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Container Gardening

Loganberry and Beach Plum cultivation

12 years ago

I am growing these two fruits for the first time this year. I haven't been able to find anything other than vague info about them and definitely nothing about growing them in containers. Anyone out there growing them?

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Comments (7)

nandina
12 years ago
I can give you some help with the beach plum (Prunus maritima) part of your question. This is a subject that I know well and look forward to a book that is being written about the history of and those who have hybridized it. First you should know that beach plums do not set fruit consistently year after year. This has frustrated growers through the years as it is not a dependable crop. There is now a renewed interest in BP's and it is becoming more available in catalogs for the home gardener.

Grown inland away from the ocean it forms a pleasing bush shape about 5' high and wide. Those living along the New England coast know it to be a fairly low, wind tossed bush with a major rooting system that often is the 'glue' that hold sand dunes together. As part of a research project we once dug a dune growing BP to study its root structure. Gave up after three days of digging as we never did find the root termination.

If you do grow your BP in a container it should be a large one with good drainage set on bricks. Every second year I would probably dig it when dormant and trim the extensive root system. It is a thirsty but very tough shrub as I have found over the years of raising seedlings. Do a search for 'growing beach plums' which may be of further help.
delaware
Original Author
12 years ago
Thank you so much! It is the beach plum that I knew the least about.

I only ordered one to try it out and then read in two places that it is self-infertile and can't pollinate itself. Do you know anything about that?

I wasn't expecting a bumper crop of plums and would be happy with the flowers and maybe a plum once in a while.

I nevere realized you could root prune. Thanks. That openrs up a lot of possibilities.
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Greetings: I fully realize that this post is too late to help folks in winter 2012, but if your planting plums in the SE USA, and can provide some maintenance, I recommend using hybrids between P angustafolia (Chickasaw Plum) and P. salicacia (Asian plum). These are bread to have the eating quality of an Asian plum but the disease resistance of a Chickasaw plum. Even with these you will have to do some pruning and spraying. There are two series of these, one produced by Auburn University. The Auburn series plums tend to have higher chill requirements and would be better for the upper south. The other major series is the "Byron Series" developed by the agricultural station in Byron GA. These trees have lower chill requirements and are best for the lower south like the coastal plains of GA and AL. There is a third series called the Gulf Series which may be a hybrid with a different wild plum species, but these are good for hardiness zone 9 and higher. Thanks and God bless. PS: I planted 4 varieties of the Byron series and one of the Auburn University series this winter, and so far all the plants are doing great. You can get several members of the AU and Byron Series from Johnson's Nursery out of Ellerjay GA. A couple members of the Byron Series and the Gulf series are available at Just Fruits and Exotics outside of Tallahassee FL.
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There may not be as many options as you would like. Here in Los Osos it is a hot day if we make it into the 70's during the Summer and we are often fogged in totally with temps in the 60's. What is classed as "early" by mainstream growers may not ripen here until late summer and those which are classed as "late" will simply never ripen--not enough heat units. I'm not all that familiar with the climate in Eureka, and it's probably colder in the Winter, which is a good thing for chill, but you need to be realistic and remember that "early" or "midseason" could easily mean "late" in the area. "Late" could mean "never". It would be helpful to talk to others in the immediate area to see what has worked for them. Microclimates, heat pockets, south-facing exposures, etc., can all be helpful, but sometimes the selection of what will actually work is not that great.
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I saw that article. But a thought that occurred to me is that in my experience, veggie and fruit gardens might 'hook em in ' to general gardening. These days with produce prices skyrocketing at the grocery stores, showing people they can garden at home and grow some fruits and vegetables for their table might be a way to get them into gardening. From there, expanding their horizons seems to me a smaller step that the one between no garden/veggie garden. My neighbor started a raised bed garden for some tomatoes etc. after seeing my garden. I gave his wife a rose plant and she recently reported that it was almost ready to put in the garden from the container she started it in. Show em, don't tell em.
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Pteroceltis: Looks like you'll have plenty to look forward to for generations to come. I only have one general comment on something from your list above. "Quercus prinus and Quercus michauxii (Chestnut and Swamp Chestnut Oaks): Will flank part of an alley that runs along side a pumpkin patch. Will be interesting to have a side-by-side comparison of these uncommon (around here at least) very similar Oaks." Actually (other than leaf morphology) these are quite dissimilar trees. Quercus prinus, the Chestnut Oak, occurs naturally around here on xeric upland sites in association with Blackjack Oak, Scarlet Oak, and White Oak, has huge flattened ridged and furrowed bark more like a Red Oak group tree than like the White Oak group it is a member of. It has big long oblong acorns, with a relatively shallow cap. I have never seen much more than yellow to yellow-brown fall color on this species, though it is supposed to be able to produce some orange. Quercus michauxii, the Swamp Chestnut Oak, on the other hand occurs naturally here in bottomlands, swamps, and along sedentary streams in association with Sweetgum, Blackgum, Overcup Oak, and Pin Oak, and has the typical scaly flaking bark like White Oak and Swamp White Oak. The acorns are also large, but not as long relative to width, and the cap covers more of the seed. This tree often has nice red fall color, though not quite up there in fluorescence with Nyssa or Acer rubrum. None of this will matter when under the care of a patient plantsman. It may matter in siting them, if you are looking for longevity and for natural reproduction of the species. Have fun with your menagerie, and report often.
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tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
12 years ago
I'm pretty sure you'll find the thread I'm linking you to below to be helpful.

Al

Here is a link that might be useful: Trees in containers ....
delaware
Original Author
12 years ago
Thank Al. Talk about cioncidences...not 5 seconds ago I found that thread!

Aparentle beach plums are self infertile and need another tree to fertilize it. When you bonsai a fruit tree like that I guess you wouldn't get anything but blossoms...but that would probably be better for a bonsai anyway.

Love your posts and photos.
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
12 years ago
Thanks - hopefully they've been helpful.

Best luck to you!

Sometimes we like fruit on bonsai, but fruit doesn't reduce much at all. Can you imagine a tiny little bonsai tree with 6 or 7 big juicy Delicious apples on it? ;-) Also, fruit takes a LOT of energy from developing trees, so the more experienced artists limit the volume of fruit, and usually only allow the trees to bear in alternate or every third year(s).

Al
nandina
12 years ago
Excuse me if I add a few more thoughts re beach plums which might be of interest. Yes, it takes two or more plants to tango. The original questioner did not indicate the intention to bonsai for which this shrub is an excellent candidate. It is a survivor which will take abuse if properly watered.

Probably those in charge of the MA. Horticultural Society these days do not know that this Society, back in the 1940's, offered a $10,000 prize to anyone who could find in the wild or hybridize a beach plum that produced fruit year after year without fail. The prize has never been awarded but it certainly is an incentive for those living in BP territory to keep their eyes upon the bushes every fall. The Society would still be obligated to make the award if proper proof was submitted. It received wide spread publicity at the time.
delaware
Original Author
12 years ago
I am the OP and didn't know I needed more than one to fruit. I really don't want to order more so now I have an excellent candidate to relearn how to bonsai. What a great idea!
Al be prepared for questions. Nandina thanks for the info. I'd nvere heard of beach plums before I saw it in a catalog and now I'm fascinated with its history and all the stories about it.

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