We’ve pulled together a list of links to each of our bare root fruit and veggie related blogs for 2024 to make it easier for you to find what you’re looking for!
Read about the varieties we are carrying this year, including pollination charts and root stock information here:
Raspberries are best grown in full sun and rich well drained soil with regular irrigation. Their blooms are attractive to pollinators and birds will compete with you for the fruit, making them quite wildlife friendly! Raspberries are self-pollinating.
After planting, prune the bare-root canes back to about 2 inches above the ground. Do not skip this step! This encourages the roots to send up new growth during the growing season. It is the nature of raspberry plants to send up new growth as suckers or basal shoots from below the ground. This means the canes that you plant may not be where you find signs of life or new growth. When it’s time to grow, you will see new sprouts emerge from the ground around where you planted the cane; this growth is coming from the raspberry plant’s root system.
Canby “Spring” Crop Raspberry: A tasty, nearly thornless raspberry producing large, good quality, bright red berries. Strong vigorous canes support the heavy summer crop. Nearly the ideal berry, great for freezing, canning, cooking, and fresh eating. Developed in Oregon and first introduced in 1953.
Caroline Everbearing Raspberry: Heavy crops of large berries with fantastic, intense flavor. Fruits ripen in summer and continue producing until frost. Tolerant to root rot and has a high resistance to gray mold.
Honey Queen Everbearing Raspberry: Honey Queen lives up to its name with its deliciously sweet honey flavor packed into beautiful yellow, soft, and medium-sized berries perfect for picking and eating in the summer.
Royalty Purple Raspberry: Clusters of large, purple berries ripen in late summer. This variety is known for its sweet-tart flavor, making it perfect for desserts or fresh snacking. Its vibrant fruits and consistent yields make it a top choice for gardeners.
Currant
Currants are beautiful additions to your yard or landscape, not only your fruit bowl! These upright-growing shrubs are great for a fruiting hedge or screen; they are attractive in bloom and are a striking sight when fruiting, with large clusters of berries cascading down the heavily laden branches. Currants are rich in antioxidants and have a much higher vitamin C content than oranges. They are attractive to pollinators and wildlife! Plant in full sun to light shade, in rich well-drained soil. Currants are drought-tolerant, but fruit set and quality will be compromised with irregular water or in poor soils.
Primus White Currant: One of the sweetest of all currants. Heavy yields of beautiful white berries on a compact shrub.
Asparagus
Asparagus is a perennial vegetable that takes 3 – 5 years to establish – but it is worth the wait! Careful site preparation and planting will bring rewards in the long run. Dig a trench 12” – 15” deep and wide. Add compost and/or aged manure, making a mound. You may also wish to incorporate some all-purpose granular organic fertilizer. Place crowns 12” – 18” apart on top of the mound, spreading roots out well. Cover with rich soil; crowns should be at least 6” deep. Water well. As shoots appear, continue to cover with soil until the trench is full. For the first two growing seasons, do not harvest the shoots – rather leave them to develop leaves which will speed development of a robust root system. In the third and fourth year you may take a small harvest of stalks larger than pencil size, being sure to leave an ample number of stalks to develop into leafy stems. In the fifth year and beyond, you can harvest shoots for about a month to 6 weeks until shoot size begins to diminish. Then leave those shoots to grow on and feed that plant.
Mary Washington Asparagus: This variety offers buttery and robust flavor, thick straight green stalks and later, fern-like foliage.
Sweet Purple Asparagus: In addition to the fun coloration, the flavor is said to be distinctly sweeter than green asparagus. This variety is less prone to developing fibrous strings and woody stalks.
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Nuts are an investment in the long term. Trees need time to mature before they can reliably produce mature fruit. Protect the harvest from squirrels and birds.
Hazelnuts/Filberts (Corylus avellana)
Plant in very moist, fertile, well-drained soil for best results. A full-sun to part-shade site should be chosen for optimal results. Hazelnuts are not pollinated by our native Filbert.
Jefferson: Thought to be the best all-around hazelnut variety for commercial or home growers in the USA. Extreme disease resistance; immune to Filbert Blight. Produces heavy yields of large nuts that consistently fill out their shells. An Oregon State University introduction. Pollinated by Theta & McDonald.
McDonald: Very disease resistant, early cropping, consistently productive with consistent quality and good flavor. Plant with Jefferson, Eta and/or Theta for cross-pollination.
Yamhill: This recent introduction from Oregon State University features attractive, compact growth habit, good crops of large and delicious nuts, and total resistance to Eastern Filbert Blight. Yamhill’s high productivity has made it popular with commercial growers. Plant with Jefferson or Gamma for cross-pollination.
Walnuts
Walnuts require two varieties for cross pollination. They also require patience, as they may not begin bearing until after 10 years of establishment.
Cascade:Manregian x Russian. Thin shell, excellent buttery flavor from plump, light colored kernels. Fast growing, large tree. Self-fertile but much better with a pollinizer.
Carpathian: English type, very cold-hardy, excellent quality hard nut.
Almonds
Hall’s Hardy: Hardy and bears heavy. Large nut and hard shell. Late.
Chestnuts
Chestnut Colossal:Exceptionally large nuts of good quality. Sweet flavor, smooth texture and easy to peel. Early ripening. Plant with Nevada Chestnut for cross-pollination.
Nevada Chestnut: An attractive, large spreading tree with tropical looking, glossy green leaves and showy, fragrant, yellow catkins. Medium sized, very sweet tasting nut. Plant at least two different trees to cross pollinate. Good Pollinizer for Colossal.
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All our fruiting cherries are grown on dwarfing Gisela 5 rootstock (unless otherwise noted) to make them easier for bird netting and access to the fruit. Sour cherries (Prunus cerasus) are said to be self-fertile, but sweet cherries (Prunus avium) need a second sweet variety as a pollinator. Since sour and sweet are different species, they do not pollinate each other.
Sweet Cherries:
Angela: Has large, sweet, black fruit that resists cracking and disease. Blooms early to mid-season. Ripens mid-season. A self-pollinating tree but will perform better with another variety such as Stella or Van.
Bing: The most popular sweet cherry on the American market, Bing cherries produce large, dark smooth skinned fruit in mid-June to early July. The fruit is firm and extremely juicy and very sweet. Great for fresh eating, baking or preserves. One tree can be a heavy producer, with mature specimens producing 50-100lbs of fruit in one year. A WSU Mt. Vernon recommended variety. Blooms early. NOT self-fertile; pair with Rainier, Lapin, Stella, Sam, or Van for pollination.
Lapin: An outstanding sweet dark cherry for Northwest gardens. Fruit is very large and crack resistant, sweet, juicy, perfect for fresh eating or baking. Blooms early, ripens mid-season. Said to be self-fertile but fruit set can be improved with another variety such as Rainier or Bing. A WSU Mt. Vernon recommended variety.
Rainier: Large, delicious fruits are yellow with pink blush. Blooms early. Needs a pollinizer such as Bing, Lapins, or Royal Anne or Vandalay.
Royal Rainier: Large yellow cherry with slightly more red blush than Rainier. Excellent flavor, taste test winner. Ripens early, about 3-5 days ahead of Rainier. Pollinated by Bing and Lapins. Maxma 14 rootstock
Sam: Fruit are so dark red in color they are almost black. The flavor is considered “sweet/tart”. An excellent choice for the Pacific Northwest because of its resistance to cracking/canker, cold hardiness, and heavy yields. Pollinate with Bing.
Stella: Developed in British Columbia, Stella was the first self-fertile cherry to be named. Large, heart-shaped red fruits are sweet and juicy. Considered a universal pollinizer for all sweet cherries except Bing. Blossoms mid-season and ripens early. A reliable and heavy producer. Winner of the RHS Award of Garden Merit.
Vandalay: Well-suited to Northwest gardens. Cherries are deep wine-black, firm and have excellent flavor for fresh eating. A disease resistant/crack resistant, productive WSU Mt. Vernon recommended variety. Early blooming & self-fertile, but fruit set may be improved by planting with Bing, Lapin, Rainier.
Sweet Cherry 4-way Dwarf Combo: (4 of these 5 varieties) Bing, Rainier, Lapin, Glacier, Van, Royal Ann
Tart/Pie Cherries:
Montmorency: this variety has been cultivated in this country since the early 20th century. It is the most popular sour cherry in America. It produces a large, light red fruit for baking, drying and juicing. Self-fertile.
Cherry Rootstock:
Gisela 5: Dwarf 50-65% seedling size; early fruiting and productive; good frost and virus resistance, well-anchored, adaptable to a variety of soil types. Requires supplemental irrigation.
Maxma 14®: Dwarfing to about 2/3 of standard. Less dwarfing expected in fertile loamy soils. Induces early heavy bearing; crop management may be needed for productive varieties in early years. Good tolerance to wet soils, also performs well in calcareous soils. Resistant to bacterial canker and nematodes. Well anchored, very little suckering. Trees may be held to any desired height by summer pruning.
Harcot Apricot: This disease-resistant variety was bred in Canada, making it a great choice for northern gardens because it is a frost-hardy late bloomer resistant to brown rot and perennial canker. Fruits are oblong and yellow-orange with a rich, sweet flavor. Self-fertile but benefits from pollination from another apricot variety such as ‘Harglow’. Mariana 2624 rootstock.
Harglow Apricot: This productive variety is a proven performer for the PNW climate. It’s late blooming and early ripening (August), producing a flavorful, sweet & firm, medium to large apricot that is deep orange with a delightful blush of red. Resistant to perennial canker, brown rot, and cracking. Self-fertile but benefits from pollination from another apricot variety such as ‘Harcot’. Mariana 2624 rootstock.
Peach
Frost Peach: A seedling from the WSU Mt Vernon test gardens, this peach is a solid choice for PNW gardens. The semi-freestone fruit has yellow flesh covered in red-blushed skin and is tasty fresh or canned. This variety is very productive, vigorous, and shows resistance to peach leaf curl. It is also quite ornamental. Self-fertile. Citation or Mariana 2624 rootstock.
Indian Free Peach: A hardy, freestone peach that is naturally resistant to peach leaf curl! Taste test winner. Fruits have white flesh marbled with crimson stripes, covered in dark red skin. Productive variety ripens in mid-late season with delicious flavor, great for fresh eating or preserves. Self-sterile; pollinate with another peach variety such as ‘Frost’ or ‘Harken’. Citation rootstock.
Harken Peach: Bred in Canada, this Peach is adapted to cool summers and is one of the most reliable varieties for rainy climates. Medium-large fruit with delicious flavor, strong red blushing over yellow skin and creamy yellow non-browning flesh, great for fresh eating or canning. One of the highest rated peaches for western WA. Self-fertile. Citation rootstock.
Nectarine
Hardy Red Nectarine: The best Nectarine variety for cool, short summers. Tolerant of bacterial spot and brown rot. Freestone fruit has very sweet, yellow flesh covered in golden-blushed red-skin. Ripens in mid-August. Self-fertile. Mariana 2624 rootstock.
Rootstock Info:
CITATION: Dwarfs peaches and nectarines to 8-14 ft., apricots and plums to 12-18 ft. Very tolerant of wet soil, not drought tolerant (induces early dormancy in dry soil). Very winter hardy. Resists root-knot nematodes. Induces heavy bearing at young age. Trees on Citation may be held to any desired height by summer pruning.
MARIANNA 2624: For apricots, plums, & most almonds. Shallow root system, tolerant of wet soils. Resists oak-root fungus and root-knot nematodes. Mature trees of standard varieties comparatively small, 15-20 ft. if unpruned. Trees on Marianna may be held to any desired height by summer pruning.
Japanese Persimmons (Diosypros kaki) can grow 15’ – 30’ tall. They are valued for both their ornamental and fruiting qualities. They require full sun and can tolerate brief periods of drought but extended drought can kill them. Regular watering will support shoot and fruit development. Asian persimmons do not need pollination to set fruit, and do so on young wood, so regular pruning to maintain vigorous, young wood is advised. Our offerings are grafted onto D. lotus rootstock.
Fuyu Jiro: Known as “Apple Persimmon”, this is a medium, flat-shaped fruit that is still crunchy when ripe, non-astringent. The hardy, attractive tree is practically pest free. You can make tea from the leaves! Fall harvest. Self- fruitful.
Chocolate: Fruits are small to medium size, oblong, with bright red skin and sweet, spicy, firm, brown flesh with superb flavor ‑ the choice of connoisseurs. The name comes not from the appearance, but for the notes of cocoa in the flavor. Self-fruitful.
Prunus Combos
Fruit Cocktail 4-way Combo: Frost Peach, Puget Gold Apricot, Hardy Red Nectarine, Italian Prune, Ranier Cherry and Lapin Cherry. Mariana 2624 rootstock.
4-way Fruit Salad: Frost Peach, Puget Gold Apricot, Harcot Apricot, Hardy Red Nectarine, Nadia Plum, Shiro Plum. Mariana 2624 rootstock.
Intergeneric Prunus Crosses
Flavor Delight Aprium: This apricot x plum hybrid produces a fruit resembling an apricot but has a firm texture and sweet flavor all its own! One of the tastiest early-season fruits. Self-fertile but more productive when pollinated by another apricot variety. Citation rootstock.
Bella Gold Peacotum: This peach x apricot x plum hybrid makes a rounded fruit with fuzzy red-gold skin. Tart skin gives way to mildly sweet amber flesh for a delightful eating experience. Early-midseason bloom, ripens mid-late season. Naturally semi-dwarf tree. Pollinized by ‘Harcot’ Apricot. Citation rootstock.
Flavor Punch Pluerry: This plum x cherry hybrid boasts extremely high flavor fruit with orange skin blushed red, and red/orange flesh. Late ripening with a long hang-time extends your fruit harvest into fall. Harvest mid August through September. Pollenized by Pluot®, Pluerry® and mid-late blooming plum. Citation rootstock.
Dapple Dandy Pluot: You may know this fruit from the grocery stores where it is sold as a Dinosaur Egg Plum. This is a freestone plum x apricot hybrid with not just a unique speckled appearance, but a juicy, delicious flavor. Pollinize with Asian plum, such as Hollywood, Beauty, or Santa Rosa plum. Citation rootstock.
Nadia Plum Cherry: This complex cross of ‘Black Amber’ Asian plum and ‘Supreme’ sweet cherry yields a tastebud-tingling combination of summery plum flavor with an intriguing note of cherry. Larger than a cherry and smaller than a plum, the skin is dark red as is the flesh. The fruit is firm, sweet/tart and very juicy! Needs pollinization from another Asian plum. Mariana 2624 rootstock.
Quince (Cydonia oblonga)
Smyrna: Pineapple Quince is an attractive small tree with large cup-shaped pink and white flowers that yield generous crops of large yellow sweetly aromatic fruit with a flavor reminiscent of pineapple. Used widely for preserves and pectin. Self-fertile; ripens in late fall; deserves to be more widely grown.
Most apples require another apple or crabapple variety to produce fruit. See chart at the end of document for more information.
Anna: Very early blooming, early ripening and very productive. A Golden Delicious type great for fresh eating or cooking. Sweet, spicy, unusual flavor in a beautifully blushed fruit. Considered partially self-fertile but better with a pollinizer. M7 rootstock.
Beni Shogun Fuji: Hailing from Japan, this variety is scab and mildew resistant making it a wonderful choice for organic growers. The fruit is medium-large, has orange-red skin, crisp texture, and juicy sweet flavor and a distinctive aroma. While Fujis are considered late to ripen, this variety is the earliest in the group, ready for harvest in mid-September. It is excellent for eating, cider, and stores well. M106 rootstock.
Braeburn: Developed in New Zealand in the 1950s, the Braeburn is considered a “dessert” apple: juicy with a crisp texture, and a flavor described as sharp and refreshing, sweet without being sugary. The skin is washed in shades of red and green – it was one of the first bi-colored varieties created! A WSU Mt. Vernon recommended variety for the Puget Sound. Matures late, keeps well. M106 rootstock.
Chehalis: This old favorite was discovered north of Chehalis, WA in 1937. This is a large, sweet yellow apple that resembles Golden Delicious in looks and flavor, but it is crisper and larger. This reliable, highly productive tree is suited for organic growers; it is highly resistant to scab and has good mildew resistance. Fruit ripens in mid/late September. Great for fresh eating, and saucing. M106 rootstock.
Cosmic Crisp: Developed by Washington State University and released in 2019, this apple is suited to the PNW. Mid to late season bloom, ripens in early October. The flavor is exceptional, both sweet and tart, making it an excellent apple for fresh eating. It is slow to brown once cut, has a long storage life, and holds its flavor well. Red in color with yellow flecks on the skin. M26 rootstock. Not pollinized by Honeycrisp or Enterprise.
Enterprise: This versatile apple started out in 1982 as a seedling and was released to market in 1993.This deep maroon apple is mildly tart and spicy, it is good for eating right off the tree, its flavor improves after storage and can be stored for up to six months. Apple scab immune and resistant to fireblight. Ripens in early October; holds well on the tree. M106 rootstock.
Gala: The most popular apple in the world, a cross between Golden Delicious and Kidd’s Orange Red. This apple has pale golden yellow skin covered by a stripy red blush; flesh is juicy and sweet with hints of vanilla and a floral aroma. This is a great multi-purpose apple suited for fresh eating, juicing and cooking, but not for storing. Late blooming, early to ripen. Mildew resistant. M106 rootstock.
Gravenstein: This nostalgic cultivar was the primary variety used during WWII to make apple sauce and dried apples to feed the troops. The skin is a delicate waxy yellow-green with crimson spots and reddish lines. The flesh is juicy, finely grained, and light yellow. One of the best cooking apples but sadly not suited for storage, which is why it is seldom found in markets. An early to mid-season bloomer, one of the first apples to ripen. This is a triploid variety which means it is a poor pollinator of other apples. Semi-dwarf rootstock.
Honeycrisp: A modern apple with perhaps the best eating qualities in history. Medium to large red blushed with yellow apples are highly aromatic. Explosively crisp, sweet and juicy, yet with some tartness. Excellent for fresh eating, cooking, storing and juicing! Fruit ripens in late September but becomes more flavorful if left on the tree into October. Good disease resistance. A WSU Mt. Vernon recommended variety. Available on either M106 or Geneva 969 rootstock. Not pollinized by Cosmic Crisp.
King: This historic variety has been known since 1804. Large fruits are waxy yellow-green with red striping, flesh is crisp and sweet. They are excellent for fresh eating, cider and cooking. Will keep 2-3 months. Bears mid-to-late Oct. This highly prized apple is a tip bearer: wait to prune until two inches of new growth has begun in spring. Then prune back to 6-8′ of last years’ growth! This variety is triploid, and will not pollinize other varieties.
Liberty: One of the easiest apples to grow, this variety should be included in all Whidbey orchards. It produces a bounty of medium sized, shiny red aromatic apples with yellow overtones. The very juicy fruit has crisp white flesh and a sweet, crunchy texture. Good for fresh eating, baking and ciders. Ripens in late September and stores well. Very disease resistant. The tree tends to over-produce; thinning produces better quality fruit. A WSU Mt. Vernon recommended variety. M106 rootstock.
Lucy Rose: A golden apple with – surprise! – striking rose-colored flesh inside and a distinctly strawberry-like flavor. M106 rootstock. Not pollinized by Honeycrisp (a parent).
Melrose: A cross between Johnathon and Red Delicious, the fruits are large & flattened like Jonathan, with skin that is streaked and flushed with dark red over a background of yellowish-green skin, with spots of russet. The flesh is creamy white, firm, coarse-textured, and juicy. The flavor is mildly acidic, similar to Jonathan, but not as tart. It is top-rated for reliability and productivity. Often used for baking, Melrose is a great keeper apple whose flavor often improves with storage. Ripens in October Semi dwarf.
Mutsu: Also known as Crispin. Sweet, honeyed flavor – good for eating, baking, and cider! Cross between Golden Delicious and Indo. Its large fruit is green/yellow. Highly resistant to frost injury. Ripens end of September. Some disease susceptibility, does not pollinate other trees, tends toward biennial production. This variety is pollen sterile and will not pollinize other varieties.
North Pole: This is a space-friendly apple; the columnar form is suited for any small garden, patio, or even a large pot!This is a red apple in the Macintosh group, so expect a juicy, sweet-tart flavor. You can keep this tree to 2-3’ wide by 6-8’ tall. M7 rootstock.
Pink Pearl: Flavorful, aromatic yellow apple with bright pink flesh! Use it to make a beautiful pink applesauce or to add color to fruit salads. This apple is worth growing, even though it has some susceptibility to scab. Ripens in late September. M106 rootstock.
Pristine: medium size yellow fruit, crisp and mildly tart. Ripens in August. Great for fresh eating, saucing, and baking. Good disease resistance. A WSU recommended variety. M106 rootstock.
Scarlet Sentinel: This is a space-friendly apple; the columnar form is suited for any small garden, patio, or even a large pot!This is a Macintosh type apple so expect that crisp snappy taste! M7 rootstock.
Sunrise Magic: Developed by WSU, this is a cross between Splendor and Gala. Pinkish-red blush over a yellow background, fruit is firm, crisp and juicy with a bright sweet flavor. Great fresh off the tree and stores well too. Ripens late Sept/early Oct. M26 rootstock.
Winter Banana: This heirloom variety, hailing from Indiana circa 1876, is a beautiful apple with a waxy yellow skin delicately blushed pink when ripe. The flesh is tender and has a subtle, tropical-fruit flavor best-suited for fresh eating. A tree full of ripe fruit can give off the scent of bananas. The low chill requirements make this apple well-suited for west-coast gardens. It is one of the few self-fertile apples, but it will produce more reliably with another pollinizer. M111 rootstock.
Espalier: A tiered fruit tree with 3 different kinds of apple varieties grafted to one root stock, ensured to pollinate each other.
Espalier 2: Gala, Honeycrisp, Fuji (on M26 rootstock)
Espalier 3: Akane, Honeycrisp, Liberty (on M26 rootstock)
Apple Pollination Guide
In general, all apples need to be cross-pollinated by another apple that flowers at the same time. The safest is to choose another variety in bloom at the same time, but typically there is adequate overlap between each neighboring bloom category. For example, Braeburn is a mid-season apple, so while the safest is to choose another cultivar from the mid-season category, it is likely that a type from the early-mid or late season could also be used.
Varieties in *bold are pollen-sterile or triploid and cannot be used as pollinizers.
Certain apples will not be pollinized by cultivars that are in their parentage. For example, Cosmic Crisp is a cross of Enterprise x Honeycrisp so neither will work as a pollinizer.
Any apple in italics is a variety we have sold in the past but are not stocking this year.
Early
Early-Mid
Mid
Late
Anna
Akane
Braeburn
Beni Shogun
*Gravenstein
Early Pink Lady
Chehalis
Cosmic Crisp
McIntosh
Empire
Enterprise
Gala
Pink Pearl
Liberty
Jonamac
Golden Raindrops Crabapple
Zestar
McIntosh
*Jonagold
Granny Smith
North Pole
Lucy Rose
Honeycrisp
Pristine
Melrose
*King
Scarlet Sentinel
*Mutsu
Spartan
Yellow Transparent
Thunderchild Crabapple
Sunrise Magic
Winter Banana
Apple Rootstock Guide
M106 (EMLA106): Semidwarf, typically 10’ – 13’ tall; tolerant of many soil types except for very wet soils; early production.
Geneva 969: Semidwarf, 50% of standard size so typically 12’ – 15’ tall. High resistance to Wooly Apple aphids and fireblight. Medium resistance to Crown and Root rot. Precocious and productive. Provide adequate drainage.
M7(EMLA7): Semidwarf, unpruned tree height 2/3 of standard, or about 12-20 ft. Induces early and heavy bearing, resists fire blight and powdery mildew. Moderately resistant to collar rot. Good anchorage. Very winter hardy. Trees on M-7 may be held to any desired height by summer pruning.
M26 (EMLA26): Vigorous dwarf, about 40 to 45 percent of a standard tree. Needs some support in early years, but could be self-supporting in later years. Very early and heavy bearing. Adaptable for close plantings and double rows.
M111 (EMLA111): Dwarf; Unpruned tree height 80-90% of standard. Excellent all-around rootstock for apples. Tolerates wet, dry, or poor soil. Resists woolly apple aphids and collar rot. Induces bearing at young age. Trees on M-111 may be held to any desired height by summer pruning.
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Most varieties of pear require cross-pollination with another pear. While European pear can pollinize Asian pear, they typically are not in bloom at the same time. Thus, it is recommended to have two varieties of European pear or two varieties of Asian pear. A hybrid pear, such as Maxie, can act as pollinator for both since its bloom time is between the two.
European Pears
Bartlett: Perhaps the most widely grown European pear tree in history and cultivated in America since the early 1800’s. Classic bell shaped golden yellow fruit sometimes flushed red. Thin skinned, with creamy white flesh that is sweet and buttery. A multi-purpose pear grown for fresh eating, cooking, dessert, baking or juice. Ripens in September. Prone to scab. WSU Mt Vernon recommended variety. Early flowering; pollinize with Ubileen.
Comice: A highly acclaimed variety for its sweet, aromatic, fine texture, superb flavor and quality. It has a distinct shape: rounded with a short neck. Skin is greenish-yellow with red blush. Late harvest. Self-fruitful but better with a pollinizer such as Bartlett.
Early Gold- This hardy pear is hard to beat if you’re looking for tasty fruit. Sweet and crisp, it is great for eating and holds up well in desserts, baked goods, and when canned. It ripens in early August. And if green/gold fruit isn’t tempting enough, it’s also a great ornamental tree with white flowers in spring and leaves that turn gold to purple in autumn. Self‑fruitful but may be more productive when paired with another European pear for pollinization.
Orcas: The original tree was found on Orcas Island. Large, beautiful, perfectly pear-shaped yellow fruit, with a red blush. Sweet and juicy, with smooth, buttery flesh. Good for fresh eating, or for canning and drying. Reliable and productive. Disease resistant. Ripens in September. Pair with Comice, Maxie, Seckel for a pollinizer. WSU Mt Vernon recommended variety.
Seckel: One for the collectors & connoisseurs! Sweet, flavorful, aromatic, spicy, perhaps the best flavor of any pear. Small and cute with russeted brown skin. Resists fire blight. Self‑fruitful but may be more productive when paired with another European pear for pollinization.
Ubileen: Large, delicious yellow pears with a pretty red blush and sweet, smooth, buttery flesh. Vigorous and productive. Resistant to fireblight. Early to bloom; ripens in August. Pollinize with Orcas or Bartlett. WSU Mt. Vernon recommended variety.
Hybrid Pears
Maxie: Is a cross between Max Red Bartlett European and Nijisseki Asian pears, giving us the best of both worlds. Red and yellow in color this fruit is flavorful; sweet, crisp, juicy, and wonderfully aromatic- it’s great for fresh eating! This tree blooms in early April and ripens in mid-September. Resistant to pear scab. Pollinize with Hosui Asian Pear.
Asian Pears
Chojuro:This tree produces medium, round, brown skinned fruit that is mildly sweet & spicy with texture that is firm & crisp. Fruits ripen in mid-August. The Chojuro tree has large, waxy, dark green, foliage that turns a gorgeous red/orange in the fall. Pollinize with ‘Shinseike’ or ‘Bartlett’.
Hosui:Introduced in the 1970s form Japan, this Asian pear is tangy with more acidity than most pears. The fruit is sweet like a European pear, but crisp like an apple. The fruit is large with a gold skin and juicy flesh. Excellent for fresh eating or baking. Ripens in late August. Self-pollinating, but will yield more with a separate pollinizer such as ‘Shinseiki’.
Nijisseiki: this is a dessert cultivar bearing medium to large yellow fruits with smooth skin. The white flesh is crisp and mildly sweet. Self-fruitful but better with another variety such as ‘Chojuro’, ‘Shinseike’, ‘Bartlett’.
Shinseiki: A beautiful, rounded pear with showy yellow skin. Sweet white flesh is crisp and very juicy. Very vigorous and productive. Good disease resistance. Stores very well. Ripens in early to mid-August. Needs a different Asian pear variety, such as ‘Chojuro’, as a pollinizer. WSU Mt Vernon recommended variety.
Espalier European Pears & 4 way Grafted
4 Way Asian Pear: Chojuro, Nijiseiki, Shinseiki, Shinko, Kosui
Espalier European Pear: Bartlett, Red Bartlett, Bosc
Pear Rootstock
OHXF 97: Vigorous, widely adapted and disease resistant. Unpruned tree height of fruiting varieties 15-25 ft. Trees on OHxF 97 may be held to any desired height by summer pruning.
OHXF 333: European and Asian pears on OHxF 333 are dwarfed to about 2/3 the size of standard, or about 12-18 ft. if not pruned. Widely adapted, disease resistant. Trees on OHxF 333 may be held to any desired height by summer pruning.
Pear Pollination Guide
In general, all pears need to be cross-pollinated by another pear that flowers at the same time. The safest is to choose another variety in bloom at the same time, but typically there is adequate overlap between each neighboring bloom category. For example, because ‘Maxie’ is a mid-season bloomer, it is used to pollinize both the early-blooming Asian pears and the later blooming European Pears.
Some varieties are pollen-sterile and cannot be used as pollinizers, but none are listed here.
Certain pears will not be pollinized by cultivars that are in their parentage.
Any variety in italics is one we have sold in the past but are not stocking this year.
Early
Early to mid
Mid
Late
Hosui
Chojuro
Bartlett
Bosc
Shinseiki
Kosui
Early Gold
Comice
Nijiseiki
Maxie
Orcas
Red Bartlett
Seckel
Rescue
Ubileen
http://ventureoutnursery.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Final-Logo-1-1.jpg00Tobey Nelsonhttp://ventureoutnursery.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Final-Logo-1-1.jpgTobey Nelson2024-01-19 23:22:432024-01-19 23:22:44Pears for 2024
*All of these plum trees are grown on semi-dwarf rootstock in order to accommodate most home orchards.*
European Plums
Blue Damson: Not only does this heirloom variety yield oblong, purple-skinned fruits with yellow-green flesh and a sweet tart flavor that is great for fresh eating and especially cooking, but the tree in bloom is a lovely sight in the spring! Self-fertile but will be more productive when paired with a different European plum variety as a pollinizer.
Green Gage: A historic plum dating back to France in the 1600’s where they are called “Reine Claude”. Small rounded yellow-green plums are not pretty, but many say have the best flavor of any plum. Juicy and firm, with a sweet, melt in your mouth flavor. Excellent fresh, or for baking, preserves and canning. Self-fertile but may produce better with a different European plum pollinizer. Ripens in late August.
Imperial Epineuse: Considered one of the most delicious plums you can grow, this plum has grown famous for its sweet, flavorful fruit. This French variety has a reddish-purple skin and yellow flesh. Large fruits are excellent for either fresh eating or drying. Once mature, the tree is a heavy producer, often yielding over 50lbs of fruit in a season. Self-fertile but may produce better with a different European plum pollinizer. A WSU Mt. Vernon recommended variety.
Early Italian Prune: Very similar to Italian prune plum but ripens a few weeks earlier.
Italian Prune: Perhaps the most widely planted and beloved fruit tree in history. Deep purple oblong freestone fruits with tasty yellow flesh are great fresh off the tree and are especially suited for drying, canning and cooking. Flesh turns a nice red color when cooked. Ripens in August. Self-fertile. Can take a few years to start producing. A WSU Mt Vernon recommended variety.
Asian Plums
Beauty: This variety is well suited to the cool summers of western Washington. The fruits have red and yellow skin with amber-red flesh. Some say this is the most flavorful Japanese plum, sweet and juicy with a delicious flavor that melts in your mouth. Excellent for fresh eating. Vigorous and productive. Ripens in early August. A good pollinizer for many other Asian plum varieties, it is considered self-fertile but will produce more heavily with another Asian plum nearby. A WSU Mt. Vernon recommended variety.
Toka: One of the hardiest Asian plum varieties. This Asian x American plum hybrid has small-to-medium size red fruit with yellow flesh that ripens in August and is so sweet, spicy, and fragrant it is commonly called the Candy or Bubblegum plum. The vigorous, upright tree is covered with white blossoms in early spring, bushels of fruit in the summer, and beautiful red fall foliage. Self-fertile and is an excellent pollinizer for other Asian and hybrid plums.
Shiro: These plums are quite popular with American gardeners: the trees are long-lived and very prolific, the large round yellow fruit is mild, sweet, and ridiculously juicy! With its fast production you’ll have plenty of fruit for eating, cooking, canning, baking desserts. Ripens in early August. Partially self-fertile, it is best with another variety of Asian plum as a pollinizer.
2024 is going to be a great year for roses at Venture Out! I am really excited about ALL the cultivars I’ve chosen for this year. I did a bit of next-level research to make sure that they all have top ratings, not just for disease resistance and performance in our region, but also for fragrance, rebloom, and vase life. When you buy a rose from Venture Out you are sure to get a quality performer!
For the past couple of years, I’ve done a “top 10” list. This year, it was just too hard to narrow it to 10, and besides, why should I limit myself? So here are my Top Fourteen Roses for 2024 list! These roses have the very best ratings for all characteristics: disease resistance, strongest scent, only repeat bloomers, and most offer great vase life. You’ll also see my own personal tastes which lean heavily on old-world, romantic, cottage style types with high petal counts and good looking foliage. Even if your tastes don’t align with mine, I can assure you that you’ll be happy with any rose from Venture Out!
Bolero (Floribunda)
This outstanding performer offers romantic clusters of heavily scented white flowers throughout the growing season. The plant has a tidy growth habit, deep glossy leaves, and excellent disease resistance. The flowers are great for cutting and will fill your home and garden with the fragrance of classic rose mixed with tropical fruit.
Bronze Star (Hybrid Tea)
For years I’ve loved ‘Just Joey’, but ‘Bronze Star’ has won me over. It offers similar fragrance and the same range of color – copper fading to soft yummy peachy-pinky-apricot. It is the improved disease resistance that got me hooked!
Cloud 10 (Climbing)
I will certainly add this rose to my garden! While it is listed as a climber, it has the growth habit of a large shrub, which is just my style – great for arbors or fences or the back of a border. It blooms heavily in the spring, and then re-blooms throughout the rest of the growing season. The flower is full and fluffy like an English rose, and the foliage is a clean dark green. It’s got a musky fragrance and when fully open, it is attractive to pollinators.
Don Juan (Climbing)
I have a soft spot for a classic red rose, and Don Juan has charmed me – he’s a prolific, fruity-scented show-off with extremely disease-resistant leathery green foliage. The ruffley blooms are great cut flowers!
Easy On The Eyes (Shrub)
I chose this shrub rose for its cottagey-cute clusters of flowers – I love that magenta eye! It has won awards for being floriferous. The continuous bloom not only makes a great show in the garden, it also offers a constant feast to pollinators! In addition, this variety offers a nice, rounded growth habit, a citrus & spice fragrance, and can boast extraordinary disease resistance.
Eleganza Beverly (Hybrid Tea)
This might be the most fragrant variety on our roster this year. This tea rose has won multiple fragrance awards for her sweet scent described as citrus, pear, patchouli. If you are looking for a great cut flower to perfume your home, here she is! This plant is an upright grower with large flowers and great disease-resistance ratings.
Heavenly Scented (Hybrid Tea)
Here’s another sweet and spicy delight for your nose & vase – as well as your eyes. One could use a variety of sea creatures to describe the color of the beautiful pink flowers – are they prawn, conch or salmon colored? This upright tea has a strong resistance to downy mildew and rust.
Romantica Ball Gown (Hybrid Tea)
Okay, honestly I couldn’t choose between ‘Ball Gown’ or ‘Moonlight’ so I chose them both! The Romantica series offers roses bred for flower size, fragrance, petal count, disease resistance and vase life. What more could you want?! ‘Ball Gown’ has all the frills a blushing debutante could ask for. Pink can make a flower seem simple and unassuming but don’t be fooled – the scent has been described to contain complex notes of grass and powder.
Romantica Moonlight (Hybrid Tea)
This big girl has all the same excellent qualities as ‘Ball Gown’, but in an endearing yellow – soft, gentle, cheerful without being overly sunny – for those who aren’t looking for pink. If you like English Roses, you’ll love this variety!
Sweet Mademoiselle (Hybrid Tea)
Is she named sweet for her fragrance or performance? I’m not sure. This plant has excellent ratings for both! The color is intriguing, changing with both temperature and as the flowers age. This is a great plant for cutting as well.
Sweet Spirit (Grandiflora)
The strength of this rich, vibrant color might have had me choose another adjective than “sweet”, but name aside, this is a great plant with an intense fragrance redolent of clove, pear and ripe fruit. It is great for cutting and offers excellent disease resistance.
Top Cream (Hybrid Tea)
This one got me for its old-fashioned vibe! With an abundance of petals, a delicately blushed, creamy white color, and a scent of anise and pear – I feel like I should be picnicking in the English Countryside, reading Jane Austin. Instead, maybe I’ll cut a handful of these luscious blooms for an arrangement… Oh, and of course, this plant offers excellent disease resistance – so instead of spraying, maybe I do have time to read Jane Austin!
Honorable Mention is due to Sunbelt Plum Perfect (Floribunda). Purple is a very difficult color in the rose genome; while it often is linked to fragrance, it is also often linked to susceptibility to diseases. This variety gets kudos because the breeders have managed to achieve a unique color paired with fragrance and disease resistance.
If these weren’t enough for you, I can suggest picks from previous years that we continue to carry this season: Sunbelt Crazy Love, Pinkerbelle, Parfuma Bliss and Raspberry Cupcake. For more information about planting and growing roses, we have more great posts to help you out: How To Plant A Bare Root Rose and How To Have Success with Roses! Happy gardening!
http://ventureoutnursery.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Final-Logo-1-1.jpg00Tobey Nelsonhttp://ventureoutnursery.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Final-Logo-1-1.jpgTobey Nelson2024-01-19 22:25:102024-01-19 22:28:58Tobey’s Top Rose Picks for 2024
