Historically, Vermont homeowners have grown an assortment of fruits and berries on their homesteads. Canning and jelly-making were late summer rituals. Today, Vermonters view their yards less as places to grow food and more as decorative areas. However, many berry bushes and fruiting vines are quite decorative, thus making it easy for them to serve a dual purpose.

Blueberries

Blueberry bushes not only bear edible fruit, but offer spectacular autumn color, ranging from purple-red to copper-orange. Their growing requirements are manageable. Give them full sun and soil with excellent drainage. Like rhododendrons, they are acid-loving and need organic matter such as compost, leaf litter, and peat. Blueberry bushes have shallow roots that need to be protected with a good layer of bark mulch. Use fertilizer specifically formulated for acid-loving plants. Plant several varieties for better fruit production.

Following are some varieties we suggest as suitable for our region:

‘North Country.’ Grows only 18-24 inches in height. Fruit is sweet and mild ripening in mid-season. Zone 4.

‘North Sky.’ Like ‘North Country’. this is a dwarf out of the University of Minnesota. 18-24 inches in height; mid-season ripening. Zone 4.

‘Patriot.’ An early-season bearer selected at the University of Maine for its heavy berry production. Compact grower to 4 ft. Excellent fiery orange fall color. Zone 4.

‘Rubel.’ An old selection discovered in New Jersey. Uniform small fruit has intense flavor. One of the best blueberries for baking. Highest levels of antioxidants of any blueberry. Red fall foliage. Grows to 6 ft. in height. Zone 4.

‘Jersey.’ A favorite of the home gardener. Very sweet fruit ripens later in the season. Brilliant fall color. Zone 4.

Gooseberries and Currants

Attractive small shrubs and producers of delicious, flavorful and nutritious fruit, gooseberries and currants are among the hardiest of fruiting plants — safe to minus 40 degrees F. They are one of the best choices for a beginning fruit gardener. Both are very productive and fairly disease- resistant, as well as ornamental. They prefer full sun but will produce fruit in partially shaded locations. Growing 3–5 feet high and wide, they are easy to incorporate into the home garden. Both are adaptable to poor soils bur prefer fertile loam with some compost or wellrotted manure. Soil must be well drained. Gooseberries and currants are tolerant of dry spells.

Suggested varieties are: Black currant ‘Black September’; Red currant ‘Red Jade’; White currant ‘Blanka’; Gooseberry ‘Achilles Red’ and ‘Invicta’.

Hardy Kiwi

Known in the plant world as Actinidia arguta, Hardy Kiwi is an attractive vine with edible fruit that is making a strong comeback as an edible ornamental. Given a strong support it will quickly create a dense green canopy. Delicious fruit, about the size of large green grapes, appear about three years from planting.Hardy Kiwi like a loamy soil in sun or part shade. They would be a beautiful alternative to grapes on a substantial arbor.

Akebia

Native to Japan, Korea and China, Akebia is one of the best foliage vines for our northern region. Graceful foliage grows into a dense leaf mass. Hardy, vigorous and pest-free, Akebia has clusters of abundant, fragrant, small flowers which range in color from bright white to dark purple. It blooms in late May. When two varieties are planted for cross-pollination the vine produces a striking, sausage-shaped fruit. Zone 3. Suggested varieties: ‘Shirobana,’ ‘Rosea,’ and ‘Deep Purple.’

It is so enjoyable to be able to walk around your own yard and enjoy freshpicked fruit. Since there are so few fruits that are hardy this far north, we suggest you try incorporating one or two of the above into your landscape.