Back in the beginning of March, I wrote about seed starting with your kids or grandkids, and I just wanted to show off two of my grandchildren as we planted marigold seeds last Sunday. I went with marigolds because they are easy to grow, and they germinate quickly so that the girls will have something to look at. An empty pot of dirt is not very exciting but once there are some sprouts it gets more interesting watching the growth each day. Everyone got to take home eight pots, and I have eight pots at my house and we will all compare how our marigolds are growing through the spring. I know a couple of first grade teachers that do this in the classroom as well as it is a great learning experience.

So despite the crazy weather lately, the garden center is finally filled with fruit trees for spring. Everyday now, we get customers coming in asking all types of questions but most don’t ask the most important question, which is, do I need a cross pollinator? The short answer is yes, but it really depends on what you want to plant. Most apples need a cross pollinator but that means you need another variety of apple within a one mile radius of your tree, and you can’t go a mile in Sullivan County without finding either a domestic or wild apple that will cross pollinate any type of apple you want to plant. Wild apples will cross pollinate any domestic variety. The same thing holds true for pears and cherries. So if you want just one tree don’t worry, it will get crossed pollinated. All those white flowering trees that you see in the woods during the spring are wild apples, cherries and pears that will cross pollinate any of these varieties you might like to plant. Peaches are a different story as some need a cross pollinator and some do not.

 Elberta and Reliance peaches which are two of the hardiest varieties are said to be self pollinating but they will bear more fruit if there is a different variety to cross pollinate with. Plums are tricky ones, as there are Oriental plums and European plums and the two different types will not cross pollinate one another. So you can’t get one oriental and one European plum and expect to get fruit. It has to be two Oriental plums or two European plums. Now you can cheat this year, as we have 4 in 1 grafted plum trees that have two Oriental and two European plum varieties grafted into one tree. Because this tree has both Oriental and European varieties it is also a universal pollinator for any plum you may want to plant. Most Apricots and Nectarines are self pollinating, but like peaches, you will get heavier yields if you have a second variety. 

Berry bushes for the most part are all self fertile, but you will get heavier yields with two or more plants. Blueberries, raspberries and blackberries are the exception to that rule as they are all like apples, pears and cherries where wild berry bushes will pollinate domestic varieties. And wild berry bushes are all plentiful around Sullivan County so two or more plants are not necessary for heavy yields on these berries. Berry bushes like currants, gooseberries, elder berries and grape vines do like to have a second variety around for higher yields. Remember these plants do not need to be planted side by side, a half mile or closer is good enough.