have a link to your specific climate zone and hardiness zone for you to post! There is also a link a little further down to help find your exact climate and hardiness zone!


Familiar places in this area...

Twin Falls, Idaho, USA


(source)

This list won't be perfect, as there are so many different factors that affect a fruit tree's growth, but it should be a good help by seeing which trees do well for others in a similar area who have had success with a particular variety. By growing trees that are already slightly adapted to your area, saving the seeds, and growing new fruit trees, you could help create many more new varieties that are very adapted to your specific area!

Hardiness zones are one important factor and show the average annual minimum temperature for a location. You can click on https://garden.org/nga/zipzone/index.php?zip=27822&q=find_zone&submit=Go+%3E to find your exact hardiness zone, and there are also links to lots of other good information.


(source)

Fruit tree nurseries usually list hardiness zones for their fruit trees, but I've often found they tend to exaggerate the growing zones and are often unreliable.

They often leave out one very important aspect... climate zones.

What is a climate zone you may ask?

A climate zone takes other important things into consideration, such as humidity and rainfall. There are many different subsets and climate zones, but I believe this website does a great job of simplifying it into a few main climate zones of A-D below, and I'm adding Oceanic/Mediterranean due to their unique climate...

A) Tropical- hot and humid, average temperatures are greater than 64°F (18°C) year-round and there is more than 59 inches of precipitation each year

B) Dry- dry (not humid) and little precipitation

C) Temperate- warm and humid summers with thunderstorms and mild winters

D) Continental- warm to cool summers and very cold winters. In the winter, this zone can experience snowstorms, strong winds, and very cold temperatures—sometimes falling below -22°F (-30°C)!

E) Oceanic/Mediterranean- more average temperatures, not too hot in the summer or cold in the winter, usually has rainy winters and dry summers (source)



If you live in the US, you should be able to tell your general climate zone based on the map below and the descriptions above of what it should be like there.

To find your exact climate and hardiness zone if you live in the US, or if you live in Canada or other countries, Amanda Launchbury-Rainey recommended a great climate and hardiness zone finder https://www.plantmaps.com/index.php where you can click on the links based on your country or continent and zoom in to find your exact climate and hardiness zone!


(source)

This should be a huge help to others with the same climate and hardiness zone to help them decide what to plant!

The trees should be able to grow well naturally without extensive disease or pest control.

If you could post your general location in your state or country with your reply, that would be an awesome help!

Please list specific varieties too if possible, as that would be super helpful information!
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pollinator
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I am right on the edge of hardiness zones 5b and 6a, with around 12 inches of precipitation per year.

Grapes grow well (of course, depending on variety) with no summer irrigation after they're established. I've never tried to establish one without irrigation, so no experience there. The two varieties I have are Concord and Interlaken.

The almond does well with once a week deep watering. I'm going to try watering every other week this year and see what happens. I'm also growing some almonds from seed this year that should be able to adjust to their environment more easily.

Our old plum, grown on its own roots, is 40+ years old and still going strong. It gets watered deeply once a week when the fruit is on and otherwise fends for itself. The new plum, a grafted plum we purchased, struggles. Both were infested with aphids last year. The new plum struggled. The old one shook it off without a problem. I was told the old plum is a Stanley, but it's probably a seedling from a Stanley.

Peaches do well with the winters and the heat, but this is my first batch with low water so I don't know how they'll adapt yet. Apricots ditto. I've been trying to get serviceberries established but they seem to be little more than gopher bait. When one really starts growing, the gophers are right there to eat the treat I've set out for them. Rather like hostas, that way. I'm starting pears and apples from seed so I have no idea on those yet. But the pear seeds came from my sister's property a few miles away and she doesn't water them. The apple seeds came from a neighbor's yard, ditto.

I know of people who have cherry trees but I don't have any experience with them myself.

Currants grow well and spread (albeit slowly) so I have hopes for gooseberry. Goji is a weed. A yucky weed. Raspberries and blackberries don't thrive, although I have both. There's a local bramble, black-cap, that I may be able to acquire. It will probably do better than either of the others. There is also a local serviceberry (utahensis) and elderberries grow up the canyons.

I'm going to put this same information in Dry Climate Hardiness Zone 5, since I could be in either.
 
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Awesome list Lauren, lots of great information!

Lauren Ritz wrote:Our old plum, grown on its own roots, is 40+ years old and still going strong. It gets watered deeply once a week when the fruit is on and otherwise fends for itself. The new plum, a grafted plum we purchased, struggles. Both were infested with aphids last year. The new plum struggled. The old one shook it off without a problem. I was told the old plum is a Stanley, but it's probably a seedling from a Stanley.



That's great, I prefer growing my fruit trees on their own roots too, I think there are so many benefits there!

I'm starting pears and apples from seed so I have no idea on those yet. But the pear seeds came from my sister's property a few miles away and she doesn't water them. The apple seeds came from a neighbor's yard, ditto.



So cool, excited to see how they turn out!
 
Lauren Ritz
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Grapes are still doing well with 0 irrigation. This year the major fruit trees didn't get watered at all as a test. The plums had smaller fruit, more fruit drop, and the fruit was less sweet, but they still produced. Last night we got some wind so a few of the almonds fell. The attached picture suggests that 50% have some shrinkage or are completely withered, which still makes for a great harvest.

I watered the nectarine deeply once a month (end of June, end of July) and it produced large, sweet nectarines.
IMG_20190910_110026695.jpg
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